THE LIVING CULTURE OF OSUN OSOGBO-A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE TOURISM SITE

Osun, Osogbo, southwest Nigeria : The Austrian artist and high priestess of yoruba religion Susanne Wenger has been fighting for 50 years to save Osun Osogbo's sacred groves.

She struggled together with a group of artists and priests, with whom she re-created the temples of the forest dedicated to the cult of the Orisas, the deities and powers of the Yoruba tradition.

Osun Osogbo Sacred Groves are one of the last remaining tracts of Nigeria's rain forest (only 75 hectares), a unique reserve of medicinal and ritual plants, a place of pilgrimage and rebirth of Yoruba culture, and the symbol of an amazing encounter between contemporary European art and one of the strongest African traditions. It has been inscribed to Unesco's World Heritage List in 2005.

During the 2006 legislative session the State of Florida's Legislature unanimously passed HB-121, creating the Osun's Village & African and Caribbean Cultural Arts Corridor. In commemoration of African American History Month, which is celebrated throughout the United States of America during the month of February,  the custodians of the culture from the Osun Osogbo community will convene in Miami, Florida, officially unveiling the Osun's Village & African and Caribbean Cultural Arts Corridor.

The Yoruba Orisa Osun has specific relevance to South Florida's multicultural communities, as the culture and traditions were carried from West Africa during the transatlantic slave trade and are still practiced throughout the Diaspora today!

The visit and activities surrounding the Osun Osogbo delegation's trip to Miami will reconnect South Florida residents with the ancient origins of centuries old traditions, customs and practices, still very much alive and practiced today, by Yoruba descendents throughout the Diaspora.

Osun (Ochoun) is the Patron Saint of Cuba and is venerated in their Santeria and Lekumi worship traditions originating from the Yoruba of Nigeria,  she is Oxum in the Candomble religion of Brazil, Erzulie in the Vodoun religion of Haiti and Oshun to worshippers throughout the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe.

The ceremonies will entail:

1.) The formal unveiling of the State of Florida's Osun's Village sign boards.

2.) The consecration of an Osun Shrine in Miami, Florida by the High Priests and Priestesses from the Paramount Osun-Osogbo shrine.

3.) Traditional Osun worship ceremonies of chants, music and dance.

4.) US premier of the film: The Lady from Osun Osogbo

5.) World premier screening of movie Sango-Olukoso and live fire eating performance.

6.) The 500 year old tradition of the lighting of the Merindinologun. 16 light sacred lantern.

7.) Art exhibition and workshops of new sacred Artists.

8.) Tradional and contemporary dance and music workshop.

9.) Bi-lateral trade, investment and cultural exchange talks with community residents.

10.) Lessons and workshops on traditional Yoruba language and worship.

11.) Book signing and workshop on the sacred herbs and rituals of the Osun Sacred Grove.