Ṣàngó
/ʃàŋ.ɡó/noun
Ṣàngó is a Yoruba orisha associated with thunder, lightning, fire, kingship, and justice.
Did you know?Ṣàngó worship links drums, dance, fire, and thunderstones—prehistoric-looking stones sometimes interpreted as objects hurled from the heavens by lightning.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial Yoruba tradition
Yoruba
Ṣàngó
“Name of a powerful orisha associated with thunder, lightning, fire, and royal authority”
c. 15th Century
Yoruba
Ṣàngó
“Traditional name of a ruler of the Oyo Empire who was later venerated as a deity”
19th Century
Yoruba
Ṣàngó
“Recorded in descriptions of Yoruba religion as the thunder-associated orisha”
19th–20th Century
English
Shango
“Anglicized spelling used in writing about Yoruba religion and the African diaspora”
Modern English
English
Ṣàngó
“Scholarly and culturally preferred spelling for the Yoruba deity, also known as Shango”