Oshun is a daughter of Iya-Nla, the Great Mother, inheriting her connection to fertility and the feminine creative power that flows through all the female orishas.
Yemoja is a daughter of Iya-Nla, the Great Mother, inheriting the primordial feminine creative power that manifests through Yemoja as the nurturing force of the ocean and motherhood.
Nana-Buruku and Iya-Nla both represent ancient primordial feminine power predating the current orisha order. In traditions where both are venerated, they embody complementary aspects of the Great Mother principle — Nana-Buruku as earth-mother, Iya-Nla as the collective feminine force.
Olodumare established a covenant with Iya-Nla granting the Iyami their ancient prerogatives. When the orishas descended to earth, the Iyami already possessed powers that even the gods had to respect under this divine agreement.
The Iyami possess power to affect personal destiny, placing or removing names from their calabash of fate. Iya-Nla's judgment can override ordinary destiny governed by Ori, making the Great Mother one of the few forces capable of altering one's path.
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