The Orisha Shango (Chango, Xango) - Information & Video Examples

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases eight dance videos of the Shango (Chango, Xangô). Shango is a Yoruba (and Lucumi, and Santeria) orisha (Orisa, Orixa). As background to these videos, this post also includes information about the Yoruba religion, with special focus on information about Shango.

This post is presented for religious, historical, folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT YORUBA RELIGION
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoruba_religion
"The Yorùbá religion comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practices of the Yoruba people. Its homeland is in Southwestern Nigeria and the adjoining parts of Benin and Togo, a region that has come to be known as Yorubaland. Yorùbá religion is formed of diverse traditions and has no single founder. It has influenced or given birth to thriving ways of life such as Lucumí, Umbanda and Candomblé.[1] Yoruba religious beliefs are part of itan, the total complex of songs, histories, stories and other cultural concepts which make up the Yorùbá society.[1][2][3]...

An Orisha (Orisa or Orixa) is an entity that possesses the capability of reflecting some of the manifestations of Olódùmarè. Yòrùbá Orishas (translated "owners of heads") are often described as intermediaries between man and the supernatural. The term is often translated as "deities" or "divinities".[8]...
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Additional information about orishas is found in the summary statement for the video given as Example #8 below.

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From http://agolaroye.com/Chango.php
"Chango is one of the most talked about and most favorable orisha of Santeria. Chango also know as Shango, Sango, Alufina, Xango in Brazil, was a great warrior. He is the orisha of the thunder and thunderbolt. He is the thunderbolt that falls from the sky upon the land. When you hear the loud sound of thunder roaring through the heavens, it is Chango that is riding his white horse looking to serve justice. Chango is seen as a tall handsome man with an extreme physique. He is always dressed in satin outfits with his tiger skin wrapped around him. His crown is always firm on his head and it is always shining. His colors are red and white and in the home of a priest, he lives in a wooden batea (vessel), where his secrets and implements are kept. Chango loves to dance and he knows how to hype up a party. When he arrives, the party has just begun as he will dance and impress everyone that is there. He is also the owner of the bátá drums (the double headed drums in Santeria). When he finishes his dance, he is quick to grab the drums to show his skills.

Chango is a womanizer. He loves to flirt with all women. His dance is very seductive in which he uses to seduce his woman onlookers. Chango had many relations with females from every village. Maybe out of all the orishas he had the most with all and any woman. He had 3 wives that he loved dearly, each for their own special characteristics. Ochun, Obba and Oya."...
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Notice the close similarities between the description of Shango and the description of Thor: "In Norse mythology, Thor (from Old Norse Þórr) is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing and fertility" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
(These examples are presented in chronological order with the oldest examples given first.)

Example #1: Shango Dance


Baba Abayomi• Uploaded on Jul 21, 2007
Song and Dance for Orisha Shango. Footage from the 17th annual African Street Festival.
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Here's information about this street festival from this video of that street festival which is posted by the same publisher: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiMCKuXhQHE “Orisha Dance Explanation”

aboshun, 2008
"this festival is annual in brooklyn (international african arts festival), but there are different performances every year. it doesn't seem like the egbe Obatala does this annually."
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I don't know if this festival is still held in New York City.

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Example #2: Shango Dancing, Havana, Cuba



eguinkolade, Uploaded on Jun 6, 2009

Shango culminates presentation of Afro-Cuban dance at the Casa de Africa, Old Havana, 1992. Filmed by David H. Brown. Available as part of "Orisha Dance from Cuba". See http://www.folkcuba.com/stores/st_det.... (c) Folkcuba.com, LLC 2008. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Example #3: shango



MrTharrison, Uploaded on Oct 7, 2009

music and dance for the orisha Shango, Santiago de Cuba. Original video filmed / edited by Tim Harrison, Santiago, Cuba

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Example #4: Baile Shango Lasaro Ros



Marcelo Madan, Uploaded on Dec 25, 2010

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Example #5: Lucumí Onì: Changó



Mikala Hoff Skovgaard, Uploaded on Jan 28, 2012

The afrocuban folkloric group Lucumí Oñi from Havana, Cuba.

Musicians: Ignacio Guerra Acosta, Julio Guerra Acosta, Florentino Coco Acosta Mendoza, Noel Guerra. Vocal: Boris Venancio Reyes Montalvo Dance: Changó: Alberto Vidiau Moreno, Ochún: Miriam Izquierdo Mikala Hoff: manager, Denmark

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Example #6: Oya och Changó från Festival del Caribe 2012 - Santiago de Cuba



xmalikkha, Published on Aug 18, 2012

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Example #7: Cuban Bata Drumming for Santeria Ceremony – Chango



Tiffany Nicely, Published on Oct 29, 2012

Bata drummers play for a Santeria ceremony, praising Chango, an oricha

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Example #8: SHANGO, OGUN; GODS IN JAM SESSION – FESTOUR



Wintv Microres, Published on Feb 19, 2013

An Orisha (also spelled Orisa or Orixa) is a spirit or deity that reflects one of the manifestations of God in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system. This religion has found its way throughout the world and is now expressed in practices as varied as Candomblé, Lucumí/Santería, Shango in Trinidad (Trinidad Orisha), Anago and Oyotunji, as well as in some aspects of Umbanda, Winti, Obeah, Vodun and a host of others. These varieties or spiritual lineages as they are called are practiced throughout areas of Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Togo, Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, Uruguay, Argentina and Venezuela among others. As interest in African indigenous religions (spiritual systems) grows, Orisha communities and lineages can be found in parts of Europe and Asia as well. While estimates may vary, some scholars believe that there could be more than 100 million adherents of this spiritual tradition worldwide

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Maferefun Saango!
(Maferefún means “praises to the spiritual energy of” in the Yoruba language.)

Thanks to all who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those featured in these videos, and thanks to the publishers of these videos.

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