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Oshun, ---.
O$UN
[To Whom the twentieth day of March, day 079, is dedicated]




Geography/Culture: Africa: Nigeria, Yoruba. Her principle shrine is in the city of Oshobo, past which the river Oshun flows.
Description: Tall, light-skinned, beautiful breasted Goddess of beauty, love, conception and divination; She Who taught the art of divination to the deities; Owner of brass; Eponym of the river Oshun; She Who is renowned for Her beauty, desirability, and the meticulous care She takes of Her appearance; She Who wears brass bracelets from elbow to wrist; Divine Harlot; "Civilised Woman"; Mother of many; She Who `fights' with dysentry, stomach ache and menopause.
To Whom Sacred: cowrie shells; river worn stones; small brass rods; the number 16 (the number of cowries used in divination); brass bracelets (worn by Her worshippers as their insignia); brass fan (used in Her dances); brass sword (used in Her dances); thin soup of wild lettuce; yam porridge; bean porridge, and other bean foods; honey; maize beer. Taboos: guinea corn; guinea corn beer; snails.
Her shrine, attended by a virgin, is decorated with cast brass figures. It includes pots of water from which Her worshippers may drink, and the sixteen cowries used in divination. Her priests there wear a false top-knot made of grass, cloth and indigo dye, like the one She made for Herself after Her hair was stolen.
And see also the Goddess Anthology under Oshun.
Male Associates: consorts Ogun, ---, god of iron, Shango, ---, Shopona, ---, god of smallpox. Lovers Osanyinu, ---, god of medicine, Ifa, ---, god of divination, and Orishala.

Titles/Variants, etc:

Source: Bascom YSN 90.

worked on: July 1990; August 1991; June 1995.
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