In Yoruba mythology, Oshun is the orisha associated with rivers and fertility.
Oshun, also spelled Ọṣun, is linked with fresh water, love, beauty, sensuality, prosperity, destiny, and divination. She is especially connected with the Osun River in southwestern Nigeria, which flows through Osogbo. Her association with fertility includes both agricultural abundance and human fecundity; in some traditions, women appeal to her for help with pregnancy and the protection of children.
Yoruba creation traditions also emphasize Oshun’s importance among the primordial spirits. In one account, she was the only female spirit sent to help create the world, and creation failed when the other spirits ignored her. The story’s lesson is not simply that she rules water, but that feminine power and cooperation are essential to life.
Oshun is commonly confused with Yemaya, who is associated primarily with the sea and motherhood, while Oya is linked with winds, storms, and transformation. Oshun’s major living center is the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove, where an annual festival honors her.