Blessed Summer Solstice - Ọya and Ṣàngó Festival

Today, on 𞤼𞤮𞤩𞤢𞥈𞥁𞥁𞤢𞤲𞤩𞤫 𞤣𞤭 𞥔⹁ 𞥖𞥒𞥖𞥔 Togbàzangbe Di 4, 6264 (Friday, June 20, 2025 Gregorian), we move into a new season and phase with the coming of the Summer Solstice, or 𞤀𞥁𞤢𞤲𞤣𞤭𞤲 Azandin in the Ajã language of southern Benin Republic. Of course, this also marks the beginning of 𞤸𞤤𞤧𞤲𞤵 Glanu, or the Summer season, whose cardinal direction is south and whose color is yellow.  This coming weekend also marks our 𞤿𞤱𞤫𞤼𞤢𞤲𞤵𞥊𞥅 xwetanú (annual celebration and festival) of the òrìṣà 𞥃𞤢𞥈𞤲𞤺𞤮𞥊𞥅 Ṣàngó and 𞤽𞤴𞤢 Ọya! 

This is a time that we, as humans, can better harness the power of hwezivɔ/Hwè - the sun that lies within. Things one can do are chants, set bon fires, set off fireworks, gather family and friends and contemplate what it means going forward as Afrikans empowered. Get out in nature and truly feel its nurturing embrace. Bring something to life and consistently tend to it.

Go and greet the sun, and again, at night keep that energy going with a fire. Chant over fires such as bon fires. For us, this ushers in the period of the thunder and storm deities. Though this is a period of fire, remember also that the thunder deities are also associated with rain. Take some time to immerse yourself in water. If it is not taboo, get to the beach and immerse. At home, fill your tub with water, essential oils, certain herbs and the like. Remember the Afrikan proverb 𞤧𞤭𞤲 𞤣𞥉𞤮𞥊𞥅 𞤤𞤹𞤲𞤼𞤽𞥇 𞤢𞥇  sin ɖó kɛntɔ́ ǎ – Water has no enemy. In conjunction with the bath, burn copal resin incense on charcoal. And before or after the immersion celebrate, Celebrate, CELEBRATE!