Ochún - santo of love and beauty

In the same way as Changó is often characterised as a model for many Cuban men, many Cuban women would like to be just as beautiful and seductive as Ochún.

Natural elements
Ochún rules over rivers and lakes.

Personality traits
She is considered the santo of beauty and vanity, and therefore loves standing in front of a mirror. Ochún is also the santo of female sensuality and love and, perhaps most important, of fertility.

Catholic saint and day of celebration
Ochún's status in Cuba is also reflected in the Catholic saint she is associated with, namely Caridad de Cobre, who is Cuba's own patron saint. She is celebrated on 12 September.

Dwelling place
As ruler of fresh water and rivers, this is also where she lives. In her followers' homes you will find her in a yellow tureen on the altar.

Food/offerings
The food Ochún prefers is as sweet and seductive as she is. She loves honey and yellow cakes, eggs and pumpkins which all symbolise women's belly and therefore also fertility. With regard to drinks, she prefers champagne, but will also drink both beer and brown rum. The sunflower is no doubt the flower most often sold by Havana's florists. If you have problems with your sweetheart or want one, it will often help to sacrifice a sunflower to Ochún.

Personality traits of initiates of Ochún
As their mother, the initiates of Ochún are both social, fond of parties, sensual and flirtatious. "That girl must be a daughter of Ochún, the way she is flirting!" Children of Ochún are fond of jewellery and can easily be considered vain. You will often find them looking into a mirror.

Colour
Ochún's colour is yellow like the sunflower many Cubans offer her in the name of love. Her necklace is made up of a series of six light yellow and six dark yellow beads.