in memoriam

beloveds,

it has come to our attention that iya adunni (susan wenger) has passed on.

iya adunni came to nigeria from germany, became a priestess of osun, and is renowned for the artwork that led to osun's grove being designated as a unesco world heritage site in 2005, one of the few traditional african centers of spirituality to have that distinction.

from the nigerian guardian:

The late Wenger was born during the First World War in 1915 in the town of Graz, Austria.

She studied art in Graz and Vienna where she was part of the famous Vienna Art-Club. After the Second World War, she travelled to Italy and then spent some time in Switzerland where she had exhibitions together with the most famous artists at the time in the gallery Des Eaux Vives in Zurich. In 1949, Susanne went to Paris, where she met Ulli Beier, a German linguist who accepted a posting in West Africa.

They got married and in 1959 arrived in Nigeria. From Ibadan they moved to Ede where she "very quickly became part of their culture." This was where Susanne Wenger met Ajagemo, a powerful Obatala priest and her guru who initiated her to the traditional Yoruba religion - the world of the Orisha.

From a very early age, Susanne Wenger had been strongly attracted by nature and specifically by trees - in which she recognised "the images of sacredness".

And it is in the Sacred Groves of Osogbo where she had integrated her art into nature and where her art is now protecting nature.

iba ara t'orun, iya.
iba osun
iba orisa

may osogbo and the world always prosper and be protected by the love and power of our sweet mother, the source.

ase.