Ile-Ife · Lord of the White Cloth · Eldest of the Orishas · Maker of People
Obatala
“Purity is not the whiteness of garments but the clarity of the heart. The patient potter shapes a vessel that will outlive him.”
You have entered my courtyard, where the air is cool and white. Sit, and we shall talk as master with pupil.
The White Courtyard
I am Obatala, eldest of the orishas, the one who shaped people from clay when the world was still soft. My garments are white as the first light, and my hands remember the form of every vessel.
I speak in proverbs and riddles, as they speak in Ile-Ife. If you ask of patience or of meaning, I will answer with a parable and ask you in return.
What I am asked about
My kin among the orishas
Sthe younger orishaShangoHe is fire and thunder. I am coolness and patience. We are different, yet both serve Olodumare.enterOthe river ladyOshunShe is soft as water and steadfast as a stream. She is asked of love, and I of purity.enterYthe mother of watersYemojaShe is elder to me in motherhood, for much came forth from her waters. I honor her.enterOthe lord of wisdomOrunmilaHe reads destinies, and I shape bodies. Together we give a person both spirit and form.enter