Oxumaré
The Lord of the rainbow, cycles and fertility
Oxumaré (or Oshumare) is a beautiful, brightly-coloured Orixa, lord of cycles, fertility and renewal. They rule the principle of fluidity, but at the same time they rule the balance in life. Whatever they touch, they transform and renew.
On the 24th of August we celebrate the holiday of Oxumaré, who is likened to Saint Bartolomeo, one of the twelve of Jesus’s apostles. He is the patron of trainers, tailors, bakers and cobblers. They are likened mainly because of the way they were killed, where Bartolomeo was sentenced to death for trying to spread Christianity in Asia. Just like a snake, he was flayed…
Oxumaré’s abilities are embodied in their depiction. It is said that one half of the year they spend moving through waters like a snake and the other half they spend on the sky in the form of a rainbow. That very well explains how they are able to cross between varying energies, which they transform according to their needs. They also don’t have a firmly determined feminine or masculine polarity, since they oscillate between the two during their cycles. With their transformative, rainbow wave, they create a bridge between all orixas and us people, as well as between the orixas themselves.
Oxumaré ensures the cycle of crop yielding, because they, through their rainbow, regulate the transportation of waters into the heavens. From there they then bless the earth with rains and with this never-ceasing cycle they renew strength and life. They are the Orixa of change, which is why they are able to help finish or transform everything that is necessary and are able to start on a new level. If you are experiencing stagnation in your life, or you want to call for variability, joy, abundance and fertility, or you would like motion in your sexuality, Oxumaré is the right divine principle to ask. During difficulties with love, they are able to bring healing to imbalances. Their colours are yellow, green or simply rainbow. For their honouring, it is therefore appropriate to offer them flowers and candles in these colours along with mineral water. Then bring it to a waterfall or pond, best done on Tuesday.