Offering to Oxossi: see how to please him and tips to make your own!

Oxossi is a provider, hunted and protective father of those who work every day to provide for his family. Both in Umbanda and Candomblé, offerings are made to Oxóssi, to thank, reconnect or ask. Get a better understanding of how this works and more details about the one-arrow warrior.

Before making an offering to Oxossi, you have to get to know him more deeply. In reality, the ideal is that each and every offering is guided by a Mother or Father of Saint, so what you will read here are general guidelines.

After all, each person is unique and their way of reconnecting and saying thank you may be different from another. In addition, there are things that cannot be put in any way for the Orisha, also called a quizila. For you to have an idea, Oxossi’s quizilas are honey, game meat, goat, kid, banana, carambola, tangerine and red corn.

They are based on the Itãs – which are African legends – and cannot be used in offerings. Get to know some itãs, visual characteristics of Oxossi and his relationship with other Orixás. Also, learn what your children’s characteristics are, their herbs and how to pray and please this deity.

The entire tradition of religions of African origin is based on popular knowledge, told from generation to generation. Therefore, the Itãs are so important, since they carry all this ancestral wisdom. An Itã tells that Oxossi won the title of King, after saving his entire village from a spell. In Ijexá, the abundance was great and the King always had parties with an abundance of yams, corn and coconuts for the people.

However, he never invited the witches. Angry, the Yamin Oxorongá decided to send a bird to destroy the village, which set everything on fire with its shrill cry. It was then that they called the best hunters in the region to kill the plague.

Osótododá, with 50 arrows, missed them all. Then came Òsótogí with 40 and Òsótògún, with 20 arrows, without success either. It was then that they decided to seek the recluse hunter in the woods and Òsótokansó with his only arrow, killed the plague and brought back prosperity.

The population began to shout oxó wussi (popular hunter, of the people) and he became Oxóssi. In gratitude, he received much wealth and became Alákétu, the King of Ketu, who ruled until his death, becoming an Orisha.

Of African origin, Oxossi has black skin and carries his ofá (bow and arrow) with him; iruquerê, made from the hairs of the ox’s tail in order to scare off eguns; the henchman, a leather bag where game is carried; and his leather hat.

In Brazil, he was naturally associated with indigenous peoples, taking traits more similar to them. Depending on his quality, he can wear green, light blue and animal skins. Lean and strong, he is fast and precise, like every hunter.

Son of Yemanjá and Oxalá, Oxóssi is the younger brother of Ogun and Exú, respectively Orixás of roads and crossroads. He has a strong relationship with Ossain, the Orixá who owns all herbs and had as his great love Oxum, Lady of fresh waters.

And it was with Oxum that he had his son Logunedé, who carries his mother’s sweetness, beauty and intelligence, with his father’s speed and insight. With Ogun he learned to fight and hunt, being a great partner. He is the head of the Caboclos phalanx in Umbanda, having a strong relationship with indigenous peoples.

Kidnapped in their homeland and forced to perform forced labor in Brazil, Africans also had to leave their creed aside. After all, Catholicism imposed death and penance on anyone who was not of their God.

In this way, enslaved people sought veiled ways of praising their Orixás, associating them with Christian saints. This is how the syncretism of Oxóssi with São Sebastião or São Jorge (the latter, only in some terreiros in Bahia) or São Miguel (in Pernambuco) was created.

Going beyond Catholic syncretism, we find Cernunnos for the Celts, Artemis for the Greeks, Humbaba for the Babylonians and Ullr for the Norse. This shows that, in essence, the same archetype is interpreted in different ways, religion being just a reinterpretation of what is universal.

In Umbanda and Candomblé, the children of Orisha are those who have them as regents in this incarnation. Also called head Orisha, they have characteristics common to all their children, of course with the influence of their Orisha together, ancestor and standing – or any other configuration that is accepted in the house where they practice.

Oxossi’s children are smart, communicative, reserved and independent. They love to be in a group, with people they trust, but they need moments of solitude and silence, even better if they have their feet on the ground, in the shade of a tree.

They have great communication skills, having a certain jovial air and a unique insight. Discreet and observant, they are detached – from relationships or material goods – with a great tendency to focus on what they are doing.

With a great tendency to become workaholics, the children of Oxossi dedicate themselves to work diligently, but when they rest, they don’t care about anything else. They are providers and tend to be more modern fathers and mothers, giving autonomy to their children, valuing free and deep relationships.

You don’t need to make an offering to Oxossi unless this is recommended by the leader of the house where you attend. A sincere prayer and a genuine request is enough for Him to hear you. If you want, you can light a green candle, cleaned with lavender or incense smoke. You can pray from your heart or, if you prefer, use this one:

Glorious Odé, hunter of glory, the one who brings us prosperity, plenty, daily bread, give us the certainty that your presence is a constant in our everyday life.

Knowledgeable of herbs and sacred leaves, I ask that you bring health to our patients, hope to our children, peace and tranquility to our elderly. Odé, calm our injuries, our lamentations, give us strength to continue our walk, with resignation to accept everything we cannot change.

May your company be maintained on our daily path, may your arrow cut all evils and enemies, hidden and declared. May I hope you cover us with peace, health, prosperity and union.

Okê arô Oxossi!

In Umbanda, herbs are classified as hot (more aggressive), warm (balanced) or cold (specific use). Know then which are the hot and warm herbs of Oxossi and their activation verbs.

The hot herbs of Oxossi are: Guinea, black picão, northern buchinha, camphor, espinheira santa, jurema negra bark, with me nobody can and wins everything. Its active verbs are: Identify, divide, tie (vine), explore, contract and move.

The warm herbs are: Avocado, Abre Caminho, North Rosemary, Common Rosemary, Alfavaca, Aquileia, Arnica do Mato, Green Tea, Leaf Coffee, Cana do Brejo, Capim Cidreira and Carqueja Amarga.

In addition, there is also Cipó Caboclo, Cipó Cravo, Cipó São João, Comfrey, Mint, Purple Ipê, Mixed Jurubeba, Laurel, Mango Leaf, Basil, Fern and Sene. Its working verbs are: expand, direct, propitiate, provide, make skillful, supply, hunt and heal.

For its amaci, the following herbs are normally used: Fern, lemon grass, guinea, araçá leaf, pitanga, rosemary, mallow, lavender, guava, guaco and pariparoba.

If you want to please Oxossi, you need to be in harmony with your energy and follow your path in connection with the Sacred, in the way you conceive it. Serious work, freedom and movement are also attributes appreciated by the Orisha.

However, there are also other ways, such as lighting a candle, setting up a congá (altar) in his honor or making an offering in the forest or altar. Of course, always with proper guidance and study.

An itan says that, after receiving a lot of criticism, Oxossi hid and no one could find him. Ogun, roamed the roads; Iansã with her wind traveled the nine oruns, Exú quickly looked everywhere and not even Ifá, who saw everything, managed to know where Oxossi was.

Food began to run out, plenty became famine and the world became lifeless. Oxum, after crying over rivers and waterfalls, went to consult Ifá, who indicated a job. Ogum did it and Oxossi went back to Aye, took six ears of corn and prayed.

So he threw the grains up and, shaking the Eruquerê, scattered the seeds around the world. Plants grew again and plenty was once again the rule. That’s why the corn offering is related to prosperity and Oxossi.

Whenever you have the guidance of a Mother or Father of Santo, you can make this offering to Oxossi. Follow the recommendations given by your house, but in general terms, you can follow this guide.

To make an offering to Oxossi, you need a bowl, which is a more curved clay dish. Also, set aside 7 ears of corn, 1 grated or flaked dry coconut, cane molasses (never honey) and hot coals.

Decorate the bowl with corn husks and place the already roasted cobs on the embers, in the way you find most beautiful. Top with the grated or slivered coconut and drizzle with the cane molasses, making a spiral from the center to the edge.

Everyone wants to have a prosperous life, full of love and – why not say – money. Know that fruits with seeds are the very symbol of abundance and prosperity. To please the Orisha, you can make an offering to Oxossi with green fruits, always having the melon present.

It can be placed in the woods, under a tree in a patch of grass, or on your altar. But of course it should always be done with the guidance of a Mother or Father of Saint, okay? See how simple it is to make this offering, always putting your intention to open paths while preparing.

Like any other offering, it must be made mainly under the guidance of the head of the house, yard or shed. But as a rule, it is made to ask for the opening of paths and prosperity.

To make this offering to Oxossi, you will need to choose 3, 5 or 7 different green fruits. For example, melon, grapes, white guava, apple, sugar cane, pear etc. In addition, you also need 1 grated or flaked dry coconut, cane molasses and a bowl.

Open the fruits as you see fit…