Oshun

Oshun, or Osun (pronounced “aw-shoon” or “aw-shung”), is said to be one of the first of the Yoruba goddesses created. Oshun is commonly called the river goddess in the Yoruba religion and is typically associated with water, purity, fertility, love, and sensuality.

Several myths exist concerning Oshun and her significance as a Yoruba deity. Oshun is one of the estimated more than 400 spiritual guardians and deities of what is called Ifa, the Yoruba religious tradition of the people of West Africa. Oshun is an orisha, meaning “spirit” or “spirits of divine origin,” also referred to as a force of nature. Each orisha has its own followers who are responsible for erecting shrines, paying tribute, praying, and providing offerings. Oshun is considered one of the most powerful of all orisha, and like other gods, she possesses human attributes such as vanity, jealousy, and spite. The orisha handle all issues related to humanity and serve as enforcers of justice and retribution, each possessing its own unique powers. In most Yoruba stories, Oshun is generally depicted as the protector, savior, or nurturer of humanity. Oshun has also been described as the maintainer of spiritual balance or mother of sweet things.

The Yoruba people believed that the orisha were sent to populate the Earth. Oshun, being one of the original 17 sent to Earth, was the only female deity. She was said to be the central figure in the creation of human beings. As the myth suggests, the creation of humankind was incomplete until Oshun was summoned. The other gods, all male, failed at their attempts to revive and populate the Earth. Even with the collective forces of the 16 orisha, their powers were inadequate without the life-giving forces of Oshun. When the other gods realized they were unable to complete the task given to them by Olodumare, who is considered the Supreme God in Ifa, they tried to persuade Oshun to help them. Oshun agreed and brought forth her sweet and powerful waters, bringing life back to the Earth and humanity and other species into existence. As this Yoruba myth suggests, humanity, specifically the universe of Yoruba, would not exist if Oshun, the goddess of life and fertility, had not acted. Oshun is also believed to speak to the Supreme God on behalf of the people and to ensure their protection and livelihood.

In yet another Yoruba story, Oshun is depicted as the goddess who not only gives life but also takes it. When angered, Oshun may flood the Earth or destroy crops by withholding her waters, thereby causing massive droughts. In one myth, Oshun is incensed by her devotees and sends down rain, nearly flooding the world. Yet once she is appeased, Oshun saves the Earth from destruction by calling back the waters.

In the Yoruba religious tradition, the orisha grant a multitude of blessings to their devotees and intercede with the Supreme God on their behalf. Oshun plays several key roles. In Yoruba culture, deities are revered, and devotees must strictly adhere to the prescribed modes of worship and other rituals so as not to anger or fall out of grace from the gods. The Festival of Oshun is one such example. The first recorded interaction between Oshun and human beings takes place in Oshogbo. This city is considered sacred, and it is believed to be fiercely protected by the water goddess. Oshun is said to have given the people who came to her river permission to build the city as long as they would honor and worship her as prescribed. Oshun and the people made a covenant: The people would set up their homes along the Oshun River, and Oshun would provide for them, protect them, and grant their prayers if they worshipped her dutifully, making the obligatory offerings, prayers, and other rituals. Out of this first encounter between the people of Oshogbo and Oshun evolved the Oshun festival, which is still practiced today by the Yoruba people of Oshogbo [Page 509]and all over West Africa. Every year Oshun devotees and other people of the Yoruba religious tradition come to the Oshun river to pay homage, make sacrifice, and ask for a variety of things such as wealth, children, and better health. Although other orisha are honored during this festival, the climax of the festival is centered on Oshun.

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