ORISHA priest Michael Osouna believes the time has come for the Orisha faith to be given the recognition it deserves, since it was the spirit of the orishas that guided the Haitians to revolt in 1804, triggering the movement to free African slaves across the world, decades later.

Osouna said the Orisha faith, which originated among the Yoruba of Nigeria and other west African countries, is a “way of life” that should be celebrated, especially on Emancipation Day, when the abolition of slavery in the English-speaking Caribbean, in 1834, is observed.

“In Haiti they call Orisha voodoo. The first country to be liberated from slavery was Haiti. There are different aspects or representations of Orisha. The ancestors' forces and the orishas were used in Haiti under the terminology of voodoo to acquire emancipation.”

[caption id="attachment_904583" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Orisha Kaalah Durham pays respect to ancestors on ancestral grounds in Lopinot/Bon Air West on March 21. - PHOTO BY AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]

Osouna, known to most as calypsonian Sugar Aloes, said the Orisha faith, which is separate from the Spiritual Baptist religion, is about honouring African ancestors and praising the orishas or deities.

“Yes! One hundred per cent,” he said, in answer to if more should be done to explain the role the orishas played in bringing freedom to slaves.

His call for recognition was agreed to by head of the Emancipation Support Committee Zakiya Uzoma-Wadada.

She said over the years, there have been various African groups calling for the recognition of certain festivals in the Orisha faith such as the Shango festival.

“They believe that we should have a holiday that recognises at least one of the festivals linked to Orisha. I do think that if there is to be a holiday then the Orisha community should come together and make a case and put forward that case and that rationale.”

She added: “The Spiritual Baptist case was based on the amount of torture because of how they expressed their religion in a particular way. I am sure the Orisha suffered the same fate. The strength and organisation of the Spiritual Baptist community is not the same as the Orisha community.”

[caption id="attachment_904582" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Orisha priest Michael Osouna, left, and spritiual elders officiate at the funeral for calypsonian Sandra "Singing Sandra" des Vignes-Millington at the Hirondelle Street Basketball Court, Morvant on February 4, 2021. - PHOTO BY ROGER JACOB[/caption]

The lack of unity and support for the Orisha faith stems from followers not unifying and making their case as a unified voice, she said. Regarding the Emancipation Support Committee advocating for the recognition of Orishas, she said the committee is a non-religious organisation promoting all things African. She said any call for a holiday should be done by the Orishas.

Osouna agreed that Orishas should unite in order to achieve their goals. He said the Orisha Square, near the Besson Street Police Station, Port of Spain, is not eno