Obakoso is one of the most important toques (paths) of Changó — Changó in his aspect as the undefeated king. The name translates roughly as "the king did not hang", referring to a legend in which Changó was falsely accused and chose to disappear rather than be executed, later reappearing as divine thunder.
The name Obakoso comes from the Yoruba Oba kò so — "the king did not hang." According to tradition, Changó was falsely blamed for a catastrophe and hung himself in shame, but rather than dying he ascended to the sky and became thunder. His followers cried "Oba kò so!" — he did not die, he transformed.
This path of Changó represents dignity, power, and vindication.
Obakoso as a batá toque has a stately, regal character:
Changó has multiple toques for his different paths. Obakoso represents the royal, dignified side of Changó — distinct from the explosive aggression of Chachalokefún or the flowing power of Alujá. In a ceremony, the choice of which toque to play depends on what aspect of Changó is being invoked and what the ceremony requires.
This page was previously mislabeled with " cha-cha-chá" in its keywords — that was an error. Obakoso is exclusively a Changó toque with no relation to the cha-cha-chá dance genre.