Aganju

Aganju
Volcanoes (Cuba / Santería), Wilderness, Desert (Cuba / Santería), River (Cuba / Santería)
Member of Orisha
Other namesAganju
Venerated inYoruba religion, Umbanda, Candomble, Santeria, Haitian Vodou, Folk Catholicism
RegionNigeria, Benin, Brazil
Ethnic groupYoruba people, Fon people
OffspringSango
Equivalents
CatholicSaint Christopher

Aganjú (also known as Agayú or Aggayú in the African diaspora) is an Orisha in Yoruba religion and its descendant traditions in the Americas. He is a primordial deity associated with the sun, fire, and the untamed wilderness. In the Cuban tradition of Santería, Aganjú is syncretized with Saint Christopher.

Aganjú is historically and mythologically linked with Shango. In the history of the Oyo Empire, Aganju was a legendary Alaafin, described in some oral traditions as the nephew of Shango and the son of Ajaka. Both Shango and Aganju are considered deified ancestors who once ruled the Oyo state.