In nigeria osogbo is the venue of the annual osun osogbo festival along the river osun. Osogbo was founded around early 18th century by hunters from a nearby village which was suffering from famine. Mar 29, 2019 oshogbo is a very special, sacred forest along the banks of the osun river just outside the city of oshogbo, osun state, nigeria. The early history of osogbo is essentially the legendary account of the spiritworld.
At the river side, osun the goddess appeared from the water in front of olutimehin and requested him to lead people to a special place present osogbo town. Osun is a brilliant deity whose imagery and worldwide devotion demand broad and deep scholarly reflection. Aug 23, 2015 he said year in year out the osun osogbo festival attract mammoth crowd, with unprecedented list of eminent personalities gracing the festival which is celebrated at the shrine, located in the outskirt of the capital of osun state. Peter probst takes readers on a riveting journey to osogbo. Please be advised, oshun is no longer accepting new clients ignoring this new policy change and booking anyway will forfeit your deposit you can book with the other stylists by clicking the section titled our honeys covid 19. Since ancient times, worshippers arrive at the osun sacred grounds to present their prayers and offerings to osun the goddess of rivers, fertility, sexuality, prosperity and love, says radhika, tracing the oral. The osun osogbo festival is a twoweeklong programme. The osunosogbo sacred grove is situated along the osun river in the city of osogbo and is a unesco world heritage site. The book traces the biographical origin of the goddess from her humble beginning at igede ekiti and goes further to exhibit the exact source of her waters the popular river osun in yorubaland till the point she crossed the atlantic. Her realm also contains the aspects of love, flirtation, sensuality, beauty and the arts.
He said year in year out the osun osogbo festival attract mammoth crowd, with unprecedented list of eminent personalities gracing the festival which is celebrated at the shrine, located in the outskirt of the capital of osun state. Although oshun also spelt osun is regarded principally as a goddess of love, there are other aspects to this orisha as well. Many barren women have reportedly visited to have the river goddess help them with child bearing with several promises made to bring something back for the deity. There are several activities planned around the festival, as tourists and visitors all come to witness, interact and partake in the twoweek long celebration. The archetype of oshun and the divine feminine youtube. Brief history of osogbo in osun state nigeria osogbo page. She is considered one of the most powerful of all orishas, and, like other gods, she possesses human attributes such as vanity, jealousy, and spite.
Oshun, also spelled, osun, oxun, oshoun, oxum, ochun, yeye is the west african orisha mother of fresh water fish and birds. She was credited with many important achievements, which helped to establish the state. Here, a statue of the goddess osun stands by the river with her arms outstretched as if to welcome visitors to her forest. Aug 15, 2016 the archetype of oshun and the divine feminine. Jul 18, 2016 the osun osogbo festival, without a doubt, is more than just sacrifices performed to celebrate the osun river goddess. Aug 20, 2016 osogbo according to yoruba oral history, had been founded as early as oduduwa period. Oct 11, 2006 osun in colours is a compendium on one of the most significant traditional deity in africa, the caribbean islands and the americas. The fame of the goddess spread making this incident one of the reasons for the festival.
Oshun is honoured at the osun osogbo festival, a twoweeklong annual festival that usually takes place in august, at the osun osogbo sacred grove on the banks. Osun in colours is a compendium on one of the most significant traditional. Dec 25, 2019 although oshun also spelt osun is regarded principally as a goddess of love, there are other aspects to this orisha as well. The osunosogbo sacred grove is a dense forest on the outskirts of osogbo town, western nigeria. The yearly osun osogbo festival holds to bestow fertility on participants of the festival that desire children. A fact finding exclusive interview about african foremost river goddess. The festival has a rich and an enduring history as it was first celebrated around 70 ad. The festival is centered around the sacred grove of the river goddess. Oshun is a particularly sensous goddess and has been associated with many lover and husbands. Oshun, also spelled osun, an orisha deity of the yoruba people of southwestern nigeria. The festival of osun osgobo, which takes place every year in osogbo, nigeria, celebrates the yoruba goddess of fertility.
This festival is celebrated in honor of osun, the river and fertility goddess, as an appreciation of bountiful yield and productivity in the land. Sync your viewing history and pick up where you left off on any device. The osun goddess is also known to be a mother of many children as the osun olomoyoyo image inside the shrine depicts. Osogbo according to yoruba oral history, had been founded as early as oduduwa period. The osun osogbo sacred grove also known simply as the osun sacred grove is a dense forest covering an area of 75 hectares on the outskirts of the city of osogbo in osun state along the osun river. In the midst of this sad state of affairs kayode afolabis osun in colours. The states name is derived from the river osun, the venerated natural spring that is the manifestation of the yoruba goddess of the same name. Download asun is a brilliant deity whose imagery and worldwide devotion demand broad and deep scholarly reflection. Osoigbo, the goddess of osun river, was the queen and original founder of osogbo. She can turn from curing the sick and promoting fertility to being the goddess of luxurious love. The festival renews the contract between humans and the divine.
This is in line with yoruba traditions, which use mythical stories to explain the origins of the ruling families of an early yoruba state. It is a searchlight to the diversified stories of the river goddess through its more than three hundred pictorial analysis and illustrations from igede to osogbo where the goddess groves. Dec 19, 2016 a fact finding exclusive interview about african foremost river goddess. The goddess is believed to impart fruitfulness on women when they worshipped in her river. Susan made illustrations for and designed yoruba books. He explores the history of the osogbo school, which helped introduce one. In her form of the diviner she is the wife or lover of orunmila, the first prophet of ifa divination. But thats just the beginning as shes another yoruba deity with many different aspects to her character.
As a daughter of oshun i humbly present some glimpses of her resplendent beauty. There was an everlasting covenant between the goddess of the river and the founding fathers of osogbo land. Navigating the realm of an aztec water goddess and one of the five suns. The modern state of osun was created in august 27, 1991 from part of the old oyo state.
The river goddess has been able to give barren babies and change the lives of many other people. She is also known as our lady of caridad del cobre and is regarded as patroness of cuba by her many devotees, who celebrate her feast day on september 8. Osun river goddess worshipers and their african hair styles at the just concluded osun osogbo festival photo. The goddess promised to protect all the group and bring them prosperity in return for an annual sacrifice to her.
Oshun, also spelled, osun, oxun, oshoun, oxum, ochun, is given hale because she rules the rivers that sustain life. Contributors to the groundbreaking africas ogun, edited by sandra barnes indiana university press, 1997, explored the complex nature of ogun, the orisa who transforms life through iron and technology. The osun river goddess is credited with the founding and establishment of oshogbo town. She was credited with many important achievements, which helped to establish the settlement. Known as the goddess of the sweet waters, she is the protective deity of the river oshun. Oshogbo is a very special, sacred forest along the banks of the osun river just outside the city of oshogbo, osun state, nigeria. Ohun is a female deity that represents one of the manifestations of god for the yoruba and ifa people in southwestern nigeria. Immediately, oba larooye, olutimehin and their subjects obeyed the command of the goddess of osun river and moved to ohuntoto, leaving behind his first palace now called osun. Everything you need to know about the osunosogbo festival.
A festival of purgation and purification of some sorts with some form of established rituals, is actually a homage to the goddess who is seen as the guiding light of the people, the one giver of life and the one responsible for the progress of the people and the city. Immediately, oba larooye, olutimehin and their subjects obeyed the command of the goddess of osun river and moved to ohuntoto, leaving behind his first palace now called osun temple inside the. And also there has been many fictional stories about goddess oshun, for example, shegun coker and the cursed temple by kolawole michael, 2008. Schedule appointment with the river oshun pronounced oshoon. The yoruba hills run through the northern part of osun state. Tales by moonlight the story of sango and his wives.
The festival is a celebration of culture and the fulfilment of a pledge between the people and the goddess osun and underscores the long history of the early settlers of the town of osogbo. African goddess of love and sweet waters ancient origins. She is the goddess of the river waters and is considered to be the aphrodite of cuba and africa. Oshun goddess of yoruba people who brings all things that. Osun is a river goddess in yoruba religion which is typically and traditionally associated with water, purity, fertility, love and sensuality. Feb 21, 2020 the goddess oshun, also known as ochun, is worshipped across the globe as the divine energy of the waterfall, the sweet river, the tasty honey of life.
Some describe her as the osoigbo, the queen and original founder of oshogbo town. The forest is the abode of oshun goddess with many shrines, sculptures and sanctuaries devoted to oshun and also other deities. Her priestesses dance to the rhythms of the streams, rivers, lakes and waterfalls in which she rules, and that. She is considered one of the most powerful of all orishas, and, like other gods, she possesses. We bring both local and diaspora audiences together for a period of two weeks filled with different activities to reveal the myth behind osun osogbo groove and its healing powers. Not only is the author a native yoruba, born and raised in the oshun cult, but he also isnt shy to share many socalled secrets with us, both in text and in pictures. Through her son, cathy was introduced to leon, pastoriza and the practice in 1974, receiving a full set of ileke bead necklaces representing the seven primary orisha as a daughter of the river goddess, osun, taking on the name monife and moving into a deeper and more afrocentric approach to her christian spiritual roots.
The river therefore, plays an essential part in the celebration as the water is regarded as possessing both healing and purifying forces hence the water is highly regarded. Black history books black history facts strange history egyptian goddess names. Sep 25, 2018 the osun osogbo sacred grove is situated along the osun river in the city of osogbo and is a unesco world heritage site. Yemaya orisha oshun goddess yoruba orishas african words yoruba religion african. We are currently not taking essential workers, even with a note. The river goddess has been able to give the barren babies and change the lives of many people. The river has its source in ekiti state, in the east of nigeria, and passes through the city of oshogbo, where osun osogbo sacred grove, the principal sanctuary of the deity, is located. It is one of the last remnants of primary high forest in southwestern nigeria, which extended to the edges of most yoruba cities before extensive urbanisation eroded its reach. Brief history of osogbo in osun state nigeria osogbo. Why has the home of a yoruba river goddess become a unesco world heritage site and a global attraction. Not only is the author a native yoruba, born and raised in the oshun cult, but he also isnt shy to share.
A brief history of adunni olorisa the white priestess of. She is also a materialistic goddess who hates being poor. She lived in a beautiful surrounding and possessed magical powers, which. Oya, on her part, went back to the forest in nupeland. She lived in a beautiful surrounding and possessed magical powers, which inspired her people and frightened their enemies. Gold, yellow butterflies, diamonds, yellow roses, peacock, vultures, etc. Oshun is the goddess of love and marriage, fertility, and gold in the yoruba religion. Oshun ran away and also fell into a river, becoming the river goddess of fertility till date.
Hairstyles of worshippers of the goddess of osun river. Osun is one of the river goddesses in yorubaland, she is noted for providing for the needs of the people. In the old testament book of proverbs chapter 3 verse to 18, this beautiful praise of oshun is embedded in the bible under her holy name wisdom, or sophia the greek goddess name used in the original septuagint greek new testament bible, which is. The most significant festival in osun state is the twelveday annual osun osogbo festival which takes place in julyaugust. Pictorial history of the river goddess osun is a pleasant surprise. Nigerian women in history a brief history of adunni olorisa the white priestess of an african goddess. Osun state was created in 1991 from the eastern third of oyo state. Osun and the origins of the ifa divination by professor wande abimbola. By ifa divination we mean ifa and related systems of divination based on the stories and symbols of the odu such as dida owo divination with the sacred divining chain called opele and et. One of the most important roles that oshun plays is that of the goddess of the sweet waters and the protective deity of the river oshun in nigeria. In nigeria osogbo is the venue of the annual osunosogbo festival along the river osun. Although, known to be a lively goddess, oshun can be moody, jealous and petty especially whenever she gets disappointed by the one she loves.
It is said that oshuns father obatala the first of the among the gods similar to the amen of new testament book of revelations chapter 1 verse 18. It is usually called river orisha, and it is connected with water, purity, love, fertility and sensuality. Oshun is commonly called the river orisha, or goddess, in the yoruba religion and is typically associated with water, purity, fertility, love, and sensuality. Battabox presenter adeola brings you culture at its natural best as speaks to mrs nike, one of the faithful servants of osun, the river goddess in yoruba land, she recounts how osun has changed.
Today the annual sacrifice to the osun river goddess is what is still celebrated as the osun osogbo festival. Once upon a time, a group of migrating people who were led by a great hunter called olutimehin settled on the bank of osun river, to save themselves from famine. Osun in colours is a compendium on one of the most significant traditional deity in africa, the caribbean islands and the americas. In osun state where i come from, once a year, people and pray to her for fertility. The state has a covering of tropical rain forest, and the oshun is the most important river.
Osun across the waters continues this exploration of yoruba religion by. The spirit is domicile in the osun river, which runs its course through the osun grove, the venue of the yearly. The spirit is domicile in the osun river, which runs its course through. The spirit is domicile in the osun river, which runs its course through the osun grove, the venue of the yearly event. In the past, sacred groves were commonly found in areas where the yoruba lived, and every town would have had one. When oba larooye and other lesser spirits within the community pacified the goddess of the river by saying osoigbo pele o, oso igbo rora, the ancient city was said to have derived her name from the mysterious voice from the lesser spirit made to pacify the goddess of osun river, thus osoigbo pele o. The festival of osun osgobo, which takes place every year in osogbo, nigeria, celebrates the goddess of fertility, osun. He explores the history of the osogbo school, which helped introduce one style of african modern art to the west, and investigates its intimate connection with osun, the role of art and religion in the changing world of osogbo, and its prominence in the global arena.
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