Ikota literally means to fetch rocks. Every year the Osun Osogbo festival is celebrated in the month of August. Before the festival grand finale in August several background and open rituals and celebrations will take place. Ikota festival is among several preliminary celebration is one of the important and significant celebration perform by the Oba and the devotees of Osun. The devotees will go to Osun Grove to fetch the sacred osun stones.
The celebration begins early in the morning around 7.am with young men sent to the sacred Grove to dive into Ibu Laaro inside the Osun Grove tofetch the sacred stones. The process is a division of labor where some men will dive into the river in search of the precious and sacred stones while the rest of the men will stand by at the bank collecting the stone and putting it in a big container.
While this is ongoing, the Iworo Osun (Osun devotees) will be at the palace patiently waiting and praying for the safety of the men at river. At the same time, they will be preparing delicious meal for the men and also getting the Arugba ready (the young maiden who carry Osun pot) for the celebration.
The celebration begins early in the morning around 7.am with young men sent to the sacred Grove to dive into Ibu Laaro inside the Osun Grove tofetch the sacred stones. The process is a division of labor where some men will dive into the river in search of the precious and sacred stones while the rest of the men will stand by at the bank collecting the stone and putting it in a big container.
While this is ongoing, the Iworo Osun (Osun devotees) will be at the palace patiently waiting and praying for the safety of the men at river. At the same time, they will be preparing delicious meal for the men and also getting the Arugba ready (the young maiden who carry Osun pot) for the celebration.
Once the breakfast is served, the Iworo will dance from the palace to the grove in company of other participants and well wishers who have brought offering and propitiation materials to the Osun river.
The offerings will be taking to the river for acceptance by Osun in exchange for blessings and prosperities.
The offerings will be taking to the river for acceptance by Osun in exchange for blessings and prosperities.
The Arugba who is wrapped in a traditional wrapper from her under arms down, will be accompanied by other devotees as she carry the sacred stone proceed to the osun temple in dance and merriment with unique traditional drumming and dance steps. By the time she finished this process the spirit of Osun will mount her and she will be taking into the temple while she is in trance. The sacred stones will be share with the King, Araba and other high ranked chiefs in the palace. Some will be shared among the Osun devotees while the rest of the stones will be kept in Osun pot inside the temple.
When the Arugba is in awake from trance, the drummer will entertains the king and his chiefs and everyone will dance back to the palace.
Ore yeye o
Ore yeye Osun o!
Ore yeye Osun o!
