Shango
/ˈʃɑːŋɡoʊ/noun
A Yoruba orisha associated with thunder, lightning, fire, power, and drumming.
Did you know?In Yoruba tradition, Shango is identified with Ṣàngó, traditionally the fourth ruler of Oyo who became an orisha after his death; the historical identity of the ruler remains debated.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial Yoruba tradition
Yoruba
Ṣàngó
“The name of a powerful orisha associated with thunder, lightning, fire, kingship, and justice; its original lexical meaning is uncertain.”
c. 17th–18th Century
Yoruba
Ṣàngó
“In Oyo religious tradition, the name referred both to a remembered ruler and to the deity into whom he was transformed.”
19th Century
English
Shango
“English-language writers and missionaries adopted an anglicized spelling while documenting Yoruba religion and Oyo history.”
19th–20th Century
Caribbean English
Shango
“The name entered Caribbean religious vocabulary, especially in Trinidad, where Shango worship developed within an African-derived tradition.”
20th Century
English
Shango
“The term became widely used in anthropology, comparative religion, literature, and popular descriptions of Yoruba-derived spirituality.”
Modern English
English
Shango
“A proper name for the Yoruba orisha and, by extension, related African-diaspora religious traditions.”