The Talking River: Oshun, Yoruba Philosophy, and the Narrative Currents of Afro-Centric Literature in Afro-Latin America

• In Event: Ecological perspective through women writers

Description for Program

In examining the thematic currents of Afro-centric literature in Afro-Latin America, this paper illuminates the symbolic and philosophical significance of rivers in the context of Black life and resistance. Central to this exploration is the figure of Oshun, a revered deity in Yoruba cosmology, often associated with rivers, love, and fertility. The paper argues that the "talking river" functions as a narrative device that encapsulates the vibrant ecologies of Black existence, resistance, and cultural continuity. By weaving together Yoruba philosophy with contemporary Afro-Latin American literary texts, this study reveals how the river symbolizes a conduit of ancestral wisdom and a site of resilience against historical and sociocultural adversities. Through literary analysis and philosophical reflection, the presentation will demonstrate how the invocation of Oshun and the river fosters a deeper understanding of Black ecologies and cultural survival, inviting a dialogue on the resistance inherent in Afro-diasporic spiritual and environmental narratives. This study contributes to a broader discourse on the intersections of mythology, ecology, and literature in the articulation of Black identity and resistance.

Author

• Carmen Luz Cosme Puntiel