Mermaid Adira
Who is Goddess Oshun?
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Oshun is the Yoruba Goddess that rules over the sweet waters of the world, the brooks, streams and rivers, embodying love, fertility, beauty, and wealth. She also possesses human attributes such as vanity, jealousy, and spite.
Oshun is an orisha - a spirit who reflects one of the manifestations of the supreme divinity (Eledumare, Olorun, Olofi) in Yoruba religion. They rule over the forces of nature and the endeavors of humanity. The orishas are often best understood by observing these forces of nature that they rule over.
Oshun is associated with the colours yellow and gold and the number 5 and is often represented in pictures as a peacock or vulture as they are hers.
She often carries a mirror so that she can admire her beauty. She adores honey, sunflower, cinnamon, oranges and pumpkin.
In most Yoruba stories, Oshun is generally depicted as the protector, saviour, or nurturer of humanity. Oshun has also been described as the maintainer of spiritual balance or mother of sweet things.
Oshun is also depicted as the goddess who not only gives life but also takes it. When angered, Oshun may flood Earth or destroy crops by withholding her waters, thereby causing massive droughts.
Tradition holds that the first interaction between Oshun and human beings took place in Osogbo (Oshogbo), Nigeria. That city is considered sacred, and it is believed to be fiercely protected by the water goddess.
Out of that first encounter between the people of Osogbo and Oshun evolved the Oshun festival, which is still practiced today by the Yoruba people. Every year Oshun devotees and other people of the Yoruba religious tradition go to the Oshun River to pay homage, make sacrifice, and ask for a variety of things such as wealth, children, and better health.
Oshun is especially important to women in West African cultures. Those who want children and who may suffer from infertility usually call on Oshun for assistance, and she is associated with the concepts of femininity and the power of women.
Oshun is also an important figure outside Africa, where she is known by other names, such as Oxum in Brazil and Ochún in Cuba.
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Yoruba Patakies The 16 bees and the goddess of fresh waters Oshún!
It is narrated through a Yoruba pataki that Olodumare sent 16 hard-working bees to the earth, each of whom was to come to the earth with his own skill and gift, to offer help to the humans who inhabited the earth.
Among all these bees was one by the name of Oshún, and before proceeding on his journey to earth Olodumare gathered them all together and gave them the order that he must respect Oshún.
Because she had a gift that was of utmost importance to the humans, their growth and their lives depended on such a gift, the Yoruba patakies tell us.
The order of the almighty god upset the bees and caused indignation among them, so much so that they became very envious of poor Oshún, mistreating her and excluding her from their daily tasks.
Oshún felt very bad that she was always left out and ignored, but instead of cursing or getting upset with her sisters, she never stopped blessing and sharing her Ashé. There was a time when Oshún could not bear such an annoying situation, he stopped giving his precious Ashé, because of this the lands became infertile and nothing was prosperous or useful for anyone.
The words of Olodumare are sacred, they are the law of life and must be respected.
Because of this situation the other bees decided to go to the foot of the soothsayer Orula, and when they proceeded to consult the great ifa oracle, he told them all the following:
Envy is a bad counsellor, they have let themselves be carried away by it and that is why the land is no longer profitable or productive. They have moved Oshún out of their way, which Olodumare asked them not to do, and they have failed in their task; now they must offer sacrifices to Oshún by collecting his honey, then they will serve it as the bees do with their queen in the honeycombs.
The bees proceeded to obey Orula’s word, and as the soothsayer told them, they carried out their punishment honourably. After all that had happened, Olodumare gave the beautiful Oshún a golden crown as a gift for behaving with dignity and humility in the face of the wickedness of others.
This is how the Yoruba patakies tell us that in each honeycomb there can only be one queen, and that is our beloved Oshún, whose honey makes everyone happy, opens our paths and sweetens the obstacles of life.
Important Tip: When you feel that your smile goes out and you do not see meaning in life, and your heart feels a great emptiness, put on your lips a little honey at the foot of Oshún or invoke her, you will see that this powerful ritual changes your day and straighten the course of your life.
What do you think of the Yoruba patakies and their important teachings? So you know, on your bad days tell your problems to the honey, Oshún will listen to you through it.
Author: Oswaldo Jesús
Oshún's Flight: How She Came To Be Messenger of Olodumare
In the early days of the world, and of Ilé Ifé the orishas became tired of serving Olodumare. They began to resist the Lord of Heaven's edicts and to even plot the overthrow of his kingdom in heaven and earth. They felt they didn't need Olodumare and, since the Lord of Heaven was so distant anyway, they could merely divide the aché or powers among themselves.
When Olodumare caught wind of this attitude and their plots, the Lord of Heaven acted simply and decisively: Olodumare simply withheld the rain from the earth. Soon the world was encompassed by a staggering draught, the ground became parched and cracked, the plants withered and died without water. And it wasn't long before all on earth, orishas and their chidren alike began to starve.
After a short time, growling bellies and sallow faces began to speak louder than their pride and rebelliousness. They unanimously decided to go to Olodumare and beg for forgiveness in hopes that this would bring rain back to the world. But they had a problem: none of them could reach the distant home of Olodumare. They sent all the birds one by one to attempt the journey but each and every one of them failed, tiring long before reaching the palace of the Lord of Heaven. It began to appear that all hope was lost.
Then one day, the peacock, who was in reality Oshún herself, came to offer her services to save the world from this draught. Once again there was general upheaval and laughter as the orishas contemplated the idea of this vain and pampered bird undertaking such a journey. "You might break a nail", said one. But the little peacock persisted and as they had nothing to lose, they agreed to let her try.
So the little peacock flew off towards the sun and the palace of Olodumare. She soon tired of the journey, but she kept flying ever higher, determined to reach the Lord of Heaven and to save the world. Going yet higher, her feathers began to become scraggly and black from the withering heat of the sun, and all the feathers were burned from her head, but she kept flying. Finally, through sheer will and determination she arrived at the gates of Olodumare's palace.
When Olodumare came upon her she was a pathetic sight, she had lost much of her feathers and the ones that remained were black and scraggly. Her once beautiful form was hunchbacked and her head was bald and covered with burns from flying so close to the sun. The Lord of Heaven took pity on her and brought her to the Palace where she was fed and given water, and her wounds were treated. He asked her why she had made such a perilous journey. She explained the state on earth and went on to tell Olodumare that she had come at risk of her own life so that her children (humanity) might live.
When Olodumare looked to the world and to Oshún's plaintive look, it was obvious that everything she had said was true. The Lord of Heaven then turned to the peacock who was now what we call a vulture, saying that her children would be spared from this draught and ordered the rain to begin again. Then Olodumare looked deeply into Oshún's eyes and into her heart, then announced that for all eternity she would be the Messenger of the House of Olodumare and that all would have to respect her as such. From that day forward in this path she became known as Ikolé, the messenger of the House of Olodumare. Ikolé also is the name for the vulture in Lacumí. And from that day the path of Oshún known as Ibú Ikolé was revered and became associated with her bird, the vulture.
The vulture then returned to earth, bringing with her the rain, where she met with great rejoicing. As befits a queen or Iyalodde, she graciously refrained from reminding them of their jibes and abuses as she could see the shame on their faces.
This is why, whenever a person is to become initiated as a priest in our religion, no matter which orisha they are having seated in their heads, they must first go to the river and give an account of what they are to do as Oshún is the Messenger of Olodumare.
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Ochún’s Hair: A Story of Sisterly Love by Eni Acho Iya
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Ochún was a wealthy and powerful queen, but her world fell apart when hostile warlords invaded her territory. They killed her servants, stole her riches, burned down her palace, and threatened to rape and kill her if she fell into their hands. Fearing the worst, she ran for her life. Her only possessions were the one white dress and a few jewels she was wearing when the invaders arrived. She ran deep into the forest and found refuge at the edge of the river.
She collapsed into an exhausted heap, her hair and clothing in disarray. The sight of her reflection in the water caused her to burst into tears, for Ochún had been very vain up until this point. She had always loved to bathe in the river and admire her beautiful reflection in the water. She loved to sit there and comb her long beautiful hair. Her hair had always been her pride and joy, but now it was tangled and matted.
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Time passed and she had to sell the jewels she wore to buy food. She washed her dress so many times in the river, it turned yellow from old age and wear. On top of everything else, her hair fell out from worrying so much and from malnutrition. She felt very alone and despondent, and she knelt at the river’s edge and cried until she was hoarse and her eyes were red and swollen. Her tears flowed into the river and out to the sea, where her sister, Yemayá, heard her and came to her rescue.
“Please don’t cry anymore, Ochún!” begged Yemayá. “I’ll help you. From this day forward, all the gold in the river will be yours. You’ll be a wealthy woman again. And, I will also give you all the coral in the sea, so you can adorn yourself with it. You’ll be beautiful again. I’ll give you gold cloth so you can dress like a queen. From now on, gold will be your color. You’ll always dress in gold, to remind everyone of your status. You’ll be a wealthy and powerful queen again, wait and see!”
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“But I’m all alone and have no one to keep me company,” Ochún cried.
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“Don’t worry,” replied Yemayá. “I’ll give you my most beloved and precious bird, the peacock, to be your companion. His beauty is second only to yours.”
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“But my hair, my beautiful tresses! All gone! Without my hair, I’m nothing,” lamented Ochún.
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“My sister, don’t you see that my love for you has no bounds? I will cut off my own hair and give it to you, so you can make a wig for yourself until your hair grows back.” With that, Yemayá cut off her more prized treasure, her long beautiful hair, and handed it to her sister. Ochún was overwhelmed with gratitude and love for her sister. She started to cry again, but this time, with tears of happiness. With her beauty, confidence, and wealth restored, Ochún returned to her rightful place as queen and was able to defeat her enemies.
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This pataki explains the reason Ochún and Yemayá work closely together. They look after and defend each other’s children. It also explains why daughters of Ochún and Yemayá usually don’t cut their hair too much. Long flowing hair is a symbol of their feminine strength and beauty. In addition, the pataki tells us why Ochún dresses in gold, and how the peacock became associated with her.
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The story reminds us that Ochún's life wasn't always easy. We associate her with beauty and pleasure, happiness and joy, but she also knows extreme hardship. She's like the phoenix that rises from its own ashes, because she's able to overcome terrible obstacles and triumph in spite of them. She's sometimes helped by one of the other Orishas, like Yemayá in this story, so she understands the importance of strategic alliances. She expresses deep gratitude to those who support her, and repays them with affection and loyalty.
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