{"id":2566,"date":"2025-03-13T12:35:16","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T15:35:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.djamilaribeiro.com.br\/?p=2566"},"modified":"2025-03-13T12:35:16","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T15:35:16","slug":"orixas-series-logun-ede-teaches-us-that-we-can-be-multiple-things-at-the-same-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.djamilaribeiro.com.br\/en\/orixas-series-logun-ede-teaches-us-that-we-can-be-multiple-things-at-the-same-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Orix\u00e1s series – Logun Ed\u00e9 Teaches Us That We Can Be Multiple Things at the Same Time"},"content":{"rendered":"
This orix\u00e1<\/strong> represents the integration of his parents\u2019 qualities and highlights the importance of the \u201cand\u201d<\/strong> in Afro-Brazilian cultural heritage.<\/em><\/p>\n In recent weeks, this column has explored the stories of the orix\u00e1s<\/strong>. The series, which has already covered Oxagui\u00e3, Ians\u00e3, Ox\u00f3ssi, and Oxum<\/strong>, aims to bring readers closer to Yoruba mythology<\/strong>.<\/p>\n I am interested in expanding analytical perspectives<\/strong> based on the lessons and archetypes of this mythology. Moreover, in times of religious intolerance<\/strong>, I believe this dialogue is crucial in breaking down prejudices<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Discussing the stories of the orix\u00e1s<\/strong> also means discussing the practice of Candombl\u00e9<\/strong>. Its myths, rituals, and social structures<\/strong> reflect this heritage while incorporating influences from other cultures<\/strong> that shape the Afro-Brazilian religious experience.<\/p>\n In Brazil, the beliefs and religious practices of different enslaved peoples<\/strong> merged, creating connections with Indigenous perspectives<\/strong> and European religions<\/strong>. This fusion gave rise to Candombl\u00e9 and Umbanda<\/strong>, faiths that are unique and distinctly Brazilian<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This week\u2019s column focuses on the orix\u00e1<\/strong> who is the child of Ox\u00f3ssi<\/strong>, the lord of the forest and the hunt, and Oxum<\/strong>, the deity of waterfalls. From their union was born Logun Ed\u00e9<\/strong>, a prince orix\u00e1<\/strong> who, from an early age, displayed unique abilities and characteristics<\/strong>.<\/p>\n It is said that where there is a waterfall, there is a forest<\/strong>, and Logun Ed\u00e9 governs this bond<\/strong>. According to one of his it\u00e3s<\/strong>, when he was still a child, Oxum and Ox\u00f3ssi argued over who should raise him<\/strong>. Oxum wanted her son to learn the wisdom of the waters<\/strong>, while Ox\u00f3ssi wanted him to become a great hunter and protector of the forests<\/strong>. To resolve this, they agreed that Logun Ed\u00e9 would spend six months of the year with each of them<\/strong>, absorbing both of their teachings.<\/p>\n During the six months he spent with his mother, Oxum<\/strong>, Logun Ed\u00e9 learned about the mystery and generosity of freshwater<\/strong>. He became a creative and affectionate<\/strong> young man, capable of extraordinary achievements<\/strong>. In rivers and waterfalls<\/strong>, he felt at home, developing a deep connection<\/strong> with the magic flowing through the waters<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In the six months he spent with his father, Ox\u00f3ssi<\/strong>, Logun Ed\u00e9 learned the art of hunting<\/strong>. He became an exceptional archer and fisherman<\/strong>, moving silently through the forest<\/strong>. Under Ox\u00f3ssi\u2019s guidance, he developed strategy and skill in battle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n As he grew, it became evident that he was a perfect blend of his parents’ qualities<\/strong>. He possessed the wisdom, sensitivity, and beauty of Oxum\u2019s waters<\/strong>, as well as the precision, method, and abundance of Ox\u00f3ssi\u2019s hunt<\/strong>. Logun Ed\u00e9 became a versatile and powerful orix\u00e1<\/strong>, capable of bringing both prosperity and protection<\/strong>. As people say about him, he is the \u201cyoung orix\u00e1 whom even the elders respect.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Thus, Logun Ed\u00e9 embodies the integration of his parents\u2019 qualities<\/strong> while also highlighting the importance of \u201cand\u201d<\/strong> in Afro-Brazilian cultural and spiritual heritage<\/strong>. He teaches us that we can be multiple things at the same time<\/strong>\u2014water and forest, sensitivity and detachment, arrow and mirror<\/strong>.<\/p>\n As an orix\u00e1 of many faces<\/strong>, the descriptions about him are diverse<\/strong>. Duality<\/strong> is at the heart of his interpretation, opening space for discussions on sexuality and the multiple ways of being<\/strong>. In this sense, a modern understanding<\/strong> of Logun Ed\u00e9 has gained traction in terreiros<\/strong>, portraying him as an orix\u00e1 that challenges traditional gender norms<\/strong> and offers new perspectives on identity complexity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n As the child of both the forest and the waters<\/strong>, Logun Ed\u00e9 also demonstrates the importance of lineage in Candombl\u00e9<\/strong>, as argued by Professor Sidnei Nogueira<\/strong>. In this perspective, being a son or daughter<\/strong>\u2014whether by birth, adoption, upbringing, or spiritual initiation<\/strong>\u2014forms an intimate, symbiotic bond with one\u2019s ancestry<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In a terreiro<\/strong>, just like in the homes of mothers and grandmothers<\/strong> across much of the Black Brazilian population<\/strong>, one asks for the blessing of elders<\/strong> upon arrival and departure. Seniority is a place of respect and wisdom<\/strong>, where following the guidance of elders is believed to bring good fortune<\/strong> to the younger ones.<\/p>\n As the youngest orix\u00e1<\/strong>, Logun Ed\u00e9 is associated with lightness, playfulness, and the joy of children and youth<\/strong>. We greet each other with “Loci loci!”<\/strong>, and to this young hunter<\/strong>, we dedicate festivals, offerings, songs, and dances<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In the next column, we will continue this reflection with a female hunting orix\u00e1<\/strong>. See you then!<\/p>\n