During the slave trade, communities of African people were taken by force and shipped to the Americas. These individuals were wrongfully removed from their homes, and stripped of all identity; many forced to practice Christianity. Despite the adversity imposed on these people, they managed to protect and spread Yoruba religion and culture from Africa to the Americas. This does not mean that Orisa culture and tradition has left Africa, for it is bustling in places like the Sacred River in Osogobo, Nigeria; a holy site of the Orisa Osun.

Every year, there is a festival devoted to the river Orisa Osun that occurs on the banks of her holy river, the Sacred river. This festival is essential for “reviewing contracts between humans and the divine.”(Video quote) The people dance, sing, and make sacrifices to their holy Orisas as they unite as a community to cleanse in the banks of Osun’s holy river. Even though these practitioners are not directly using a staged alter, Thompson does state in “Face of The Gods,” that “Stones and water complete the image of this most important woman. We gather her rounded pebbles at the river and place them in river water in vessels on the altar. Water is the altar where we ask for her blessings (referring to Yemoja).” This excerpt explains how alters can take many forms, for instance and alter can be a river where worship takes place.

There were many typical diaspora components in the festival that were familiar from class. For instance, an animal sacrifice is made by a virgin as an offering to Osun. In class, there has been many instances where we have read about animal sacrifices being typical of Diaspora religion. These sacrifices are special gifts to the gods, to show appreciation, but also to give energy to the divine spirits. Also, I saw a lot of dancing, and heard a lot of typical diaspora music. I recognized the intense beating of drums used in the festival. Drums are typically used to invite spirits to possess followers. While the drums beat through the night, the dancing reins on as well. The dancing  builds community, and honors certain orisa. However, among all is the alter in which they worship. The alter is the main aspect of Yoruba Religion, and Osun-Osogbo festival dwellers worshipped in a purely organic alter that Osun herself touched; the Sacred River.

From what was displayed in the video, Diaspora religion is active and engaging. Coming from a rural town in Maine, I of course ‘practiced’ Christianity, but never had a connection to it. As a whole, there was never a sense of community, it seemed forced. However, after watching this video, I can see how religion can come naturally for these people. The Diaspora religions are inclusive to everybody, the dancing engulfs all participants and it is a celebration practiced by many. Everybody in this religion worships, but practice differs from person to person. It is a life long devotion for everyone, but each individual practitioner worships different gods and has different possessions on their alter. The religion seems to mold around the individual, instead of the individual molding around the religion; a special aspect of Diaspora religion in my opinion. (Dan)