The Osun-Osogbo Grove is several centuries old[1] and is among the last of the sacred forests that once adjoined the edges of most Yoruba cities before extensive urbanization. In recognition of its global significance and its cultural value, the Sacred Grove was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.[2]
The 1950s witnessed the desecration of the Osun-Osogbo Grove: shrines were neglected and priests abandoned the grove as customary responsibilities and sanctions weakened. Prohibited actions like fishing, hunting and falling of trees in the Grove was done indiscriminately until an Austrian national named Susanne Wenger (1915-2009)[3] helped to reinstate traditional protections.[4]
With the support and encouragement of the Ataoja (the royal king of the time) and the support of the concerned local people. Wenger "formed the New Sacred Art movement to challenge land speculators, repel poachers, protect shrines and begin the long process of bringing the sacred place back to life by establishing it again, as the sacred heart of Osogbo".[5] Wenger later came to be honored the titled "Adunni Olorisha" for her custodial efforts and her consistent devotion to the gods of the grove.
Ever since that year, the Osun-Osogbo Festival is celebrated in August at the Grove. The festival attracts thousands of Osun worshippers, spectators and tourists from all over the world.
History of the Festival
Osun-Osogbo Festival is believed to have a history of more than 700 years. Historically, an ancestral occurrence led to the celebration of this festival. Once upon a time, a group of migrants who were led by a great hunter called Olutimehin settled on the bank of the Osun river to save themselves from famine. On the river-side, Yeye Osun the river goddess appeared from the water in front of Olutimehin and requested him to lead people to a special place (the present-day Osogbo town).[6] The goddess promised to protect the group and bring them prosperity in return for an annual sacrifice to her. The group accepted the proposition, and today the annual sacrifice to the Osun River Goddess is still celebrated as the Osun-Osogbo Festival.[7]
Celebrations
In modern times, August is a month of celebration for the people of Osogbo land that includes the traditional cleansing of the city and the cultural reunion of the people with their ancestors, the founders of the Osogbo Kingdom.[8]
The Osun-Osogbo Festival itself is a two-week-long programme. The traditional cleansing of Osogbo is called 'Iwopopo', which is followed after three days by the lighting of the 500-year-old sixteen-point lamp called 'Ina Olojumerindinlogun'(16 face lamp). Then comes the 'Iboriade', an assemblage of the crowns of the past rulers, the Ataojas of Osogbo, for blessings.
The Festival culminates in a procession to the shrine in the sacred grove where a large crowd builds up. Drumming, dancing, musical performing, wearing of elaborate costumes, speaking of the Yoruba language, recitation of praise poetry, and so on add pomp and colour to the proceedings. This event is led by the sitting Ataoja of Osogbo along with a ritualized performer called the Arugba(calabash carrier) and a committee of priestesses, who reenact the very first meeting between Oluwatimilehin and Yeye Osun.[9] Arugba is played by a young woman of a kingly lineage and offers the sacrifice to the deity.
In 2020, the procession was limited to the ritual performers and public participation was suspended due to COVID-19.[10]
Ina, the sacred lamp lit at the beginning of the annual Osun-Osogbo festival
Benefits of the Festival
The festival is of immense benefit to the tourism sector of Nigeria. It enables the community to sell its culture to tourists coming from both within the country and from all over the world.[11]
The Osun-Osogbo festival also serves as a strong unifying factor in Osogbo land, as irrespective of the different social, economic, religious and political convictions of the people, they all come together annually to celebrate the goddess.[11]
A statue signifying the maternity nature of iya osun at the sacred grove of osun
^Peter Probst. Osogbo and the Art of Heritage. Monuments. Deities, and Money. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2011.
^"Susanne Wenger, a decade after the glow". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 2019-09-15. Retrieved 2022-06-03.
^Peter Probst. "Modernism against Modernity. A Tribute to Susanne Wenger." Critical Interventions, Journal of African Art History and Visual Culture, 2009, No.3/4, 245-255. Peter Probst. "From Iconoclasm to Heritage. The Osogbo Art Movement and the Dynamics of Modernism in Nigeria." A Companion to Modern African Art. Edited by Gitti Salami and Monica Blackmun Visona (eds.) Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013, pp. 294-310.
^. The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper. Archived from the original on 3 June 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
^Oyintiloye, Olatunbosun (23 September 2012). "What you did not know about Osun Osogbo". Vanguard. Retrieved 9 October 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^Agu, Zain (2018-08-07). "When will Osun Osogbo festival be this year?". Legit.ng - Nigeria news. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
^"About - Osun Osogbo Festival". osunosogbofestival.com. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
^Fasan, Rotimi (2016-09-01). "Arugba: superwoman, power and agency". Journal of African Cultural Studies. 28 (3): 283–291. doi:10.1080/13696815.2016.1163254. ISSN 1369-6815.
^"Oun Osogbo govrnment bans procession allows only worshippers to shrine". Vanguard.
^ ab"THE OSUN OSOGBO FESTIVAL (ITS FUNCTIONS AND AESTHETICS)". myproject.com.ng. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
External links
Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove- UNESCO
Oshunfilm
Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Temple of Osun-Osogbo.
January 07, 2023
osun, osogbo, sacred, grove, along, banks, osun, river, just, outside, city, osogbo, osun, state, nigeria, sacred, groveunesco, world, heritage, sitelocationosogbo, nigeriacriteriacultural, reference1118inscription2005, 29th, session, area75, acres, buffer, zo. Osun Osogbo is a sacred grove along the banks of the Osun river just outside the city of Osogbo Osun State of Nigeria Osun Osogbo Sacred GroveUNESCO World Heritage SiteLocationOsogbo NigeriaCriteriaCultural ii iii vi Reference1118Inscription2005 29th Session Area75 ha 190 acres Buffer zone47 ha 120 acres Coordinates7 45 20 N 4 33 08 E 7 75556 N 4 55222 E 7 75556 4 55222 Coordinates 7 45 20 N 4 33 08 E 7 75556 N 4 55222 E 7 75556 4 55222Location of Osun Osogbo in Nigeria The Osun Osogbo Grove is several centuries old 1 and is among the last of the sacred forests that once adjoined the edges of most Yoruba cities before extensive urbanization In recognition of its global significance and its cultural value the Sacred Grove was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 2 The 1950s witnessed the desecration of the Osun Osogbo Grove shrines were neglected and priests abandoned the grove as customary responsibilities and sanctions weakened Prohibited actions like fishing hunting and falling of trees in the Grove was done indiscriminately until an Austrian national named Susanne Wenger 1915 2009 3 helped to reinstate traditional protections 4 With the support and encouragement of the Ataoja the royal king of the time and the support of the concerned local people Wenger formed the New Sacred Art movement to challenge land speculators repel poachers protect shrines and begin the long process of bringing the sacred place back to life by establishing it again as the sacred heart of Osogbo 5 Wenger later came to be honored the titled Adunni Olorisha for her custodial efforts and her consistent devotion to the gods of the grove Contents 1 Osun Osogbo Festival 1 1 History of the Festival 1 2 Celebrations 2 Benefits of the Festival 3 References 4 External linksOsun Osogbo Festival EditEver since that year the Osun Osogbo Festival is celebrated in August at the Grove The festival attracts thousands of Osun worshippers spectators and tourists from all over the world History of the Festival Edit Osun Osogbo Festival is believed to have a history of more than 700 years Historically an ancestral occurrence led to the celebration of this festival Once upon a time a group of migrants who were led by a great hunter called Olutimehin settled on the bank of the Osun river to save themselves from famine On the river side Yeye Osun the river goddess appeared from the water in front of Olutimehin and requested him to lead people to a special place the present day Osogbo town 6 The goddess promised to protect the group and bring them prosperity in return for an annual sacrifice to her The group accepted the proposition and today the annual sacrifice to the Osun River Goddess is still celebrated as the Osun Osogbo Festival 7 Celebrations Edit In modern times August is a month of celebration for the people of Osogbo land that includes the traditional cleansing of the city and the cultural reunion of the people with their ancestors the founders of the Osogbo Kingdom 8 The Osun Osogbo Festival itself is a two week long programme The traditional cleansing of Osogbo is called Iwopopo which is followed after three days by the lighting of the 500 year old sixteen point lamp called Ina Olojumerindinlogun 16 face lamp Then comes the Iboriade an assemblage of the crowns of the past rulers the Ataojas of Osogbo for blessings The Festival culminates in a procession to the shrine in the sacred grove where a large crowd builds up Drumming dancing musical performing wearing of elaborate costumes speaking of the Yoruba language recitation of praise poetry and so on add pomp and colour to the proceedings This event is led by the sitting Ataoja of Osogbo along with a ritualized performer called the Arugba calabash carrier and a committee of priestesses who reenact the very first meeting between Oluwatimilehin and Yeye Osun 9 Arugba is played by a young woman of a kingly lineage and offers the sacrifice to the deity In 2020 the procession was limited to the ritual performers and public participation was suspended due to COVID 19 10 Ina the sacred lamp lit at the beginning of the annual Osun Osogbo festivalBenefits of the Festival EditThe festival is of immense benefit to the tourism sector of Nigeria It enables the community to sell its culture to tourists coming from both within the country and from all over the world 11 The Osun Osogbo festival also serves as a strong unifying factor in Osogbo land as irrespective of the different social economic religious and political convictions of the people they all come together annually to celebrate the goddess 11 A statue signifying the maternity nature of iya osun at the sacred grove of osun Traditional African religion portal Nigeria portalReferences Edit Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Peter Probst Osogbo and the Art of Heritage Monuments Deities and Money Bloomington Indiana University Press 2011 Susanne Wenger a decade after the glow The Guardian Nigeria News Nigeria and World News 2019 09 15 Retrieved 2022 06 03 Peter Probst Modernism against Modernity A Tribute to Susanne Wenger Critical Interventions Journal of African Art History and Visual Culture 2009 No 3 4 245 255 Peter Probst From Iconoclasm to Heritage The Osogbo Art Movement and the Dynamics of Modernism in Nigeria A Companion to Modern African Art Edited by Gitti Salami and Monica Blackmun Visona eds Malden MA Wiley Blackwell 2013 pp 294 310 Osun Osogbo Carnival of culture in a sacred forest The Punch Nigeria s Most Widely Read Newspaper Archived from the original on 3 June 2015 Retrieved 18 August 2015 Oyintiloye Olatunbosun 23 September 2012 What you did not know about Osun Osogbo Vanguard Retrieved 9 October 2022 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Agu Zain 2018 08 07 When will Osun Osogbo festival be this year Legit ng Nigeria news Retrieved 2019 08 19 About Osun Osogbo Festival osunosogbofestival com Retrieved 18 August 2015 Fasan Rotimi 2016 09 01 Arugba superwoman power and agency Journal of African Cultural Studies 28 3 283 291 doi 10 1080 13696815 2016 1163254 ISSN 1369 6815 Oun Osogbo govrnment bans procession allows only worshippers to shrine Vanguard a b THE OSUN OSOGBO FESTIVAL ITS FUNCTIONS AND AESTHETICS myproject com ng Retrieved 11 November 2017 External links EditSacred Orisa Gardens of the West Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove UNESCO Ijele Art Ejournal of the African World Osun Osogbo the film Lady from Osogbo long feature film Oshunfilm Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove Wikimedia Commons has media related to Temple of Osun Osogbo Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Osun Osogbo amp oldid 1123096586, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
