Textile Artist & Curator

Oxum is considered the most beautiful Yaba, her name comes for a river in Nigeria, more specific in the Ijexá, Ijebu e Oxogbó nations. The association with the river name makes this, in the African mythology, the sacred home of the Orixá where all the offerings are delivered on her honour.

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The legend says that Oxum was given all the fresh waters of the world, but only those that have a calm surface and have strong currents underneath. She is mostly known for being the queen of all rivers and waterfalls.

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 Generous and dignified, Oxum is the most important female force in the tribe, the Yalodê, and is the owner of the fecundity of women, the owner of the great feminine power. The second smartest goddess in the African-Brazilian pantheon Oxum controls all creativity and love that is given to mankind, but she also loves jewelries and wealth and therefore is considered vain and the keeper of gold and copper.

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From the tribal Africa to the Brazilian urban society, Oxum is the muse that dances in the terreiros (sacred spaces for the Candomblé) with an abebe (a fan with a mirror) and a sword in hand, one shows her beauty and the other her strength. Although she carries a sword, she is the only Ioruba Orixá that does not like the war or conflicts.