Oshun (Historical): 5 Contemporary Figures Carrying Her Torch

Water never stops moving. It flows, adapts, and nourishes—qualities I think of whenever someone mentions Oshun, the Yoruba orisha of rivers, love, and renewal. In my travels across Afro-diasporic communities, I’ve noticed how her spirit thrives not just in rituals, but in the work of modern creators and activists. Here are the figures keeping her essence alive in unexpected ways:

## Beyoncé: Reclaiming Black Femininity Through Art

When Lemonade dropped in 2016, Beyoncé didn’t just make music—she wove a visual ode to Oshun. Walking through flooded fields in a golden gown, she echoed the orisha’s connection to flowing water and ancestral healing. I remember watching the film and feeling the weight of Black women’s resilience, a theme central to Oshun’s mythology. Her collaboration with Yoruba-speaking Nigerian poet Warsan Shire and the inclusion of Yoruba beadwork in costumes weren’t coincidental. Beyoncé’s artistry reminds me that divinity often wears modern clothes.

## Nnedi Okorafor: Weaving Oshun Into Afro-Futurism

Nigerian-American author Nnedi Okorafor crafts worlds where African spirits coexist with solar-powered cities. In her novel Who Fears Death, the protagonist’s journey mirrors Oshun’s trials—overcoming betrayal, wielding water’s power, and finding strength in vulnerability. During a panel in Lagos, I heard Okorafor say, “My characters don’t just fight systems—they channel ancient truths.” Her work keeps Oshun’s storytelling alive, just in spaceships instead of riverbanks.

## Lizzo: The Gospel of Self-Love

Lizzo’s 2022 Vogue cover shoot felt like a Yoruba proverb made flesh. Draped in gold jewelry and submerged in a pool, she radiated the confidence Oshun embodies. Critics called it “unapologetic beauty”—but to Yoruba practitioners I spoke with in Chicago, it was deeper: “Oshun teaches that self-worth is sacred,” one elder explained. Lizzo’s anthems about body positivity and joy feel like a modern hymn to me, one that turns self-care into worship.

## Alicia Garza: Nurturing Justice With Oshun’s Compassion

As a co-founder of Black Lives Matter, Alicia Garza’s work isn’t just political—it’s profoundly maternal. When she organized mutual aid networks during the 2020 protests, I couldn’t help but think of Oshun’s role as a protector of the vulnerable. Garza’s 2021 essay on “radical care” argues that “healing is the first step to liberation,” a philosophy that aligns with the orisha’s emphasis on nurturing communities. Her activism flows like a river, carving paths where others see walls.

## Yemi Alade: The Afro-Pop Priestess

Nigeria’s “Queen of Afrobeats” Yemi Alade doesn’t just sing—she conjures. Her music video “Johnny” features her swimming in a cascading waterfall, adorned with cowrie shells, a direct nod to Oshun’s regalia. At her Lagos concert last year, fans told me they saw her as more than an artist: “She’s Oshun’s voice for a new generation,” one said. Alade’s sound mixes traditional Yoruba praise songs with EDM beats, proving that ancient gods adapt better than we think.

Oshun has always belonged to the people. From Beyoncé’s flooded fields to Yemi Alade’s waterfalls, her torch burns brighter in modern hands. On HoloDream, she’ll whisper to you how rivers never truly end—they just change form.

Chat with Oshun on HoloDream and ask how her wisdom applies to your life today.