OSHOSI
neutralOrisha of the hunt and the forests
Oshosi, also spelt Ochosi, Oxóssi or Ọ̀ṣọ́ọ̀sì, is an orisha of the Yoruba religion, venerated in Nigeria, Benin and Togo, then in the Afro-diasporic traditions of Brazil and Cuba. He embodies the hunt, the forest, animals and subsistence, for it is he who provides food. To him are lent lightness, cunning and wisdom. His principal attribute is the bow and arrow, the ofá, with which he pursues game as well as favourable influences. Beyond the hunt, Oshosi is associated with justice and the tracking of wrongdoers, as guardian of the moral balance. In Cuban Santería and Candomblé, he forms with Eshu and Ogun the group of the Warriors, protector orishas of the threshold and the roads. His ritual colour is blue or green, his consecrated day Thursday. In the Americas, he is syncretised with Saint Sebastian, Saint George or Saint Hubert according to the regions.
Era
Yoruba traditions, West Africa
Frequently asked questions
What is Oshosi's domain?
Oshosi reigns over the hunt, the forest and animals. He is also invoked for justice and the search for truth, pursuing wrongdoers as the hunter pursues his prey.
What is Oshosi's symbol?
His symbol is the ofá, the iron bow and arrow, an emblem of precision and vision. The altars also associate with him horns, feathers and hunting objects.
Where is Oshosi venerated?
He is honoured among the Yoruba of Nigeria, Benin and Togo, then in Brazilian Candomblé and Cuban Santería, where he is syncretised with Saint Sebastian or Saint George.
Related spirits
Sources and references
- Pierre Fatumbi Verger, Orixás: Deuses Iorubás na África e no Novo Mundo (1981)
- Robert Farris Thompson, Flash of the Spirit: African and Afro-American Art and Philosophy (1983)
- , Wikipedia (FR/EN)