Annual Osun River Ritual: 10th Anniversary Celebration

The Annual Osun River Ritual marks its 10th Anniversary in 2026 with a landmark cultural, spiritual, and community celebration honouring Osun – the Yoruba Orisa of the river,  abundance,  fertility, and healing.

For ten years, the ritual has brought together elders, artists, activists, families, and young people to honour the river, protect water life, and celebrate African diasporic spiritual heritage in London.

As always the event will combine ritual, performance, wellness, art, and community participation, with youth involvement and environmental awareness. This year, we are making some improvements to the ritual we know you’ll enjoy and we welcome your support and understanding.

Your minimum donation of £5.00 will go towards supporting the event’s overheads and organisation. Please use the DONATE button or book via Eventbrite, if preferred.

10th Anniversary Celebration: programme of activities

What the 10th Anniversary Celebration includes

• Sacred river blessing and naming ceremony of a river deity figure found 10 years ago in the Thames – See this podcast
• Intergenerational handover ceremony, to welcome the new Arugba (calabash bearer)
• Dance, drumming, music, and spoken word performances
• Wellness walks and environmental activities (starting in March – September in collaboration with the National Trust) – Register here
• Art/photographic exhibition (2–10 August)
• Film screenings, workshops, presentations centred of aspects of African Spiritual practices
• Merchandise and community fundraising
• Food stalls
• Recognition of the ancestral links to the location at Morden Hall Park – through Virginia Tobacco trade
• River Clean up/blessings

What Is the Osun River Ritual?

The Annual Osun River Ritual is a public, spiritual and cultural gathering centred in African and diasporic traditions, specifically Ifa of Yoruba. It centres on the Orisa of smooth water; water being sacred, life-giving, healing. Connecting with the annual Osogbo festival, honouring Yeye Osun, we make space for:

• Communal and personal offering
• Community well-being
• River blessing, honouring the environment
• Intergenerational knowledge sharing
• Dance, drumming, music, and spoken word
• Celebration of African Indigenous Spirituality

Meet up:

Meeting point outside the M&S/Sainsbury’s – address: 1 Merton High St, London SW19 1DD. Meet at 10.00am – we set off at 10.15am, as the walk to the Morden Hall location takes 30-40 minutes. We use this route as homage to the original meet up. For those who prefer the shorter route, make your way from Morden Station. To connect with the larger group, start at 10.30am from Morden Station.

About the location: Morden Hall Park

Described as a beautiful ‘oasis’ located in the borough of Merton, Morden Hall Park, is a National Trust site that was offered to the public, by its owner Gilliat Hatfeild in 1941. The Wandle River runs through the park, which is perfect to celebrate Yeye Osun. It was once the site of a snuff mill, with its tobacco brought to the UK from Virginia, locating its link to slavery. This was acknowledged by the National Trust during 2020 when a number of institutions were revisiting their historical connections to the Transatlantic Slave Trade. This year, we feel it is important to more formally acknowledge this link with our African ancestors.

The small team at the Park have embraced the Osun River Ritual, offer us their support to ensure the event is safe and successful. All visitors are asked to help them to keep it beautifully maintained.

Address: Morden Hall Road, Morden, London, SM4 5JD