Oya is the goddess of storms and the bringer of change. She is part of the royal Orisha and should be honored as such so she does not bring bad change to someone’s life. Mostly woman claim Oya as their Orisha because she is the protector of women and the goddess of death and the renewal of life. I am studying how a tureen on an Oya altar embodies the spirit of the Orisha, because I want to find out how honoring the goddess of transformation can help bring change to a person’s life. My goal is to help readers understand the importance of altars when honoring Orisha in the African diaspora religions.

Robert Farris Thompson’s writing, “Overture: The Concept ‘Altar’” discusses the idea of the altar and what it means to those who use it in religious practices. This text is directly related to my research statement by giving insight to the idea of the altar and the objects on them to honor an Orisha. “Yoruba building altars thus construct a face/surface/door, a complex threshold for communication with the other world.” (Page 30) This idea connects to my research statement regarding how honoring the goddess Oya through an altar can bring about change in a person’s life. The altar is a way for those honoring the goddess to communicate with her and let her know that their life is in need of change; the altar allows Oya to hear her followers. Thompson also wrote, “One of the distinguishing traits of the Yoruba and the related Dahomean altar is precisely a plentitude of pottery for libations and ritual assuagement.” (Page 30) The pottery seen on Oya’s altar is a soup tureen, which leaves me asking how the tureen embodies the spirit of the Orisha on the altar. Thompson’s last quote relates to the third part of my research statement and tells that altars are important because they help define the Orisha being honored, “…‘in terms of thoughtfully selected [altar] objects belonging to specific philosophic constellations which help to define the face of divinity.’”(Page 30)

To complete my research, I will need evidence from both primary and secondary sources. The primary sources that I believe will be the most helpful will be pictures, videos, and personal writings. Photographs will show the objects in the tureen that help embody Oya and to show how the tureen brings the altar together. Videos will be a good way to understand what really happens during altar making to better understand how they connect people to the Orisha. Personal writings from those who have experienced change after honoring Oya through an altar will allow me to study what those people put on their altar to get the Orisha’s attention. A helpful secondary source would include articles about experiences people have had with Oya through her altar. While secondary sources are helpful I believe the most effective way to research Oya and her altar will be through primary sources so I can better understand why some altars to this Orisha are more affective at bringing change to a person’s life over others.