The fierce warrior goddess of winds, Oya is a protector of women and an arbiter of divine justice. She is the sister of Shango, the Orisha of storms, and can summon and control hurricanes, tempests, and tornadoes with ease.
She goes forth with her brother Shango during his thunderstorms, raising seas, overflowing rivers, destroying buildings, scattering trees, and scouring the land. Her judgment is righteous and swift, and she is called upon to settle disputes and enforce justice wherever it is needed. Oya is one of the Orisha, a minor deity that reflects and embodies manifestations of the supreme god in the Yoruba religion. Yoruba tradition describes four hundred and one Orishas, though some interpretations indicate that there are multitudes more. As an Orisha of change and tumultuous weather, Oya destroys the old to make room for new life and change. Her lightning slashes away dead wood and decrepit growth, burning a path for renewal. She is believed to watch over the dead and transition them from life into the next world. Oya is the great Orisha of the Niger river, and only her rains may feed it. She is worshiped throughout Africa and Brazil where she holds dominion over the Amazon, the greatest system of rivers in the world.