ZINSI
allyGoddess
Zinsi belongs, with Zinsu, to a couple of twins of the Fon tradition of the former Dahomey, today the south of Benin. Dahomean folklore presents Zinsu and Zinsi as twins endowed with great supernatural powers, famed for their feats of magic. The accessible sources remain brief. They confirm their twin bond and their mastery of the magical arts, but diverge or remain silent on their gender and their exact nature, divine or human. The internal notice attaches Zinsi to witchcraft and makes her the twin of Zinsu. For want of detailed documentation, the precise narratives of their great deeds and the structure of their possible cult cannot be described with certainty.
Powers & Attributes
Role in the ROHO universe
Weaver of the invisible threads. ZINSI handles the subtle energies and teaches the language of correspondences. Bound to the Fon/Eʋe pantheon.
Sacred Mask
An ancient ritual mask of vegetable ivory, amethyst and sacred wood, engraved with symbols of witchcraft, embodiment of the power of Zinsi
Era
Ancient cycle
Frequently asked questions
Who are Zinsu and Zinsi?
They are twins of the Fon tradition of the former Dahomey, described in folklore as endowed with great supernatural powers and famed for their feats of magic.
Is Zinsi a goddess?
The accessible sources do not clearly settle the matter. They underline the magical power of the couple of twins, but remain imprecise on the gender of each and on their nature, divine or human.
Which narratives are associated with them?
Tradition retains above all their feats of magic, within the frame of Dahomean folklore on twins. The accessible sources deliver no detailed narratives of them.
Related spirits
Sources and references
- Encyclopedia Mythica (pantheon.org), notice « Zinsu and Zinsi »
- Melville J. et Frances S. Herskovits, Dahomean Narrative: A Cross-Cultural Analysis (1958)