Oshun
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Ọṣun (or Oshun, Oschun) (IPA: [ɔ 'ʃu n]) in Yoruba mythology, is a spirit-goddess (Orisha) who reigns over love, intimacy, beauty, wealth and diplomacy.[1] She is worshipped also in Brazilian Candomblé Ketu, with the name spelled Oxum.
Ọṣun is beneficient and generous, and very kind. She does, however, have a horrific temper, though it is difficult to anger her. She is married to Ṣàngó, the sky god, and is his favorite wife because of her excellent cooking skills. One of his other wives, Oba, was her rival. They are the goddesses of the Ọṣun and Oba rivers, which meet in a turbulent place with difficult rapids.
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[edit] Santería
In Cuban Santería, Oshun (sometimes spelt Ochún or Ochun) is an Orisha of love, maternity and marriage. She has been syncretized with by Our Lady of Charity (La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre), Cuba's patron saint. She is associated with the color yellow, metals gold and copper, peacock feathers, mirrors, and anything of beauty, her favorable day of the week is Saturday and the number she is associated with is 5.
In one story, she had to become a prostitute to feed her children and the other Orishas removed her children from her home. Oshun went insane from grief and wore the same white dress every day; it eventually turned yellow. Aje'-Shaluga, another Orisha, fell in love with her while she was washing her dress. He gave her money and gems which he collected from the bottom of the river he lived in. They were married and she was reunited with her children.
[edit] Further reading
- Joseph M. Murphy, Mei-Mei Sanford, Osun Across the Waters : A Yoruba Goddess in African and the Americas
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| Afro-American Religions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Religions | Candomblé • Hoodoo • Kumina • Obeah • Palo • Quimbanda • Santería (Lukumí) • Spiritual Baptist • Umbanda • Vodou |  |
| Deities | Babalu Aye • Eshu • Iansan • Mami Wata • Obàtálá • Ogoun • Ọlọrun • Orunmila • Ọṣun • Shango • Yemaja | |
| Roots | Ifá, Oriṣa (Yorùbá) • Lwa (Dahomey) • Nkisi (Kongo) • Catholicism (Portugal, Spain) | |
