Chango
Traditional Colors: Red and white, gold also
Number: 4 (or 6)
Areas of Influence: Life, Virility, Justice, Protection, Magick, The Element of Fire, Lightning and Thunder, Drumming
Entities associated with: St. Barbara
Symbols: Double headed axe, thunderstones, drums, lightning bolts, necklace made of alternating red and white beads
Offerings: Alcohol, chili peppers, hot/spicy foods, tamales, corn bread, okra, tobacco
Feast Day: December 4th
Astrology: Leo, the planet Mars
Tarot: The King (or Knight in Thoth deck) of wands, the Prince of Wands
Chakra: 2nd Chakra
Gemstones: Fire opals, carnelian, gold, diamonds
Animals: Cats, both large and small, Cardinals, Golden Tamarin Monkeys, Red Siamese fighting fish, Turtles
Entities of Similar Energy: Mars, Thor and Other War Gods
Plants associated with: Hibiscus, marijuana, chili peppers; sassafras, china berry and red oak trees
Hide your daughters and say hello to the bad boy of the Orishas. He’s manly, he’s fierce and he is oh-so-sexy. He fights hard and plays hard. First off, he embodies life energy, lightning and the element of fire. He is very much ALIVE and just full of energy. He is virile and just oozes power, wrapped in a rock star swagger. Chango also has a mean temper and when angered will administer quick justice.There is a traditional African story about how Chango was a king here on earth and while angered he was too quick to judge and committed an unforgivable act (the specific act changes with the origin of the story). He was so upset over what he had done, he then hung himself on a tree. Because he was so powerful, he was able to administer justice from beyond the grave. His followers said that Chango did not die (or hang-depending on your translation). He went on to become one of the most famous Orishas.
Chango is married to Oya, Oshun and the Pomba Gira. His first wife was Oba but she is no longer involved with him. He is the drummer (thunder are the drums of nature) and in Santeria he owns the sacred drums that get played during ceremonies. He loves with all of his heart and will give his loved ones anything. Chango is a sorcerer and is very proficient in magick and spell-work.
Properly Showing Respect to Chango
Chango has an absolute taboo against the dead or anything having to do with the dead. This is because he is the life force and therefore avoids death at all cost. He loves his liquor. Some sources say he doesn’t like rum (they suggest dry red wine) but the Chango I know loves rum with chili powder sprinkled in it. He also likes a good cigar. He loves women…all women. Big, little, short, tall…they’re all good. Ladies, when saying hello to him cup your breasts in your hands and hold ‘em high. He loves tamales and corn bread made with jalapenos. Fried okra is also an excellent choice. Chango and Ogoun do not get along! If you are doing a ritual to a group of Orishas be sure to feed them separately.
Where to find Chango
Firehouses, police stations, bars (especially bars with live music), and casinos. Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Nevada, Atlantic City, New Jersey, South Beach, Miami, Florida and any spring break destination. He likes the forest for occasional solitude. He is very close to his mother, Yemaya, so the beach would be appropriate also.
Chango’s Children
Chango’s children are firey, high-energy people. They are charismatic, sexual, strong and bold. They love to be the center of attention. By their nature, they are risk takers and gamblers. His children also have bad tempers and are quick to anger. They are ferocious parents and will protect their children with their lives. His male children especially will be very popular with the opposite sex and will normally have multiple children, usually from different women. The females may also have multiple sex partners. The children of Chango are attracted to jobs like firefighting, police officers and the military. They are also plenty of musicians and strippers that belong to Chango. Even when they get older, these folks don’t usually lead normal lives.
Chango Story
My first coven was really great in the beginning. They were very eclectic and interesting folks. They were an established church and had a storefront. They really seemed to have their stuff together. After a while however, I started to see the truth. The 2 women in charge (the high priestess and her sidekick) had lied about many things. They were also becoming obsessed by money. It turns out that these 2 broads wanted to live like rich people but didn’t want to work like rich people. I had seen the scheming and lies in action. People (who know these women personally) within the spiritual community had begun to try to warn other people about them and stop them from swindling any more folks. This one woman in particular that they were trying to get a large chunk of cash from had gotten wind that these women were bad news and withdrew her financial support.
The two women decided a ritual needed to be done to “protect” them from these “attacks.” However, what they really wanted was revenge. They let me write the ritual. I already was on my way out of the group and had seen the deception for myself. So I wrote up a ritual for justice and like with all rituals I write, I put on the end of it “and for the highest good of all concerned and without violating the laws of free will.” The ritual was performed in the shed in my backyard. Also in that shed were the office and spiritual supplies that these women had bought with ill gotten gains. Four hours after the ritual, that shed was up in flames. I lived in a wooded area with 30-foot tall pine trees and houses that were very close together. I started praying as I was calling the fire department. The flames were shooting straight up into the sky. Chango heard my prayers. Even though it took the fire department 10-15 minutes to get there, the only thing that burned was the shed (down to the ground) and about 10 feet of the fence that the shed was built up against. None of the other houses or trees caught on fire (although one pine tree was scorched and had to be cut down). All we had in the shed was a lawn mower. The homeowners (we were renting at the time) had insurance so they got a much nicer shed to replace the old one and the fence was repaired. The two women lost thousands of dollars in merchandise and personal belongings. Chango made sure that everyone got what they deserved and that the neighborhood didn’t burn down in the process.
