Oxum she is an orisha, she is the queen of fresh water, owner of rivers and waterfalls, worshiped in candomblé and also in the umbanda, religions of African origin.
Oshun is Shango's second wife and represents female wisdom and power. In addition, she is seen as the goddess of gold and the shell game. She is the goddess of the river Oshun (or Osun) which is on the African continent, specifically in Southwest Nigeria.
The archetype of Oshun is of a graceful and elegant woman, who has a predilection for jewelry, perfumes and clothes. The figure of Oshun carries a mirror in his hand. some people confuse Oxum and Oxumarê, but according to Umbanda and Candomblé they are distinct deities.
Oshun represents the goddess of beauty, orixá of love, fertility and motherhood, responsible for protection of fetuses and newborn children, being adored by women who want get pregnant. Its element is water, its color is yellow and its day is Saturday.
The orixás are ancestors deified by Candomblé, a religion brought from Africa to Brazil during the 16th century by the Yoruba people. Among the various orixás are Ogum, owner of iron and fire, defender of law and order, opening paths and winning fights, protecting the weakest; Eshu, is the lord of principle and transformation, is the most important figure in Yoruba culture, the guardian of villages and cities. In the Christian religion he is confused with Satan, an entity turned to evil, who is concerned with sowing discord among human beings; Iansã is a warrior, queen of storms, winds and lightning, and Iemanjá, goddess of the seas and oceans, much celebrated in Brazil by people of different religions. She is the patroness of fishermen and also the goddess of love.
In Brazil, each orixá was associated with a saint of the Catholic Church, in a practice that became known as religious syncretism. Oxum is syncretized as Nossa Senhora da Conceição, in most Brazilian states, and its date is December 8th.
See also the meanings of Yemanja, ogun and Oxossi.
