Osun, Oshun, Ochun

Yoruba Diety of Love, wealth, beauty, sensuality, healing and fertility.

Osun is the female Irunmole who accompanied the 16 male Irunmole to aye (earth) to establish order. Oludumare warns the 16 male Orisa that all of their plans will fail if they do not include her in their deliberations.

Here is a link to the Osogbo City page that has a song to Our Mother!

Okonfo Rao Kawawa of Jungle Communications sings to Osun!

Osun Chief Priestess or Iya Osun

It is Iya and the Aworo who tell the people whether the offerings are accepted.

Iya Osun Osogbo inside the Shrine August, 2008

From ancient times, the Iya has invoked Osun to come to land in the form of her messenger Iko (the fish). Iko would pour ‘sacred water’ from its mouth into the hands of the King which transforms the water into healing water.

This is one of the favored praise songs to Osun.

Seleru agbo

Agbara agbo

L’Osun fi nwo ‘mo re

Ki “dokita” o to de.

A-bi Mo-do naa le

Iwo l’an powe mo

Ore Yeye Osun O.

Osun Chief Priest or Aworo Osun

The Aworo Osun is the Chief Priest in charge of Osun veneration. Each Divinity or Orisa in Yorubaland has its own priesthood. The Aworo and the Iya Osun perform the daily and annual venerations to Osun.

Virgin Calabash Carrier - Arugba Osun

The Arugba is a virgin maiden chosen to serve in the worship and veneration of the deity. She must be born into the royal family as a descendant of the first Atoja, Larooye.

On the final day of the Osun festival, the Arugba carries the ritual calabash containing the sacred brass figures and others symbols of Osun in a procession from the Palace to the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove.

If the Arugba trips on her way to the river, it is seen as a bad omen for herself and the worshippers. A ring of guards and police officers surround the Arugba on her journey to the Osun River. The guards are young men with long switches that they use to whip back the crowds. The whips that the young men carry represent the presence of the ancestors.

Osun Lakokan

Osun Lakokan is the consort of Osun. It is the first deity to be seen and appeased before Osun can be approached. Lakokan and a number of other deities in the grove are Osun’s associates. Osun Lakokan has a priestess of his own.

Agbala Osun – The Osun courtyard

The Agbala Osun is the large courtyard in which the Ojubo Osun (Osun River bank) and the Ile Osun (Osun Shrine) are located.

This is the riverside where the annual Osun Festival is celebrated. The first part of the courtyard is open to women and the public in general. There is a section accessible to initiates only and another section for Chief Priests and Priestesses.

Ile Osun (Osun Temple)

The Ile Osun in the Grove is the first Palace of Oba Larooye, the first Ataoja (King) of Osogbo.

Being built on the flood plain of the Osun River it was subject to frequent flooding. After consultation with Ifa, rituals were done and Oba Larooye and the settlers moved to the upper terrace (Oke Ohuntoto). Here he built the second palace, now known as Iledi Ohuntoto.

The Second Palace of the Ataoja

The second palace of Oba Larooye is now the temple of the Ogboni. Here the Alare venerates the ancestor King Larooye annually.

Igbo Ifa

The Igbo Ifa Sacred Grove is where Ifa disciples may be initiated into Ifa inside the Grove.

Obatala Shrine

There are other Shrines within the Osun Grove, which are in need of restoration. Many of them are only accessible by foot. We hope that the Grove is maintained for future generations of the descendants of the Yoruba and the world.

The information for this article based on the Osogbo Cultural Heritage Council pamphlet “Osun Osogbo Festival, Sacred People and Sacred Places.”