Customer Reviews

Osun Across the Waters : A Yoruba Goddess in

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This work, a compilation of various pieces by a diverse group of authors, is easily the best single book on the Orisa Osun that has been presented in English. Not only are many different traditions (Ifa, Lukumi, Candomble, etc.) represented, but Osun's multifaceted presence is expressed through a variety of eyes - all sharing small pieces of a much larger whole. I was particularly impressed with the pieces by Abiodun and Abimbola and found the ideas presented to be fascinating. The book has several wonderful pictures, a great number of chants and Odu verses and a wealth of information. I waited for quite some time for this book to be released and it was well worth the wait!! I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the wonderful Orisa Osun!!

I bought this beautiful book after Oshun appeared in my life without warning last year, and insisted on making her presence felt!...the book is a tender mixture of the scholarly and the spiritual, rich with cross-cultural and anthropological material. Many of the essays are extraordinarily touching and beautiful, and it contains a number of exquisite chants and poems to this shimmering, golden, sensual orisha - who is so much more than any of her aspects by itself would suggest. Highly recommened to students of comparative religion, western pagans, and anyone who feels their life touched by Oshun's brilliant power. Ori Yeye o!

As a devotee of Oshun..I just could not put this book down. I have re-read several articles within the book. Some accounts will bring you to tears,while others will guide you straight to the river banks of Our mothers home in praise of her love for us. It is a must in your library Omo Osun! Ore Yeye O!

The book was very very good in the yoruban sections but I could not help but wonder who chose the essays on brasil and on what merit of the authors. It is very upsetting to see someone come from outside the culture and religion, have a very very small taste of it only by looking, watching, and then presume they have the right to make blanket statements to the world about what they believe to be "white" umbanda and "afro-brasilian" umbanda, etc,. The whole piece is full of this ethnocentric attitude and it is obvious the author is from the united states, only a

u.s. researcher could conclude there is a "white" and a "black" involved in religion. Just from this view point it is obvious the author understood nothing about the spirit of brasil, the religions of brasil and how they are entertwined, the people of brasil, and for this I say it is a shame that such a nice book is marred by a few pieces that have no value or merit.

I would like to point out that where the essay author claims that "white" umbanda is somehow different than the "afro" because they beleive in the reincarnantion, astral bodies, the possibility of having spiritual attacks on these bodies etc., these beliefs are identical to the yoruban beliefs, candomble, umbanda. Duh. These beliefs do not make them "white", as if they are somehow "New Age" united states equivalent thought.

Also, the author visit only a few terreiros, centros, iles in the south of brasil and, with exception of Salvador, but went to two of the most touristic areas possible. It is not posible to make blanket statement that "umbanda is like this, candomble is like that" without traveling the whole country. The northeast of brasil is very very different from the south, and pernambuco state is very different from the bahia state.

I wish this author would have come into the terreiros of my home town and then I could show her what faith and devotion is. To denigrate someones religous practice because of your own prejudice and ethnocentric views is shameful. My Godmother's centro would have been labeled "white" by this author and she was anything but white. What the author failed to deliver on is the countless hands in prayer, the words and works whispered in devotion, a lifetime of faith and devotion to Osun no matter if the rituals are "acceptable" to a gringo from outside. Behind the decorations and crepe paper, the iced cupcakes and little baskets for Osun lies love, faith, devotion. The author probably does not realize that most all terreiros will offer foods to the attending public, but it is also a show of love for Osun, to feed the public with nice pleasant things. And everyone recieves a "lembranca" to take home, a small filled decorated basket or roses of Osuns to remember the party, to decorate the most times very sparse homes most live in. It is something to remember a good time with, a special loving time adoring Osun or other orisa.

Poverty is a reality and to judge someone by whether they have a sufficient number of "afro" seeming rituals is ridiculous. We have drug dealers and doctors in any terreiro in the northeast rubbing shoulders. To do "charity" is called working to help people who do not have resources except for their IMMENSE FAITH IN THE ORISAS AND GUIDES. When your daughter or son is caught up with drugs because there are no jobs, education for the poor, and is being threatened with murder, you turn to the mediums and Iyalorisas and Babas capable of helping you no matter what. When you are needing a job, money, health problem, you turn to them. A vast majority of terreiros practice a mix of candomble and what we call Jurema in the northeast. We say there is a right hand and a left hand. One hand helps the other, you cannot have just orisasa inside your terreiro. For many reasons you want to have the side of the Jurema, the enchanted beings, the Mestres, the Caboclos etc., pomba giras etc., to give service for the public, they are most humanlike, accessible, give excellent advice and heal, help, guide you, the orisas are more apart, work differently, are to be reverenced, they do not sit down with you to chat! So we have the two sides and do not mix them on the same days of course. And there is blood offering on the both sides. If there is a centro where they do not make blood offerings, so what? We understood the role all religious centeres play. Try and imagine that brasil is much like other countries in that there are diverse populations and age groups. You will have a group of older church women in the u.s. who get together, like to make refreshments for the parties and it is very normal. So it is the same in brasil. Why are brasilians to be judged on how "afro" they are or not in the religion? This is a thing of outsiders. It is just various styles and ways of worship. If it is not obvious, I am very displeased with the way the author portrayed brasil to the world.

But really good and you will learn alot about the most powerfull and benevolent queen of the sweet waters.

If you've been crowned Ochun/Osun/Oxum this book is a must have!- If you have little to no knowledge of oshun or just want to bone up on this awesome Orisha this book is a must.

I've learned alot about our beloved Oshun- followers of Osun will love this book and there is no doubt that you will need this book.

That said:

This book at times is really drawn out in some parts...so much so that I had to read anther book and then i went back to Osun across the waters.

Some of the essays in this book tend to come aross as 'stuck up' to me- but the HARD WORK all the authers put into making this really shines.

Don't miss out on this book.

As being a child of Oshun for 16 years, there are many answers that I have been seeking for a very long time and I can say that the author has touched upon many of them. He has a profound insight into the spiritual aspect as well as the Lukumi aspect of the religion.

I've read this book several times and come away with something new each time. As a cowry diviner, I find the chapters on Osun's role in divination the most interesting and pertinent. The words of Ifa could not be clearer on the need to recognize the role of women as diviners. A worshipper of any and all Orisa a would be doing themselves a disservice in not reading this book.
[...]

A lot of articles about Oxun covering the African tradition, Candomble and lukumi. All articles was well selected and contains useful information for you understand this Great Mother of African religion. Oxun is the image of the ancestor mother and means the feminine principle.

This book is well organized and well written. There are a variety of essays but each adds to the whole and reveals the complexity, profundity and beauty of the subject matter. They are scholarly essays yet, very approachable to people outside of academia. Excellent and informative read.

I had such a difficult time putting this book down. It has a wealth of information on Oshun Ore Yeye O. It has helped me to develop an even more personal relationship with Oshun...as the elders always say....knowlege is the key! This book is the key that has for me open that door to receive a wealth of information. As an Iyawo of Oshun it has helped me to understand the essence of my mother Oshun.

Purchase this book you WILL not regret it and recommend it to others.

Oshun's blessings
Ase O