OXUMARÉ

Duality

Oxumaré directs the act, the transformation and the power which produces motion. He is displayed as a male and a female Orixá and thus lives a twofold nature. For six months he is male, during this time his symbol is the rainbow. In this phase his task is to bring the water from the waterfall to heaven (Oxalá's empire). For the other six months he adopts a female form. During this phase, represented by the snake, she sometimes transforms into a beautiful goddess called Bessém.
The two symbols snake and rainbow represent renewal. With this duality Oxumaré carries all contradictions, all opposites inside of her: Day and night, sweet and sour, good and bad, male and female, etc. Like a snake he bites his own tail and thus forms a circle. This circle symbolizes the planet earth and the motion of all celestial bodies in the universe.

His domain is in all places where bills are being paid, in shopping, in businesses, at the bank, in matters of loan, in all finances. His colors are those of the rainbow, his stone is the opal, his symbol is the snake and his day is Tuesday.

back to Orixas