Oggun: An Eternal Presence

Narrated by Lázaro Ros - apwong (Yoruba praise singer), lead singer of El Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba and advocate for the preservation of Afro-Cuban culture for future generations, the film tells a parable of Oggun, the banished warrior deity who only Oshun, deity of the river and fresh water, luxury and pleasure, beauty and love, can lure back to civilization for the good of humanity.

The world of the Yoruba religion (a primary religion in Cuba) and the Orisha come alive in this mesmerizing film which intertwines traditional stories with present-day Yoruba worship in Cuba including chanting, dancing and a ‘tambor’ - a Yoruba religious ceremony with bata drums.