Polarity and Gender Modality
Sacred color or color combination associated with this entity. Example: white (Obatala), yellow and gold (Oshun), red and white (Shango). Access: public-unrestricted.
Nfumbe
A divine power, ancestral spirit, nature spirit, adversarial force, or personal essence recognized and engaged within an Afro-Atlantic tradition. Includes orisa, lwa, mpungo/inquice, vodun, egun, ajogun, Ori, Espiritismo guides and commissions, and spirits of place and element.
Temporal
taboo
Liquids offered to an entity: water, rum, wine, honey, etc.
Akọ àti abo papọ̀
Entities whose primary nature is change, transition, and transformation. Neither simply cool nor hot; work with both destruction and creation. Example: Oya, Elegba.
The Dead
Use when gendered sibling distinction is absent or contested in source material.
Espiritu Guia
Loa Petro
Fabric, beads, or clothing offered or draped for an entity in the entity's sacred colors.
Masculino
enfant de
ọmọ fún
gêmeo ou gêmea de
Gede
Rada
color
irmão ou irmã de
Links a SpiritualEntity to its known Path instances (caminos/avatars). A single entity may have many paths. Access: public-unrestricted.
Spirits tied to specific locations, landscapes, or natural features: forests, rivers, crossroads, mountains, specific trees or stones. Not the dead, not divine powers, not malevolent by nature. Engaged through offering and acknowledgment. Found across multiple traditions including Hoodoo and syncretic folk practices.
Spirits of the Petwo nanchon in Haitian Vodou. Hot, fierce, and transformative in temperament. Kongo, New World maroon, and creole origins. Associated with fire and gunpowder.
Gẹ́gẹ́ bí àsìkò
Polaridade e modalidade de gênero
Commission Spirit
Apolaire
Consistent masculine polarity in ritual address, manifestation, and alignment across known caminos.
Spirits of the Rada nanchon in Haitian Vodou. Generally cool, sweet, and beneficent in temperament. Primary Fon/Dahomey origins. Received with white and light colors.
irmão de
entity type
Congo
Gypsy
path syncretic identity
Commission of Romani spirits. Work with divination, luck, commerce, and love. Often approached for card reading and matters of fortune.
Comision Celestial
Ajogun are not evil spirits in a moral sense but cosmic forces of adversity that must be balanced. Their propitiation is a legitimate archival and ritual category distinct from orisa worship.
hermano de
Africano
The name of this specific path or camino. Example: Oya Yansa, Oya Igbale, Oshun Ibu Kole, Obatala Ocha Grinan. Access: public-unrestricted.
Commission of spirits who were doctors, healers, or medical practitioners in life. Work with healing and health matters. Sometimes called upon in misa for diagnosis.
Transformative
Dépendant de l'aspect
Spirits governing elemental forces — water, wind, fire, earth, lightning — not otherwise classified as orisa, lwa, or other named divine powers. Includes elemental presences recognized in folk traditions and syncretic contexts.
sibling of
Mpungu
Gẹ́gẹ́ bí àwòrán tí a fihàn
Dedicated labor, service, or action performed as offering. Example: building a shrine, completing a vow, acts of charity associated with an entity's domain.
Commission of maternal African or Afro-Caribbean women spirits, often depicted as market women or healers. Work with protection, home, healing, and practical matters.
Relations de parenté spirituelle
Sacred Object
path
padre de
Feminino
Spirit of Element
The ancestral dead across Afro-Atlantic traditions. Not tradition-specific: encompasses egungún (Yoruba), the dead honored at boveda (Espiritismo), ancestral courts in Vodou, and the honored dead in all traditions where ancestors are engaged. The dead precede and supersede the orisa and lwa in most traditions.
Andrógino
related entity
Sailor
mother of
Apolar
The SpiritualEntity of which this Path is an aspect or manifestation.
alábàáṣiṣẹ́ ìgbéyàwó fún
parent de
Moro
sacred number
Offering Type Classification
Controlled terms for describing metaphysical polarity or gendered alignment in ritual address, cosmology, and manifestation. This scheme does not describe biological sex. Multiple concepts may apply to a single entity via different paths (iroko:RelationshipAssertion with assertionScope for camino-level distinctions).
Classification of spiritual entity types across Afro-Atlantic traditions. Organized by ontological category: divine powers, personal essence, ancestral spirits, nature spirits, and adversarial forces.
Spirit of Place
Spirit Kinship Relations
parent of
madre de
Entities who exist at thresholds — between life and death, sacred and profane, this world and the next. Example: Ghede lwa, Eshu/Elegba as gatekeeper, Oya Igbale.
Cool/Sweet
Commission Type Classification
ará fún
Feminine
Arab
mère de
Lwa (Rada)
Ajogun
ẹ̀gbọ́n tàbí àbúròkùnrin fún
Oya presents as feminine in most lineages but some roads (caminos) of Oya are understood as masculine or androgynous.
Femenino
Links a spiritual entity to a documented shrine or vessel. Access: community-only.
The human dead bound to a nganga in Palo Monte and Mayombe. Ontologically distinct from free ancestors (egun): the nfumbe enters a specific contractual and coercive relationship with the Palero and the nganga vessel. The nfumbe works within the nganga and is not free.
Entities of hot, intense, warrior energy. Approached with fire, iron, rum, and strong offerings. Example: Ogun, Shango, Petwo lwa.
traditional name
Féminin
Shrine
Fresh water, ocean water, river water, or blessed water offered to an entity.
path taboo
Espiritu de Commission
Commission of Indigenous American spirits. Work with nature, healing, and the land. Common in Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Dominican Espiritismo reflecting indigenous Taino presence.
Temperament Classification
Abo
Aspect-Dependent
General category of offering accepted by this entity. Values from OfferingTypeScheme. Access: public-unrestricted.
Ìṣọ̀kan agbára àti ìwà ìbálò
commission type
temperament
progenitor de
Commission of sailor or seafaring spirits. Work with travel, navigation, and matters of the sea. Reflect Caribbean maritime culture.
frère ou sœur de
Masculine and feminine qualities are simultaneously present and inseparable. Distinct from aspect-dependent, where polarity shifts between manifestations.
Vodun
element
hijo o hija de
hermana de
Polaridad y modalidad de género
path domain
Egun
Another spiritual entity with a significant relationship to this one. Example: Elegba and Ogun (road and iron); Oya and Shango (consort). Access: public-unrestricted.
òbí fún
ìbejì fún
Dependiente del aspecto
General temperament classification. Values from TemperamentScheme: iroko:temperament-cool-sweet, iroko:temperament-hot-fierce, iroko:temperament-transformative, iroko:temperament-liminal. Access: public-unrestricted.
syncretic identity
époux ou épouse de
Vodu
Consistent feminine polarity in ritual address, manifestation, and alignment across known caminos.
Woodland Spirit
frère de
Native American
Not described in gendered or polarity terms, or explicitly transcending the masculine/feminine binary. Not the same as unknown.
Lwa (Ghede)
spouse of
Animal
Commission of Kongo-derived spirits in Espiritismo. Work with earthy, transformative, and protective matters. Bridge between Espiritismo and Palo traditions in syncretic practice.
ìyá fún
Loa Gede
Androgynous
Offering
Spirits of the Ghede nanchon in Haitian Vodou. Govern death, sexuality, resurrection, and the boundary between living and dead. Liminal in temperament. Composite New World origins distinct from both Rada and Petwo.
Ìbátan ẹ̀mí sí ẹ̀mí
Songs, drumming, or music performed in honor of an entity. General category is public; specific songs and rhythms are initiated-only.
Drink
offering (general)
Sacred number or numbers associated with this entity. Example: 8 (Oshun), 16 (Obatala), 4 and 6 (Shango). Access: public-unrestricted.
sacred day
Orixa
Temporel
plant association
cónyuge de
Adversarial Force
Frio
Mpungo/Inquice
genitor de
pai de
Named commissions (comisiones) in Espiritismo. Each commission represents a group of spirits sharing a common historical, cultural, or archetypal identity. Documented on espiritu-commission entities via iroko:commissionType.
father of
Orisha
gemelo o gemela de
Day of the week or calendar feast day associated with this entity. Access: public-unrestricted.
Marinero
Name of this entity in its tradition of origin. May differ from diaspora names. Example: Sango (Yoruba continental) vs. Shango (Lucumi) vs. Xango (Candomble). Access: public-unrestricted.
The term Faires may reflect crossover from European folk traditions into Hoodoo and syncretic contexts. Terminological certainty varies by regional tradition. Document tradition-specific terminology via iroko:alternateNames and iroko:tradition on individual instances.
Hot/Fierce
Ancestors
bàbá fún
Spirit Kinship Relation Types
Polarité et modalité de genre
Inquice
General categories of offerings given to spiritual entities. Specific quantities and preparation are access-restricted; these general categories are public.
Commission of African spirits, often depicted as enslaved Africans or African elders. Work with strength, protection, and grounding. Among the most powerful commissions.
Candle/Light
path number
path color
Masculine
ẹ̀gbọ́n tàbí àbúròbìnrin fún
Elemental Spirit
Prohibitions associated with this entity: foods, behaviors, or materials to avoid. Access: community-only.
Orisa
Natural element or sphere associated with this entity. Example: ocean (Yemaya), river (Oshun), cemetery (Oya Igbale, Baron Samedi), forest (Ochosi, Ogun). Access: public-unrestricted.
offering (detailed)
Indio
Divine forces in Yoruba and Yoruba-derived traditions (Lucumi, Candomble Ketu, Trinidad Orisha, Oyotunji). Orisa are cosmic powers governing natural and human domains, each with specific attributes, offerings, colors, and numbers.
shrine
irmã de
Plants, flowers, or herbal preparations offered to an entity. Links to ewe:Plant instances.
Ritual objects, implements, or symbolic items offered or dedicated to an entity.
Prohibitions specific to this path. Access: community-only.
père de
Dependente do aspecto
Lwa (Petwo)
Polarity shifts according to time of year, liturgical calendar, season, or ritual period. The shift is cyclical and predictable, not camino-specific.
Formal greeting or praise name used when addressing this entity in ceremony. Access: initiated-only.
child of
sister of
Espiritu Intranquilo
A spirit belonging to a named commission (comision) in Espiritismo. Commissions are groups of spirits sharing a common historical, cultural, or archetypal identity. Commission type is documented via iroko:commissionType property and the CommissionTypeScheme.
The individual divine head and personal destiny in Yoruba and Yoruba-derived traditions. Not an external spirit but the innermost self and personal divine principle. Ori has a shrine (ile ori), receives rogacion and propitiation, and is considered the most important force in an individual's life. Its guidance supersedes that of the orisa.
salutation
Path
Gitano
Music/Song
path name
Temperament of this specific path. Values from TemperamentScheme. A path may have a different temperament than its parent entity. Access: public-unrestricted.
Intranquil spirits occupy a contested category in Espiritismo — some practitioners consider them dangerous and do not work with them. Document lineage position via iroko:contestedNotes.
Polarity varies by named camino, avatar, path, or manifestation. Individual paths should carry their own polarity assertion via iroko:RelationshipAssertion with assertionScope.
The sphere of influence or governance of this entity. Example: iron, war, roads (Ogun); love, rivers, beauty (Oshun); wind, death, transformation (Oya). Access: public-unrestricted.
Akọ
sœur de
Cloth/Fabric
domain
Celestial Commission
Obatala in many lineages simultaneously embodies masculine and feminine principles, expressed in white, stillness, and completion.
Specific offering details: exact foods, quantities, preparation methods. Access: initiated-only.
Caliente
parent entity
Commission of highly evolved or elevated spirits associated with light, purity, and spiritual advancement. May include spirits identified as angels or exalted ancestors.
filho ou filha de
A material or symbolic offering given to a spiritual entity. Includes food, drink, objects, colors, animals, and actions. General offering categories are public; specific quantities, combinations, and preparation details are access-restricted.
Spirit of the Land
Ori
twin of
path offering (detailed)
cônjuge de
jumeau ou jumelle de
brother of
Liminal
A distinct manifestation, aspect, or camino of a spiritual entity. Paths share the parent entity's fundamental nature but have distinct domains, temperaments, colors, numbers, offerings, and sometimes distinct syncretic identities. Example: Oya Yansa (fierce warrior aspect) vs. Oya Igbale (governess of the cemetery). Paths are not separate entities but distinct faces of the same power.
path temperament
A consecrated physical space or vessel housing a spiritual entity. Includes ile (houses), soperas, nganga, peristyle altars, and boveda. Shrine records link physical location and custody to the entity and tradition. Operational shrine details are access-restricted.
In Lucumí cosmology, Ibeji (twins) hold specific sacred status. This relation type should be used with iroko:assertionStatus to indicate whether the twin relationship is consensual or lineage-specific.
Classification of this spiritual entity within the EntityType scheme. Values: iroko:entityType-orisa, iroko:entityType-lwa-rada, iroko:entityType-lwa-petwo, iroko:entityType-lwa-ghede, iroko:entityType-mpungo-inquice, iroko:entityType-vodun, iroko:entityType-ori, iroko:entityType-egun, iroko:entityType-nfumbe, iroko:entityType-espiritu-guia, iroko:entityType-espiritu-commission, iroko:entityType-spirit-of-place, iroko:entityType-spirit-of-element, iroko:entityType-ajogun. Access: public-unrestricted.
Relações de parentesco espiritual
Animal sacrifice or offering. Category is public; specific animals, method, and context are initiated-only.
Masculin
Seasonal polarity shift
Water
Candles or other light sources offered or burned for an entity.
Eggun
Guide
The specific domain of this path, which may differ from the parent entity's general domain. Example: Oshun Ibu Kole governs vultures and transformation, distinct from Oshun's general river domain. Access: public-unrestricted.
Intranquil Spirit
Commission of Arab or Moorish spirits. Work with commerce, prosperity, and esoteric knowledge. Reflect historical Moorish presence in Iberian culture transmitted to the Caribbean.
Labor/Action
Entity Type Classification
Food
A personal spirit guide in the Espiritismo tradition. Part of an individual's cuadro espiritual (spiritual frame). Guides may be ancestral relatives, historical figures, or evolved spirits assigned to assist a specific person. Identified through mediumship and misa espiritual.
Beyond polarity
Adversarial cosmic forces in Yoruba cosmology. The principal Ajogun are Iku (Death), Arun (Disease), Ofo (Loss), Egba (Paralysis), Oran (Legal Trouble), Epe (Curse), Ewon (Imprisonment), and Ese (all other afflictions). Powerful forces that are propitiated or deflected rather than worshipped. Not deities; not ancestors; ontologically distinct from orisa.
Catholic saint or other syncretic correspondence specific to this path, if different from parent entity. Example: some paths of Oshun correspond to Our Lady of Charity; others to Our Lady of Candelaria. Access: public-unrestricted.
For espiritu-commission entities: the specific commission they belong to. Values from CommissionTypeScheme. Access: public-unrestricted.
Divine forces in Fon/Ewe-derived traditions including Arara in Cuba. Related to but distinct from Haitian lwa; represents the continental Dahomean tradition.
Use when the gendered parent role is unspecified or ambiguous in source material.
Money/Coin
Plant/Herb
Offering details specific to this path. May differ significantly from parent entity offerings. Access: initiated-only.
Sacred number specific to this path. Access: public-unrestricted.
Arabe
Plants associated with this entity. Links to ewe:Plant instances. Inverse of ewe:entityAssociation. Access: public-unrestricted.
Spirits who died in conflict, trauma, or without resolution. Worked cautiously; associated with unrest and unfinished business. Distinct from the other commissions in that they are engaged for specific workings rather than as ongoing guides.
Prepared or natural foods offered to an entity. Specific foods are tradition and entity specific.
Loa Rada
Notes on which lineages recognize this path and any contested aspects of its identity or attributes. Access: community-only.
Egun as a category is deliberately cross-traditional. Tradition-specific practices of ancestral engagement are documented via the iroko:tradition property on individual instances.
Faires
mãe de
Domain module. Vocabulary for documenting spiritual entities across Afro-Atlantic traditions. Covers orisa, lwa, mpungo/inquice, vodun, egun, ajogun, nature spirits, Espiritismo guides and commissions, and Ori. Supports path/camino modeling, shrine documentation, and syncretic identity tracking. Use with iroko-agency for manifestation events; iroko-authority to govern who may assert claims about entity identity, kinship, or caminos; iroko-narrative for patakí, odù verse attribution, and contested kinship claims.
Camino-dependent
Medical Commission
Color specific to this path, which may differ from the parent entity's general colors. Access: public-unrestricted.
Relaciones de parentesco espiritual
Iroko Framework: Nkisi Module (Spiritual Entities)
Entities of cool, gentle, beneficent energy. Approached with white and light colors, cool water, and gentle offerings. Example: Obatala, Yemaya (certain paths), Rada lwa.
hermano o hermana de
Madama
Coins or currency offered to an entity, particularly common with Elegba, Oshun, and market-oriented spirits.
Androgyne
Àìní ìṣọ̀kan
lineage notes
Ori is ontologically distinct from the orisa — personal rather than cosmic, internal rather than external. It should not be classified under orisa.
Temperament or spiritual disposition of an entity or path. Reflects the nature and quality of the entity's energy and how it is approached in ritual.
Controlled kinship relation types for spirit-to-spirit relationship assertions. Used as the range of iroko:relationType on iroko:RelationshipAssertion nodes. Kinship in this context is cosmological, not biological.
Petwo
Divine forces in Bantu-derived traditions: Mpungo in Palo Monte and Mayombe, Inquice in Candomble Angola. These are the same cosmic powers known by different names in the Kongo religious continuum. Example: Zarabanda (Palo) corresponds to Ogum (Candomble Angola).
Spiritual Entity
Spirit Guide
Nfumbe should not be classified as egun. The bound nature of the nfumbe is a defining characteristic with significant ethical and archival implications.
Comision Medica
Catholic saint or other syncretic correspondence for this entity. Prevents santos from slipping through classification gaps. Example: Shango syncretizes with Santa Barbara in Lucumi; Ogou with Saint Jacques in Vodou. Free text to accommodate regional and lineage variation. Access: public-unrestricted.