Sisters of
the Burning Branch Goddess Gallery Presents...
Oshun
Personal
Altar for Oshun by Liz Butterworth AKA Yaya
Oshun
is synonymous with transformation. The Osun Osogbo festival has
been held in Africa (south west Nigeria) every year since
the 1400's to honor and mark the covenant for the coming year.
The festival honors Osun as the goddess who saved a village who was
suffering from famine. The villagers moved their families
further down the mouth of the river Osun. Larroye, one of the
original founders of the settlement became the King of Osogbo and made
a covenant with the Goddess Oshun to be renewed yearly.
This festival is held the last week of August and followers from all
over the world travel to pay homage to Oshun. The purpose she
served her original devotees was to provide fresh water for survival.
Oshun is known by many names: Yeye sweet
mother of us all, Iyalode female chief of the realm, Laketi she who has
ears as she answers prayers quickly and effectively. In Brazil
she is known as Oxum. Cuba calls her Ochun or Our Lady del
Caridad del Cobre (patron saint of Cuba) and Erzulie -Freda-Dahomey in
Haiti. In order for the her rituals to survive in much of the
Caribbean and South America she became Our Lady del Caridad del Cobre
in order to blend in with the forced Chistianity/Catholicism which was
forced on the slaves during the slave trade by the Spaniards.
Her strongest attribute are love, attraction,
sensuality, fertility and healing. She rules over the
abdominal and sexual regions of the body. Thus women with
fertility issues revere her and ask for her help in becoming a
mother. She is also known as a Goddess with great vanity and
loves looking at herself in mirrors , gold or brass jewelry, fans and
pretty combs in her hair, pretty pottery filled with fresh water,
honey, gems and stones. She loves all shiny and glittery objects.
One of the many stories about Oshun is that
she was very poor and only had one dress. As she is vain she
wanted her dress to always be clean. She would wash it daily in
the river and it became yellow. That is how she became associated
with the color yellow. The number 5 is associated with her and of
course anything bright, shiny and appreciates the finer things in life.
Sacred animals to her are the peacocks and vultures.
Offerings to Oshun can be sweet things such as honey, mead ,
white wine, oranges, sweets and pumpkins. She also loves
cinnamon and shells. Another of her strong attributes is in
the area of prosperity, money and business. She has a strong sense for
business dealings.
Love and sexuality are part of her life.
She has had many lovers. There are many stories of her
tantalizing men, feeling that euphoric feeling of new love and
lust. She seduces Chango by dancing in front of him.
Until he was overcome with desire and wanted her no mater what,
although he is married to her sister Oya. She pulled her jar of
honey which is always at her waist and placed some on his
lips. He was smitten just as Oggun was before him.
Her father is Obatala and her mother Yemaya,
mother of all waters. She as a single mother to the divine twins
(Ibeji) fathered by Chango. She is loving and will protect
orphans and is known for her kindness. She holds sway in
contemporary paganism as there are many who relate to her being
themselves single parents and is worshipped for her sensuality
and loving kindness to all people. She continues to serve
humanity and helping women become mothers and become enchantresses when
needed.
Just as she is kind she also has a strong temper. If you
should raise her ire she will make you sorry. Should you unleash
the tempest you can relate her anger to a hurricane tearing everything
apart in its wake. You can hear her maniacal laughter as the wind
howls with destruction.
She is also known as the queen of
witches. In Africa the craft is considered a high science and
requires resources to acquire the science of life, witchcraft. One must
be dedicated to learn the craft and must follow very strict guidelines
for a year. It is known as the "year in white" and lasts one year
and seven days which are followed by the new Iyawo. These rules
were created to protect the new initiant. It begins the
transformation to a re-birth and
transformation
of a spiritual nature.
The rules for the first year are extensive and show the community the
commitment, dedication, maturity and responsibility in the new rank of
the Iyawo. After all the new Iyawo is the future leader of
our religious community and must lead their life with
integrity. There are many rules for the "year in white",
approximately 76 rules covering everything from bathing, clothes, head
coverings, touching people, no make up, no hair cutting, no sexual
relations outside marriage, no alcoholic beverages or illicit
substances, eating utensilsmust be white, bathe twice a day, only
jewelry which represents the orishas (elekes).
The places they can visit are also restricted to no bars, funerals,
cemetaries, hospitals, jails or public parks without the
permission of their godparents. Before people make this
commitment they need to consider the restrictions which will be
imposed on their daily life. I had to ask permission of my
godmother and orisha to be able to wear colored clothing to work.
I wear white on the weekends and when I get home from work.
I would have to say my life resembles hers in many ways. I am
extremely devoted and loyal to those which I love. I am very kind
to all people and try to take their life challenges into consideration
when I help individuals. I prefer to help the truly needy,
orphans, run aways and homeless. I am very devoted to my children
and they are the light of my life and my sunshine. I have always been
able to entice the men who I desire although I prefer a man of
character and
integrity. I must be his one and only or he is utterly
useless to me and easily disposed of as there are many men in the
water.
People know me as kind and giving, yet are utterly shocked
when I turn my back or temper on somebody as it is forever. I
tend to divorce myself of people who create chaos. My daughter
made a comment to me one day, how she admired me for eliminating
anybody in my life who creates strife. I want my home life to be
full of music,
laughter, and real enjoyment of each person's personality and good
qualities. Of course my kitchen is always full of people, good
food, and whatever potions I may be creating at the time. I
want to learn the most from my orisha is the pleasure in
life. Enjoy the beating of the drums, dance and feel my
life surrounded with pleasure.
Veve by
Liz Butterworth AKA Yaya
Oshun Ritual
I bathed and anointed my body at the chakras, hands, knees and
feet. I put on a white gown. I prepared the altar with a pretty
yellow pashmina and set up five yellow candles, one for each
direction. I had incense burning, holy water, La Caridad del
Cobre rosary, eleke necklace and a jar filled with pumpkin seeds,
shells, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, nutmeg and honey ready for an
offering and peacock feathers in a pretty vase. I called
the quarters beginning with the east Eleggua to open the pathways,
Obatala creator of the earth to the South; Yemaya owner of all waters
to the west, and Oshun to the north to provide her wisdom into my
life. I closed the circle and proceeded with my ceremony while
the slight sound of drums played in the background.
As I meditated I could see a pathway leading to a
beach. I disrobed and entered the water to feel my body and
spirit being cleansed. Once I am clean I walk
out of the riverbank and put on a yellow dress and gold jewelry.
I hear the music of the drums and begin to dance. I see a
beautiful woman walking towards me and realize it is Oshun. She
walks erect, proud and beautiful in the moonlight. She
dances with me and then asks me what I want. I tell her my
desires and ask for her assistance. She gives me a gift of a
cowrie shell and tells me to come back any time I need her. I am
then back in my circle, open it and close the quarters. I
meditate on what she has shown me. I can feel her with me as I go
about my life.
This page and artwork is the
intellectual
and creative property
of Liz Butterworth
October 2016
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