Ṣango

See also: Sango, Sängö, sango, and ŝanĝo

Yoruba

Alternative forms

Sàngó (NWY)
Chàngó (Òǹkò)

Etymology

From a very old borrowing from the 12th century, from Nupe Sòkó, a high ranking deity of the sky and rain, who was also closely associated with lightning. This may be the origin of the stories that associate Ṣàngó with the Nupe people, including stating his mother to be of Nupe origin. Compare with Gbagyi shengo. His worship was possibly absorbed by older Yoruba cults of lightning, thunder, jurisprudence divinities like Jàkúta and Ọ̀ràm̀fẹ̀, merging to become the "modern" Ṣàngó cult.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʃã̀.ɡó/

Proper noun

Ṣàngó

Shango, (orisha of thunder, vitality, lighting, justice, energy, force, explosions in Yoruba religion), he is also believed to have been the fourth Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́, and the husband of Ọ̀ṣun, Ọya, and Ọbà
Synonym: Ọ̀ràm̀fẹ̀

Derived terms

ẹlẹ́gùn Ṣàngó (“Someone who is possessed by Sango”)
oníṣàngó (“A worshipper or priest of Ṣàngó”)
Ṣàngó-pípè (“Invocation and chanting during the worship of Ṣàngó”)
Ṣàngóbíyìí (“A Yoruba name meaning Ṣàngó gave birth to this child”)
Ṣàngóbùnmi (“A Yoruba name meaning Ṣàngó gave me a gift”)
Ṣàngódáyìíró (“A Yoruba name meaning Ṣàngó spared this child”)
Ṣàngódélé (“A Yoruba name meaning Ṣàngó has arrived home”)
Ṣàngódípẹ̀ (“A Yoruba name meaning Ṣàngó consoled me”)
Ṣàngóṣẹ́gun (“A Yoruba name meaning Ṣàngó was victorious”)
Ṣàngóyẹmí (“A Yoruba name meaning Ṣàngó befits me”)

Descendants

→ English: Shango
→ Edo: Esago
→ Portuguese: Xangô
→ Spanish: Changó
→ Haitian Creole: Chango
> Lucumí: Changó (inherited)

References

Nadel, S.F. (1937) “Gunnu, a Fertility Cult of the Nupe in Northern Nigeria”, in The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland‎^[1], volume 67, pages 91-130