Sopona

DeityNigeria · West AfricaMythFear 7/10

Description

A deity from the folklore of Nigeria. Ṣọ̀pọ̀na (or Shapona) is the god of smallpox in the Yoruba religion.

Origin & Background

Ṣọ̀pọ̀na (or Shapona) is known as the god of chickenpox in Yoruba religion. The Yoruba people brought their traditions to the New World through the slave trade. He is considered the vengeful aspect of the Yoruba deity Ọbaluaye and is also known as Babalú-Ayé in the Orisha-based religions that developed in the Americas.

The Legend

In traditional Yoruba religion, chickenpox is regarded as a disease transmitted to humans due to Ṣọ̀pọ̀na's 'divine displeasure.' The formal worship of the god of chickenpox was strictly controlled by specific priests responsible for the shrines dedicated to the deity. Before the early 20th century, people of this religion believed that the priests could cause outbreaks of chickenpox if they were angered. The name 'Ṣapona' is considered a secret and taboo name that is not spoken aloud due to respect for the god's power.

Variants

In the Dahomey religion, Ṣọ̀pọ̀na is known as Sakpata, Shakpana, or similar names, and is regarded as the god of the earth, health, and chickenpox. He can heal or inflict mental illness and disease upon humans. Additionally, in the African Brazilian tradition of Candomblé, he is known as Sakpata or Sakpata-Omolu and is associated with the colors red, black, and white. In Trinidadian Orisha tradition, Ṣọ̀pọ̀na is known as Shakpana or Ṣakpanna.

This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Sopona" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia