Osain:
He is the personification of vegetative nature. He "owns" vegetation, medicinal plants and all herbs with magical and curative powers, and all plants and trees, ashe . Osain is one of the most important Orishas because without Osain there would be no way to correctly perform the ceremonies. Osain was the greatest herbalist and knows all the secrets of every plant and herb.
One of his ears is larger and the other, the one that receives petitions, is small. He only has one hand, one leg and one eye. Osain must participate in all ceremonial rituals since all ceremonies involve some sort of verbalism.
Osain resides in a hanging gourd with four feathers above clay pots containing an amazing amount of tools and items,. A turtle shell should also be nearby. Allegedly Osain kept his secret medicinal and magical herbs in a large "guiro" or calabash gourd hanging high in a tree in the forest.
Legend:
Chango and Oya were jealous of his magical powers and resolved to gain access to them. Oya created a violent wind to blow through the trees in the forest and when this happened, Osain's magical "guiro" fell to the forest ground and the herbs all spilled out.According to legend, all the other Orishas rushed in and each of them claimed the herbs that they found as their own.
Tradition:
In Cuba, only those that receive Eleggua receive Osain. In Cuba the children of Osain are invariably men and they are urged not to marry, since Osain is a celibate Orisha. Osain had no mother or father. He grew directly out of the earth like a plant. Osain is such a chaste Orisha, that when the Osainistas are going to work with Osain or perform a ritual using Osain, they are forbidden to have sexual contact three days before the ceremony, and sometimes three days after!
Necklace/Elekes:
tri-color beads white, red and yellow. Repeat pattern: one white bead, followed by nine red beads and eight yellow beads.
Only the Babalawo knows the manner to correctly prepare Osain. The "guiro" is one of several forms that Osain takes
Offerings:
Tree sap and herbs, turtles, goats, red roosters.
