Dada- Yoruba GodDeity"Crown of Shango"
Also known as: Dada Ajaka and Dàda
Titles & Epithets
Domains
Symbols
Description
Elder brother of Shango, Dada proved too gentle for the warlike throne of Oyo and stepped aside so the thunder god could rule. Yet Shango wears a crown that was once his brother's, and children born with locked hair still carry the gentle orisha's name.
Mythology & Lore
The Crown He Gave Away
Dada ruled Oyo before his younger brother, but the gentle orisha of children and growing things was no war king. He recognized that Shango's nature served the throne better and stepped aside. One of Dada's titles is "Crown of Shango," because the crown the thunder god wore had belonged first to his elder brother. Dada's own crown is humbler: a gourd decorated with cowrie shells, tied to the earth and to quiet growth rather than conquest.
Children of Dada
Children born with naturally matted or locked hair are called dada in Yoruba and are considered sacred, marked by the orisha's attention. Their locks are not cut during childhood. They receive particular reverence and care. When the hair is eventually trimmed in a special ceremony, it is carefully preserved.
Mothers invoke Dada's blessing for their newborns' health. He also governs vegetables and the slow growth of crops. Things that grow in their own time.
Relationships
- Associated with