eorwyn:

YORUBA GODDESSES AND GODS  //// Oya

“You hiss
Lightning forks.
You sneeze
Thunder rolls.
You break wind
Forests wither. […]
You whistle
We dance.
You sweep
We fly.
You yawn
death rattles.”

- Oya: Goddess of the wind

Oya is the Yorùbá Orisha (Deity) she resides in the Niger River, in Africa. She is the Goddess of Storms and Wind, and She claims lightning as one of Her powers as well. Oya means “She Who Tore” in Yoruba. An elemental Goddess – Air, Fire Water – She incorporates all of them into Her. She can manifest as winds ranging from the gentlest breeze to the raging hurricane or cyclone. Oya is known as a fierce Warrior goddess, She fights ferociously and is fearless in Her protection of Her children. Oya is also the Owner of the Marketplace.    
She governs the gates of cemeteries, She safeguards the spirits of those who have passed and keeps the Ancestral connections, reminding future generations from where they came. She can either hold back the spirit of death or call it forth;