Below is an infograph of information about the deity Oyá. There is a brief summary of her place with the pantheon and Yoruba religion, notes on her personality, life, and Catholic counterpart, a prayer to invoke Oyá, elements associated with her, as well as different paths she has lived in her many reincarnations (the ones that I believe have some influence on the character in Red & Brown Water).
Below the infograph is an connection of each of the paths listed here as they relate to the world of the play as well as Beyonce's music video, "Don't Hurt Yourself," from her album Lemonade which draws on Oyá's connection to Shango. The video below that draws on Oyá's powers of wind.
Oyá Bomi -- in this path, it is emphasized that Oyá is known as the storm goddess, manifesting powerful winds; this speaks to how often we hear Oyá and others refer to her as "Oyá like the wind..."
Oyá Afefere -- this path speaks to Oyá's character overall, embodying change in both nature and life, especially seeing how everything around Oyá is changing, but things for and about herself are not changing--they are stagnant, much like the water around them (and seen in Elegba's dream about Oyá).
Oyá Obinidodo -- this path emphasizes Oyá's connection to Mama Moja (after her passing), The Woman Who Reminds You, and Oba (in the play, this is the mother of Elegba's son) who is also a wife of Shango who is tricked (by Oyá and Oshun) into cutting off her ear to give to Shango.
Oyá Igbale -- this path highlights Oyá's connection to Mama Moja, specifically as to why she sees Moja dying; it is hightlighted by Mama Moja dropping her cross as she walks into the water seeing how Oyá secures the gates to the cemeteries and protects graves marked with crosses.
Oyá Funke -- in this path, Oyá protexts the unborn or stillborn, essentially symbolizing infertitlity, which speaks to her inability to conceive (in the play), and she guides them to the afterlife. It is important to note that Oyá (in general) suffered through 9 stillborn children of her own.
Oyá Obinidodo (II) -- in this path, Oyá is seen as an agent of change, enacting it around her, but not necessarily providing it for herself. She is also seen as getting to the truth of the matter, using her machete to cut to the truth, dealing out matters of equality and customs and speaking only truths--even the harsh ones. This is indictive of how she speaks to Ogun when telling him to leave, cutting to the truth of the matter (as she belives it) no matter how it affects anyone.
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