A dual figure
The scholar Pierre Verger, drawing on his research into Yoruba religion, described Xangô as having both a historical and a divine aspect. In the historical account, he is remembered as the third Aláàfin, or king, of Oyó, son of Oranian and of Torosi, daughter of a neighboring ruler with whom Oranian had allied. In his divine aspect, Xangô is described as the son of Oranian and Iemanjá, married to three deities — Oyá, Oxum, and Obá — and worshipped through a sacred shrine object called the igba xangô.
Worship and associations
Xangô is described as fierce and just, punishing liars, thieves, and wrongdoers; because of this, death by lightning strike, or a house struck by lightning, is traditionally regarded within the religion as a sign of his anger rather than as an ordinary misfortune. Tradition also credits him with founding the cult of Egungun, the veneration of ancestral spirits, making him the only Orixá said to hold authority over the dead — which is why the color red associated with him is considered indispensable in Egungun ceremonial dress. His priests and priestesses carry the titles Magba and Iyá Magba, his sacred drum is the Ilu Batá, his favored rhythm is the Alujá, and his traditional food offering is Amalá.