Shango came over to America in the hearts of his devotees. They did not choose to make the middle passage, but many of them survived it because they had Shango's example of one who could beat any odds and make any situation advantageous; Shango exemplifies the Philosophy of "When Life Throws Lemons at You, Make Lemonade." His capacity to adapt, to break with old modes, to be individualistic and iconoclastic, makes shango a perfect divinity for the new world, for all of these are traits that have helped us survive and thrive. It is in this spirit that I brazenly claim shango as our beloved paradigm. The most popular orisha in America.