Ọ̀ṣun is the Yorùbá goddess of the Ọ̀ṣun river and in Cuba became known as the òrìṣà of fresh water and all rivers in general. She is the main source of life on earth, the universal vibrant female energy and is associated with kindness, fertility, gentleness, conception, reproduction and the miracle of birth. She refreshes, cools, harmonizes and cures with the transforming and absorbing soft power of pure water. Her metal is “idẹ”, brass, which stands for wealth and beauty. She is a trading woman and responsible for commerce and material prosperity. Her sensual aspects are over-emphasized in Cuba, she is depicted as a very erotic woman and seductive. This is related to her historic fusion on many levels in society with a racial colonial stereotype of a black woman, the “mulata”. Ọ̀ṣun is a powerful woman among men and rules over the female witchcraft. She is herself a famous diviner in the sixteen-cowry-shells-oracle, an important tool for communication with the spiritual world. She is usually peaceful, loving and sweet, like a gentle flowing river, but she can appear arrogant and if necessary, she fights like a warrior. Then the gentle river turns into an unstoppable flood, especially when she gets offended. She is aware of her seductive power and respectively uses it. What starts with a small, harmless flirt can ultimately have a huge impact on your life. She plays an important role taking care of the bàtá drums and Àyàn.
Ọ̀ṣun dances in a yellow dress, that can be adorned with golden (bronze) embroidery, sunflowers, cowry shells, peacock feathers and small bells. She is “aládé”, of royal descent, in Cuba marked by a European-style crown on her head. Around her wrists she wears copper bangles, which produce a jingling sound.
In her hand Ọ̀ṣun carries an “abẹ̀bẹ̀”, a ritual fan. In Yorùbáland this is a round plate of brass mounted on a handle. Ọ̀ṣun cools and neutralizes like water, it shows her soothing power. The “abẹ̀bẹ̀” shape is similar to European hand mirrors. As Ọ̀ṣun is associated with beauty, the mirror and the fan combine well in a Cuban context. Folding paper fans can also be used. In the dance, Ọ̀ṣun uses the fan like a hand mirror and looks at her beautiful face as if she would apply make-up. She sinks down into the river as she sits down on the floor and moves her bent arms up in the air in front of her head. Slow soft and lascivious movements let us think that she is bathing or rubbing herself with sweet honey, a mythological story how she captured òrìṣà Ògún. Pulling her skirt across and around herself she shows the gentle flowing rhythm of the river. Her shoulder, neck and head are bouncing softly by a movement that comes from the torso. She holds the skirt in both hands, bends down as if she was fetching water from a source and spills it over her body while getting up. She is laughing out loudly, often interpreted as the laughter of a furious maniac, but always remains smiling.
Oore yèyé òòò Ọ̀ṣun! (Greeting the mother’s kindness!)
