Thomas Lachin - Lesson 8

IMED 2315 Web Design 2

Igba: The Spirit Receptacles of Brazilian Candomblé

Igba are assemblages of objects, always consisting of a container and other elements, put together to house the Orisha, or spiritual entities of Brazil’s Candomblé religion. Candomblé is typically practiced in compounds, or terreiros, that welcome visitors for many religious occasions. Practically all Candomblé houses keep Igba in sanctified rooms on the premises, and the belief is that the Orisha really and truly inhabit the assemblages.

Candomblé is a syncretic religion, meaning it has created a synthesis of Christian elements (such as the saints’ feast days) and the theology and beliefs of the ancient Yoruba religion of West Africa. The Orisha, or deities, are associated with different skills, human emotions and all their flaws, and forces of nature. They each have their sacred colors, tools, herbs, stones, and animals, and most or all of these things are taken into consideration when constructing the Igba.

Below are photos of a few Igba, for three Orishas: Ori, Xango, and Oxalufan, respectively. The Igbá for Ori features fruits and flowers as offerings. The second Igba pictured is for Xango, the kingly Orixa of justice. The third photo pictures an Igba for Oxalufan, an Orisha associated with peace, old age, and the heavens. They feature metal cutouts of doves, which are sacred to him. All of the pictured Igba are kept at Terreiro Orossi in Brazil.