The Tohossou are vodun associated with water, linked in the tradition of Abomey to the royal family of Dahomey and to children born with a particular destiny. In the presentation of vodun prepared by Benin with UNESCO, Tohossou represents the element of water, alongside Sakpata for earth, Dan for air and Hèviosso for fire.
At the temple of Sakété, what I can say of the Tohossou
Direct observationWêtê Agbonon, vodun priest and bokonon of the Fâ, at the temple of Sakété
The word Tohossou covers realities that can vary between traditions and communities. In the Beninese context, I can say publicly that the Tohossou are associated with water, and with particular ideas about the relationship between human beings, the waters and the invisible world. The relationship between the Tohossou, water and certain royal traditions of Abomey belongs to an ancient and particular history, with several versions and interpretations depending on sources and lineages. I prefer to say what can be passed on publicly, rather than present one version as the absolute truth of every house[1].
Key points
- The Tohossou are vodun of water, linked to the kingship of Abomey.
- Tradition associates them with children born with a particular destiny.
- The Tohossou are one family among the water spirits; Mami Wata belongs to another tradition.
Water is a meeting point between several traditions, without making them one[1].
The vodun of water
In its presentation to UNESCO, Benin organises the vodun divinities by the natural elements: water with Tohossou, earth with Sakpata, air with Dan and fire with Hèviosso[2]. The Vodun Days use the same reading, listing Tɔxɔsu among the vodun of the elements of nature[3]. I advise against turning this into a rigid table where each vodun has a single function and nothing else: the traditions are more complex[1].
| Element | Associated vodun | Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Tohossou | This entry |
| Earth | Sakpata | Sakpata |
| Air | Dan | Dan |
| Fire | Hèviosso | Hèviosso |
The children of the kings
The tradition of Abomey links the Tohossou to children considered to have a particular destiny, and to the royal family. The anthropologist Melville Herskovits, who worked in Abomey in 1931, describes them as royal vodun, coming from children born with malformations in the family of the kings[4]. A study of artistic creation and heritage in Benin notes that, on a recent statue, the Tohossou are now presented as a source of wealth, and that children “badly born” must not be rejected: a change in how these births are seen[5]. Sources differ on the details, according to lineages and periods; this entry keeps only a cautious version, and leaves to the houses responsible what belongs to their transmission. See Abomey.
Zomadonu, from Abomey to Brazil
One of the best-known Tohossou, Zomadonu, crossed the Atlantic. In São Luís, Brazil, the oldest temple of African origin in the state of Maranhão, the Casa das Minas, bears his name: Querebentã de Toi Zomadônu. The temple is devoted to him, its songs are in the Jeje language, that is Ewe-Fon, and one of its leaders even corresponded with the head of the cult of Zomadonu in Abomey[6]. The ethnologist Sérgio Ferretti devoted a reference study to it in 1986[7].
What people confuse
The first confusion is to believe that Tohossou means every water spirit. A vodun being associated with water does not make every being or divinity met near a river, a lake or the sea a Tohossou. The second is to mix up the Tohossou with Mami Wata, who belongs to another set of water traditions and images, widespread along the coasts of West and Central Africa. Water is a meeting point between traditions that each keep their own identity; confusing them would be like saying that two divinities are the same because both have to do with the earth or with thunder[1].
What we know, and how we know it
What comes from oral tradition
The link between the Tohossou, water and the royal children of Abomey is passed down in lineages, in several versions[1].
What comes from direct observation
The caution about a single version, and the distinction from Mami Wata, come from my practice[1].
What is documented
Tohossou as the vodun of water, the description by Herskovits and the cult of Zomadonu in Brazil are established by official sources and researchers[2][4][6].
What is interpretation
Refusing a rigid table of one vodun per element is a reading I defend[1].
Common misconceptions about the Tohossou
Frequently asked questions
Who are the Tohossou?
Vodun of water, linked in the tradition of Abomey to the royal family and to children born with a particular destiny.
Is Tohossou the vodun of water?
Yes: in Benin’s presentation to UNESCO, Tohossou represents water, alongside Sakpata, Dan and Hèviosso.
Who is Zomadonu?
One of the best-known Tohossou, honoured in Brazil at the Casa das Minas of São Luís.
Are the Tohossou the same as Mami Wata?
No: Mami Wata belongs to another set of water traditions.
Glossary
- Tɔxɔsu: the Fon spelling of Tohossou.
- Zomadonu: one of the best-known Tohossou, honoured in Abomey and in Brazil.
Notes and references
[1] Direct observation and oral transmission, Wêtê Agbonon, bokonon, temple of Sakété.
[2] UNESCO, Intangible Cultural Heritage, « Vodun, croyances, pratiques sociales et art de vie », preparatory assistance granted to Benin in 2025. See (in French)
[3] Vodun Days, presentation of the pantheon, reported by Wikipedia, « Fête nationale du vaudou », for the vodun of the four elements. See (in French)
[4] HERSKOVITS Melville J., Dahomey: An Ancient West African Kingdom, New York, J. J. Augustin, 1938, 2 vols.
[5] « Le vodou au cœur des processus de création et de patrimonialisation au Bénin », HAL, halshs-00413056. See (in French)
[6] Wikipedia, « Casa das Minas ». See
[7] FERRETTI Sérgio Figueiredo, Querebentã de Zomadônu: etnografia da Casa das Minas do Maranhão, São Luís, EDUFMA, 1986.
Sources
- HERSKOVITS Melville J., Dahomey, 1938.
- FERRETTI Sérgio, Querebentã de Zomadônu, 1986.
- Direct observation and oral transmission, temple of Sakété, 1994–2026
Cite this entry
Wêtê Agbonon, « The Tohossou », dans Vodun Bénin, l’encyclopédie du vodun béninois, entry no. 025, updated on 28 October 2026. Online: https://vodunbenin.org/en/tohossou/ (accessed on 1 November 2026). Licence CC BY 4.0.
- Last checked : 7 October 2026
- Reuse : free, with attribution, under the licence CC BY 4.0
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