Tarot & the Orixa (The 7 African Powers)

we are everywhere

Note: My tarot posts are written with the assumption that the reader has at least an intermediate knowledge of tarot. If you have questions, you can reach out to me via DM for a paid quick information-sharing on the tarot, or consult a trusted reader or book on the subject. I am also assuming anyone reading this has a basic knowledge of The 7 African Powers and is a Black person interested in African Traditional Religions. Do not contact me about The 7 African Powers, as I am unqualified to help you.


EDIT: I just found this very interesting video by an Afro-Brazilian folk witch who speaks at 18:26 that she used her Rider-Waite tarot cards to ask if there were any entities accompanying her.

Preamble: Tarot & Greco-Roman Astrology.

As many of you familiar with the Rider-Waite (Colman Smith) Tarot deck already likely know, there is a card in the Major Arcana correlating to each Greco-Roman astrological sign in the zodiac.

Officially, these pairings are considered to be:

(IV) The Emperor - Aries (V) The Hierophant - Taurus
(VI) The Lovers - Gemini (VII) The Chariot - Cancer

(VIII) Strength - Leo (IX) The Hermit - Virgo

(XI) Justice - Libra (XIII) Death - Scorpio

(XV) The Devil - Capricorn (XVII) The Star - Aquarius

(XIV) Temperance - Sagittarius (XVIII) The Moon - Pisces


I disagree with some of these associations. Apparently, they were made by the Order of the Golden Dawn—a serious culturally appropriating white rich kid’s wannabe spiritual boy’s club—and adopted by Arthur Edward Waite, as he was a member. Most people quibble over the fact that in previous tarot decks, (VIII) Strength was actually XI, and (XI) Justice was in the eighth position.

I don’t particularly care about that. I am no astrology expert, but I feel that there are other cards in the Major Arcana which would have fit better with the different Greco-Roman zodiac signs—for example, Taurus as III (The Empress). Why not (III) The Empress, apart from the fact that yes, a bull is a masculine animal and (III) The Empress is all about the feminine? (III) The Empress reminds me of the Egyptian goddess Isis, who was symbolised by a golden calf/female cow. There is nothing about the reserve, restraint, rule-creating, and sanctity I associate with (V) The Hierophant with the pleasure-enjoying nature of Taurans. Whatsoever.

And (XIV) Temperance for Sagittarius? Really? They are the least temperate people I know. I see (XIX) The Sun or even (XXI) The World as a much better fit for Sagittarians. At least (XIX) The Sun actually has someone riding a horse, to go with the centaur aspect of Sagittarius, and the characteristics of (XIX) The Sun fit—I feel—much more with Sagittarians’ interest in study (a word I use loosely), knowledge, and experiencing things. Scorpio, I feel much less strongly about, but could see it as fitting with (XVI) The Tower as well as in it’s current position with (XIII) Death.

---

Main Course: Tarot & the 7 African Powers.

These associations, coupled with my recent discovery of the mixed-race ancestry of Pamela Colman Smith (you can read my free post about this here), and my ongoing relationship with some of the Orixa, led me to begin meditating on possible connections between the 7 African Powers and the Major Arcana in the Rider-Waite (Colman Smith) Tarot deck.

Might some of the Orixa have been whispering over Pamela’s shoulders as she illustrated the deck?

I doubt that I am the first Black tarot reader or Black witch or ATR (African Traditional Religion) practicioner to make these connections. I tried search-engine requesting “tarot and the Orixa” to be sure, but only came up with a result for a tarot deck entitled “Tarot of the Orishas.” I haven’t looked at it, so any crossover is purely incidental. Besides, I am only seeking to create a possible connection between Major Arcana cards I see as having connections to those Orixa known as The 7 African Powers (Please note that I use Yeye Luisah Teish’s manner of including the goddess Oya—Hekua Oya!—rather than the God Orula—no disrespect!—when I refer to The 7 African Powers).

I do not have a direct relationship with every Orixa I will list here. Therefore, some of my suppositions about which Major Arcana card could represent them is based solely on Yeye Luisah Teish’s stories of The 7 African Powers in her wonderful book, Jambalaya. At times, to avoid “saying a deity’s name in vain”—I’ve learned not to call on a spirit unless you really mean it, and that even saying the name of certain deities should be avoided unless you want to receive an un/friendly “visit”—I may use the letter “x” in the middle of a deity’s name, so that they know I am not taking their name in vain or calling on them. I use the greetings for The 7 African Powers as listed, again, in Jambalaya.

We begin.

---

Laroye! Ago Elleggua

Elegba/Elleggua - (0) The Fool: