HONSU
allyHero
Honsu is, in the Fon folklore of Dahomey (present-day Benin), one of the two twin brothers he forms with Honsi. This pair belongs to the category of tales known as those of the terrible children, a genre of the Dahomean oral tradition in which young heroes accomplish feats through magic. In these narratives, the principal driving force is the twins' magical exploits, as they triumph over trials and adversaries by supernatural means. The figure of Honsu is understood in the light of the sacred status of twins among the Fon and the Adja, where twin births call for particular rites, the twins being named hohovi, children of the Hoho, spirit of duality. Scholarly documentation on Honsu remains very limited, reduced to short encyclopaedic notices drawing on the corpora of Dahomean tales assembled in the twentieth century, in particular by the ethnographic work of the Herskovits.
Powers & Attributes
Role in the ROHO universe
Weaver of the currents. HONSU watches over the flow of the waters and the fluid memory that binds the worlds within the Mabioni. Bound to the Fon/Eʋe pantheon.
Sacred Mask
An ancient ritual mask of vegetable ivory, amethyst and sacred wood, engraved with symbols of magic, embodiment of the power of Honsu
Era
Ancient cycle
Frequently asked questions
Who is Honsu?
A character of the Dahomean tale, twin brother of Honsi, whose oral narratives celebrate the exploits accomplished through magic.
Does Honsu belong to vodun?
The sources describe him as a tale hero rather than a deity of vodun. He illustrates the terrible children motif of the Fon tradition.
What is the bond between Honsu and the sacred Fon twins?
Among the Fon and the Adja, twins, called hohovi, have a sacred essence. Honsu and Honsi embody this twinness and the power credited to it.
Related spirits
Sources and references
- Melville J. Herskovits et Frances S. Herskovits, Dahomean Narrative: A Cross-Cultural Analysis, Northwestern University Press, 1958
- Encyclopedia Mythica (pantheon.org), notice Honsi and Honsu