Origins of Oshun

Posted by Daniel Roman on

OSHUN Origins

 

Iʼm starting this blog to address many  questions regarding the Orisa Oshun, Over the last eighteen years I have researched this topic with little finding and lots of misguidance, My objective is to input the correct information that I have gathered through the years,

A lot of my teachings have come to me from Yoruba worship temples and now 

from Ifa training. I promise not to reveal in depth information, If you have questions 

please feel free to write, Under the rites of Ifa which contain the origins of the folklore 

from African tradition, states that oshun is the daughter of Olofin (The Law Giver) and 

Nana Buruku ( Cruel Mother-The Night Sky) Olofin only had two children one male 

Shango (The Divine one Olodumare's Hand of Justice) one female "Oshun. Born on a large clam shell arriving at the borders of the ocean and river.

It is Oshunʼs role entrusted by her father the art of communication from the religious 

priesthood's to him Olofin. the river is the dominion that suits her best, for it cites the 

birth and departure of life, one must cross the river of heaven to arrive on earth, it being Orisa or Human. ( I will speak more on this later ) oshun represents all that is femme, 

she is the owner of Honey and laughter, theses suit her well, for with her laughter she 

announces destruction or peril, with honey oshun is able to sweeten the most stern 

hearts or transform a bitter demeanor to a intoxicated lover.

The folklore goes to state that she had requested to be different from the rest of the 

other female orisa when she would descend from heaven (Olurun), oshun asked 

Yemaya to give her the secrets so she may be different in appearance when she arrived to Ife, she desired to have a thin waist and her skin tone to be the color of honey, in exchange for this secret, she gave some of her Hair to Yemaya, oshun keeping the rest 

using it to create the craft of Hair dressing which is still practice till today, The exchange 

of hair for beauty would be a small price to pay unknowing the true cost of being the 

most beautiful of the orisa.

Oshun was so divine in apearance that one night her father Olofin had to 

much palm wine, becoming intoxicated causing himself to rape his Child, in this 

coarse oshun learned not only the emotions of Love but of hate and revenge,

Those whom know of oshun know that she represents Love, Joy, Sexuality, Charity,, deep in 

her soul lies a bitter side,a stern dry demeanor, Hate, vengeance, bitterness are part of 

her inner personality. Oshun is the representation of The struggles of Life.

Oshun was designated by her father Olofin to be the chief priestess of the cult of the 

Ancestral Mothers the Cult of (IYA-LORDE) This commandment is stated in the Odu 

Oshe Tura, which is a cult still practice till this very day in Nigeria Africa, in the town of 

Osogbo. In the Odu Iroso Ka Orula certifies her the Apetebi and his wife despite her 

faults.

#Chango,#SantoProducts,#Shango

Oshun has influence the life's of all of the orisa in one way or another, in the Odu Ofun 

kana she saves Asowano (Babalu Aye) life, in Odu iroso ka, she saves the world from 

destruction, Orisa Oya from her enemies in the Odu Eyiogbe, in the Odu oshe Leso 

saves the love of Yemaya for Ogun. All of these endeavors have costed her the same 

price, her body and Flesh.

Oshunʼs favorite sati-factional Husband is Orisa Inle(Water hole by the Streams or 

rivers,sometimes in the Woods)  which they had one child Orisa Logun Ede (The 

androgenesis)

I will write more on this orisa latter on, with Osha-Odduduwa (Spirit of the shadows or 

Darkness that brings Light) she gave birth to Orisa Oloshe with Osha-Orula(The 

Shadow that follower us,Witness of Creation) she had many daughters one in particular 

is Orisa Poroye, but the husband she had the most children was with Orisa

 

 

Obatala!(King of the white Clothe),thIs is why till this day, a majority of Obatalaʼs Priests have 

oshun as their second guardian, or mother as some say.

Oshun has many avatars or paths 29 in IFA/OSHA that can be crown a few more that 

are not, INCLUDING Logun Ede???  

Many may ask why do orisa have these avatars, 

its because our religion is based on reincarnations, IFA teaches us that all of the Odu, 

Orisa and Osha have returned at one point or another back to heaven. when they 

returned back to earth they would state a different name or there carnal parents would 

name them differently if you understand African culture, when a child is born he or she 

is taken to a Awo a Priest of Orula so that childʼs destiny is revealed and is named.

You 

ask Why the reincarnations? just like human beings the orisa have faults, they failed in 

performing the needed ebbos(Offerings) in heaven before there departures so they 

could have success in there new form, these ebbos were recommendations from the 

Irumoles( 401 Divine spirits of heaven). 

I am a Priest or Iworo of Oshun( Ibu Yumu ) my father is Obatala, my Iruko(name)is 

“Oşun mi esegun” “Oshuns my Victory” pretty Cool name, oshun has 

given me everything in my life in one form or another, sometimes even 

the things I should not have, but how can one learn if not through our pains and sorrows, donʼt get me wrong it has not been all negative,

IFA teaches us that there is "No bad luck", it's that we didnʼt have the wisdom to obtain success.

If I ask oshun for a Million dollars and she grants me such a fortune, do I really have the knowledge on how to use the money. yet If I did ebbo and received the guidance on how too and what too spend the money on, would success not be by my side, would it not last my life time. One must always ask for (Itona) guidance first and our lives would run smother just like pouring honey. This is learn in Oshe Meji the arrival of riches on Earth, and in Ogunda Meji when the armaments,gems and mentals arrive on earth,from heaven.  

I would like to mention thy most important Orisa to receive if possible, is Ori, its the orisa of your soul/consciousness its the orisa that enters our head at birth, it takes an oath in Odu Ogbe Odi before olofins feet, its oath is to live a certain life right before entering our mind. If Ori follows the oath Life is successful, if it faults hmmm, attempt to amend it ASAP. Our guardian orisa serves Ori, not the other way around. our orisa is our Crown, Ori lies in our head. Ask me questions for my next Blog post.Emi bere Ibulaye fun Itona fifun mi Tito Oşun 

I ask permission for 

guidance give me direction oshun

Baba Awo Ifa Gbemi, other young Awo, Myself, Alex Awo Obara 

meji Lazaro Awo Obaradimeji my italero


Paths of Oshun:

Ibu Kole ( The Vulture) Colors are amber and coral born in Ogbe-tua this is a powerful 

Oshun, that guards the house, she is known to be Crafter of serious Magic, she is very 

common as a mother to her selected heads.

Ibu ololodi (the Warrior The Owl )wife of Orula this oshun likes every offering in double, 

uses great amounts of Metals like Iron, etc. Born in ogbe-roso mother of Orisa Poroye,

Ibu Akauro ( The Cornish hen, the meeting of the river and ocean)It is said that she is 

like the Cornish Hen Deaf when she wants to be, and has a false Smile, born in ojuani-

meji colors are Yellow white,green

Ibu Yumu ( The deaf serpent handler Thy most beautiful of all oshuns)Born in Ika meji

Ibu Aña (The one who hears the drums and goes directly to it) Born in Otrupon bekonwa 

The Arraraʼs call her ñawedito

Ibu Iñañi (the famous one of disputes)

Ibu Oddonki (the rising river fill with Mud) The Arraraʼs call her Takago

Ibu Oddoi (The Dry Cowie Shell) The Arraraʼs call her Fosupo

Ibu Oggale (Loves Keys) The Arraraʼs call her Oakere

Ibu Okuanda (The one thorn into the river Dead) The Arraraʼs call her Agokusi

Ibu Addesa (The assured Crown) The Arraraʼs call her Aboloto

Ibu Ayede (The one thats like a Queen) The Arraraʼs call her Yiaa

Ibu Okuase oddo (The one that emerged dead in the River) The Arraraʼs call her 

Totokusi

Ibu Bumi (The collector of river water)

 

Ibu ede ( The Shrimp/Prawn) This oshu lives in muddy water

Ibu Latie eleke Oni (The wrestler)

Ibu Itumu (The amazonian, Believe to be lesbian, dresses in white with male clothes, 

the Arraraʼs call her Jueyague

Ibu Tinibu ( lives with Orun The lord of the sky “Sun” is born in Irete-yero is a director of 

the Cult Iya-Lorde.The Arraraʼs call her Alegue

Ibu Aja Jura ( Lives in the lagoons and is a warrior).

Ibu Aremu Kondiano( The first to insert her feet into Ori “sheabutter” dresses in White 

her chain is Of coral and Pearls and Orula color beads some say she is a Water 

Obatala but she a oshun that dresses in white. The Arraraʼs call her Tefande

Ibu Ceni (The one that lives in small water holes near the river). The Arraraʼs call her 

Ajuanyinu

Ibu Fondae (The one that died with Inle), Uses a sword and enjoys war.

Ibu Odoko ( This oshun is very strong and is born in Ogbe-Kana likes the company of 

Orisa-Oko

Ibu Awayemi (This oshun is Blind likes to be in company with Azowano and Orula 

speaks in Oyekun Meji 

Ibu Eledan (This oshun is owner of the Nasal Oreophasis

Ibu Idere Lekun (This Oshun lives in the caves at Marine coastal and dances to the 

sound of the waves. is Born in Otura-Sa 

Ibu Añare (Daughter of ibu Aña this oshun lives on top of Money and sand, yet she 

doesn't like to give her children Money

Ibu agandara (This oshun lives seated on a Chair, and likes to be covered in water lilies 

so no one can see her seated.

All of these oshun have many more secrets to add to her tool sets, from certain 

Feathers, instruments, or elements. One of the tools in my set is a set of hair Combs,

In my ita I ask “why the Combs? Baba said, When your hair is tangled up you use a 

Comb to remove or straight your hair,oshun uses this to untangle you from your 

Problems and enemies. These tools are asked or relate to your oshun, There are many 

offering one can give Oshun there are some favorites of hers, or if in your heart you 

wish to give something, do it, no one refuses a gift right, just make sure its in good 

taste, oshun is Queen by birth right. Oshun is thy most important female Orisa in the 

yoruba system. I am not saying that Yemaya, Obba,Oya, etc are not, but Oshunʼs role 

in IFA/Osha are indisputable. All of Orisa,oshaʼs have there own Ashe 

Wind,fire,strength, but oshun knows how to tap these forces, using all of the I.O.Uʼs the 

other Orisa have with this majestic Queen.

Note:

On many of the names or paths of oshun are included a Odu, I will speak on my oshun 

Ibu Yumu is born in Ika Meji the word IKa in yoruba means cruelty meji means double or 

two, double crueltyʼ does this mean my path is cruel no! it means that there are many 

things in her life that were, its a odu of strife and great gains, this Odu makes the arrival 

of refined oil and fine string, these two object while in heaven were told to do Ebbo to 

have great success on earth, they followed the guidance and when a Awo on earth was 

in his darkest hour IFA told him” his ebbo required fine oil and string, and to light it with 

fire, Awo IKA meji did so and obtained what we have now as oil lamps to light our 

darkest Hour. 

Although my oshun is born in IKA meji My opening Odu is Ogbe she, which is the Odu 

of great power its the Odu Oshun herself nurtured, its folklore is of the African Grey 

parrot. Its a odu of dis-considerations of others towards you, the Lore goes

That the African grey is Olofins favorite Bird, and made him laugh with his dancing, the 

other Birds of the forest, hated him for this reason and plotted against the grey, so they 

gathered powders of coal, and palm oil.

Olofin decided to invite all of his creations to a feast, expecting the Grey to arrive on 

time to amuse him with his dance, The grey on his way to the feast was ambushed by 

the other birds and they poured the coal dust and painted his tail feather with the red 

palm oil, The grey had done Ebbo and didn't understand the cause yet, and was 

concerned how Olofin would receive him in such a condition, but remembered the 

advise of Ifa and went as is, olofin waiting became concern that the Grey didʼt arrive, but 

short after the grey arrives with his Dance and Olofin laughing and enjoying the dance, 

awaiting to approach the grey, the Grey offers his Moforibale to Baba and excuses for 

his delay, Olofin ask what has happen to you, the grey explains of his misfortune on his 

way to the feast, olofin becoming upset makes an Order address to all his creations, “ 

From this day Forth, Any and all Ebbo will contain the red tail feather of the Grey, When 

there is a Yoko Osha, i will not give my blessings if there is no greyʼs red feathers at the 

reunion TO BAN EhSU!

So when offering ebbo to which ever orisa there must always be a african grey red 

feather in the ebbo so Olofin may receive it, this said My oshun warnings are that I 

would live a life where people would not even open the door for my arrival because of 

jealous, yet they are the one to lose the most, it makes my life a bit difficult too, but if I 

do ebbo I will alway have success and favor of olofin himself. The oduʼs I speak of is a 

vessels of great amount of information, this which I have share is but a faction, back to 

My oluoso orisa (guardian)in the odu marks my orisa to have a crown of grey feathers, oil lamps, to light my dark hours, this odu also states when Ogbeshe is lanced we all shall eat well and prosper.so one must look at the odu of ones orisa and her birth odu to be able to see what is her advise to you, her struggles are not yours we at times state oh My Oshun behaves like this or that, NO! those are hers to bear if you behave in that manner thats YOU! there are some behaviors that are witnessed in her children but those are also defined by one owns choice, or in up brings ethics etc.

So if oshun went to bed with Ogun to fool him into thinking it was Yemaya in bed, does this mean I would sleep with my brothers wife, or sister husband to save there marriage THIS BEHAVIOR IS NOT A POSITIVE THOUGHT, HOW CAN I EXPECT  IT WORK OUT FOR THE BEST?

LOGICAL THINKING: I could do is, do ebbo for my brother or sister and have Oshun solve the problem. lets use common sense Positive attracts Positive and Negative 

attracts Negative. 

One of my favorite Quotes from Oprah Winfrey is 

“When You Know Better, You Do Better” 

so do better in your life, focus on Positive Energy, Everything in Life is made of Positive 

and negative, in Negative States transform it to Positive.

Writen By Daniel Roman 
Iworo Ogbeshe Oshun mi esegun
Ile Tuntun
Temi Baba,, Aragba Awo Ifa Gbemi Odu ogbe Iwori: Jorge Castillo
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

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