Oshosi
Oshosi is the orisha of the hunt, forests and abundance — the provider who ensures a community lacks nothing. He is historically linked to the Yoruba kingdom of Ketu and, in mythology, appears in close partnership with Ossaim, guardian of herbal knowledge.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-19
Historical fact
Oshosi is the orisha of the hunt, forests and abundance — traditionally the patron of hunters in Yorubaland, associated with the bow and arrow (ofà) and the skill needed to provide sustenance for an entire community. Oral tradition links Oshosi as a founding or tutelary figure connected to the historical Yoruba kingdom of Ketu — a significant connection because the Ketu Yoruba subgroup had major influence on the most Yoruba-oriented lineage of Bahian Candomblé, the Candomblé Ketu nação. In the itans recorded by Reginaldo Prandi, Oshosi and Oxum are sometimes narrated as former companions, and Oshosi appears closely linked to Ossaim: hunter and herbalist who together hold the ecological knowledge of the forest.
Interpretation — Candomblé (Afro-Brazilian tradition)
In Candomblé, Oshosi is celebrated as the orisha of abundance and provision — not only literally as a provider through hunting, but symbolically as the one who ensures nothing is lacking. Depending on the region and nação, he has been syncretized with São Jorge (Saint George) or São Sebastião (Saint Sebastian). His children are described as observant, independent people connected to nature; his associated color is green, and he is typically depicted with a bow, arrow and a horsetail whisk (eruexim) used in ritual. He is particularly central in the Ketu nação, reflecting his historical origin tied to that Yoruba kingdom.
Interpretation — Yoruba Tradition (West Africa)
In West African Yoruba tradition, Ọ̀ṣọ́ọ̀sì is the patron orisha of the hunt, essential in societies that depended on the forest for food. He is historically linked to the kingdom of Ketu, where oral traditions describe him as a founding or protective figure of the royal lineage. His relationship with Ossaim is central in this tradition: as a hunter, Oshosi enters the forest and depends on Ossaim's knowledge of herbs both to heal wounds and to sharpen his aim — a partnership that symbolizes the interdependence between human skill and sacred botanical knowledge.
This section presents one tradition's interpretation, not a verifiable fact.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is Oshosi linked to the kingdom of Ketu?
- Oral tradition describes Oshosi as a founding or tutelary figure of the historical Yoruba kingdom of Ketu. This origin is especially relevant to Bahian Candomblé because the Ketu Yoruba subgroup had a decisive influence on the Ketu nação, one of the lineages closest to the original Yoruba matrix.
- What do Oshosi's bow and arrow represent?
- They represent the skill of hunting and provision — the ability to secure food and sustenance for the community. This is why Oshosi is associated with abundance, not just hunting itself.
- What is the relationship between Oshosi and Ossaim?
- In mythology, the two are portrayed as inseparable partners: Oshosi, the hunter who enters the forest, depends on Ossaim's knowledge of herbs to heal wounds and sharpen his aim, a relationship that symbolizes the interdependence of skill and botanical knowledge.
Sources
- Pierre Verger. Orixás: Deuses Iorubás na África e no Novo Mundo (1981).
- Reginaldo Prandi. Mitologia dos Orixás (2001).
- Roger Bastide. The African Religions of Brazil (1978).
- Toyin Falola, Ann Genova (eds.). Orisa: Yoruba Gods and Spiritual Identity in Africa and the Diaspora (2005).