Drummers at the Oshun Festival at Salybia
TriniView.com Reporters
Event Date: August 27, 2006
Posted: September 03, 2006
From as early as six in the morning followers of Orisa (Olorisa) and members of the Spiritual Baptist community started gathering on the Salybia beach to celebrate the Annual Oshun Festival.
The Oshun Festival has its recent ties to the Osun River (sometimes spelt Oshun) which flows southwards through the central Yorubaland in southwestern Nigeria into the Lagos lagoon. The annual traditional worship at the Osun Shrine takes place near the Osun River at Osogbo in August.
Oshun is known as the Yoruban Orisha (deity) of the sweet or fresh waters (as opposed to the salt waters of Yemaya). She is widely loved, as She is known for healing the sick and bringing fertility and prosperity, she is the Goddess of the rivers that sustain life, she rules love, beauty and the arts, especially dance. Oshun is the mediator between the divine/natural world and the world of people (the cross in the circle indicating a meeting of the two worlds). She especially watches over the poor. Offerings to Oshun include sweet things such as honey, mead, white wine, oranges, sweets, or pumpkins, as well as perfume.
They came in by maxis and taxis to Salybia and the gathering grew as the morning went on. They came from as far away as Port of Spain and Princes Town. Many of those who arrived early on the beach spent the morning cleaning and preparing for the days proceeding, While many women were cooking and laying out trays of offering to be used later in the ceremonies, the beach front was being cleared and prepared.
Babalorisa Clarence Forde started the day's proceeding around 11.30am by blessing the entrance to the river and then journeying back to the beach with fellow Olorisa chanting as they walked slowly along the roadway to the beach.
On the beachfront they gathered in a circle, chanted and continued the ceremonies which invited the presence of Oshun. As they chanted they also prepared the flags to be planted at the spot where the offerings were to be placed. Once this was done they journeyed towards the rivers mouth to continue the ceremonies and following an invitation by Babalorisa Clarence Forde they laid out their offerings. The offerings included cakes, sweets, fruits, milk and Honey and perfumes. All this accompanied by the constant rhythm of the Drums and chants of the Olorisa.
While the Olorisa conducted their ceremonies a group of Spiritual Baptist had a lavish thanksgiving service on the beach, again they laid out offerings of cakes, sweets, fruit, milk and honey, giving thanks for blessing they had received during the past year.
Others were there to perform baptism and while one group of Baptist choose the sea for their baptism others chose the calmer waters of the River.
Many Olorisa stayed at the rivers edge as the waters took in the offerings, all the while offering silent prayers and asking for prosperity, while others continued with the rhythmic chanting and drumming. As the evening went on many began their journeys back to their respective community bringing an end to the annual Oshun Festival at Salybia.
Oshun Festival at Salybia in pictures
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