In Yoruba mythology, Oshunmare is the rainbow serpent or orisha that links earth and sky.
The name is commonly rendered as Oṣumare or Oshumare, while Oshunmare is also an accepted English spelling. The deity is associated with the rainbow, serpents, continuity, regeneration, rebirth, and the cyclical movement of water between earth and heaven.
The rainbow’s arc gives Oshunmare a natural image as a cosmic connector: the serpent belongs to the earth while the rainbow reaches into the sky. In this symbolism, the deity joins opposing realms and represents renewal after rain. Oshunmare is also associated with wealth and prosperity in Yoruba and related traditions.
Oshunmare should not be confused with Oshun, the Yoruba orisha associated especially with rivers, love, beauty, fertility, and diplomacy. Aido-Hwedo and Dan are closely related rainbow-serpent figures from Fon and Ewe traditions, and Oxumaré is a prominent Brazilian form of the same wider religious complex.