Who are we?
Madame Zen’Obeah’s Cabinet was birthed in 2015 in the living room of Iya Oyanike, in Atlanta GA. As a Yoruba Priestess and budding herbalist, she often times had visitors and clients who were in need of either spiritual or medicinal supplies. She was constantly reaching into her cabinet to provide herbs, soaps, cowrie shells, resins and other collected spiritual items to assist those in need. Eventually her cabinet expanded to include other items collected throughout her travels within the African Diaspora. These items always caught the eye of visitors and sparked either a learning opportunity or provided cultural and spiritual enlightenment. Additionally, her personal reliance on indigenous healing modalities such as Herbal Nutrition, Reiki, Native American Sweats, Hip Baths, Acupuncture, to name a few, was evident in her health and progress in life. Consequently, her home became a spiritual hub, learning center and market place. Her life’s passion began to feed, support and heal her loved ones and community. Iya Oyanike was led to share her knowledge, gifts and passion with her global community and hence branched out to partner and work with others in her community. Now we are happy to share our expertise, services and healing products with the world as an extension of our ancestral knowledge and pride.
Meet Our Founder
Iya Oyanike
Mother, Lover, Mentor, Teacher, Youth Program Developer, Educational Leader, Spiritual Guide, Entrepreneur
“As a Jamaican born and raised woman, I was fortunate enough to explore an environment rich in culture and natural resources. I was also encouraged by my elders, family and community to rely on the land to heal myself. This sparked my love of herbs which flourished into a deep appreciation for other forms of natural healing. Subsequently, my study of other cultures, traditions and indigenous practices was experienced mostly through my personal travels. I became more aware of how other cultures relied on their sacred land as well to heal themselves. I also discovered that along with herbal remedies there also existed healing practices based on the essence of individuals and uses of natural resources. It became apparent to me that the source of indigenous healing lies within the rituals and tradition of a people. Today, I continue to explore, study and have created Madame Zen’Obeah’s Cabinet as a way of sharing my cultural experiences and healing practices with others. I strive to encourage and uplift the preservation and application of indigenous cultural practices and ways of healing. As a Yoruba Priestess, it is my divine assignment and joy to promote the teachings and practices of my Ancestors, particularly through connecting with nature. My spiritual practices have propelled me to deepen my understanding and reverence for the forces of nature and how vital they are in healing and medicine preparation.”