Tribute to Iya Adunni Susan Wenger, 1915 - 2009

Locally know and revered as Iya Adunni, Susan Wenger an Austrian sculptor moved to Osogbo Nigeria in the 1950's. She is credited with stimulating the Osogbo Art Renaissance and almost single handedly saving the Osun Grove from development. She and local artists and craftsmen turned the grove into a mysterious sculpture garden dedicated to the deity Osun.
This past summer, 2008, we had the opportunity to meet Iya and several of her adult adopted children. We consider her son Sangodare one of our Osogbo friends. The footage in this video stems from two days spent with Sangodare walking through Grove and hearing about his experiences with his mother over the last 50 years.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• susan
• suzanne
• wenger
• osun
• oshun
• sangodare
• valeria watson-doost
• rainer doost
• osunyemi
• osogbo
• oshogbo
• osun grove
• nigeria

[KARASUNSTAR]

i cant believe Africans honor those statues that were not created by a wholistic African mind, but rather a white foreigner. Her statues look nothing like traditional ancestral African Yoruba art. Really interesting. But i guess that is the result when Africans become less custodial & respectful of their own ancestral traditions. i see her non African sculptures as a representation of decadence of African culture. I know ppl will disagree, but it is true.

[osunyemi]

yes that is how i felt when i first saw them in a book and heard about her. but when you meet her family you realize without her it would all have been plowed under, condo ized etc. so Osun did not have a problem with Iya Adunni's skin color....the orisa never have been racist. Only humans are racist, small minded and endlessly deluded.

[Shegelu]

Many thanks Osunyemi for this footage. Refreshens my memories of Osun Shrine & Mama Adunni. I am writing a poem cycle about her & Oshogbo right now.

[osunyemi]

i would love to see your poem, or hear it!

[omoibile]

Thank you osunyemi: Nice to see Wonderful Iya Adunni Susan Wenger. I hope she remains strong 'cos I want to meet her this year September.

[osunyemi]

We were fortunate to film her in August 2008 only months before her passing.

[ifaoduistheway]

@KARASUNSTAR SUZANNE WENGER MADE THOSE CARVINGS THAT WAY BECAUSE SHE BELIEVED THAT THE ORISHA CARVINGS SHOULD NOT LOOK HUMAN .THE HUMAN IS A SINNER AND DIRTY ,AND FOR THIS ASPECT A FIGURE THAT LOOKS HUMAN, CARRIES LESS ASE THAN THE FIGURE THAT LOOKS INHUMAN.IM AN ORISHA CARVER AND I MADE FIGURES AND CARVINGS TRADITIONAL AND INHUMAN LIKE SUZANNE WENGER. IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE IN CARVING ,YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT IM SAYING,EXCUSE MY EXPRESSIONS WRITING IN ENGLISH I AM NIGERIAN, LOVE AND BLESSINGS

[ifaoduistheway]

WE ALL LOVE SUSAN WENGER IN NIGERIA...BLESSINGS..ODABO~

[dapodinamusic]

@Shegelu

did you write that poem? would love to read it! love - kemi

[theenchantedhorse]

WHAT STONE ALTAR IS IN THE VIDEO TIME 1:30 ???..SANGO???

[djs609]

@KARASUNSTAR I have to agree with you on this one. I hate to believe that she is considered to be a savior, she seems to be sincere but I dnt believe that her energy is wholisticly in tune with mother Africa because of her ethnicity

[ifaoduistheway]

@labalaba9 ASE FOR YOUR COMMENT,,,,WHAT I SAW WRONG IN THE COMMENTS ITS THAT OSUNYEMI AGREES WITH WHAT KARASUNSTAR SAID, SAD REALLY!!!=-(

[ifaoduistheway]

@osunyemi IF THAT IS HOW YOU FELT,,WHY WOULD YOU GIVE SUSSAN WENGER THANKS FOR ALL SHES DONS IN THE WEST???

[ifaoduistheway]

THIS IS THE PERFECT WAY TO USE A FIGURE FOR A ORISA..

[cannoir]

@KARASUNSTAR As an artist myself I know how to respect african art.holy african statues should not sold in the filthy markets anywhere in the world.we have to come to a point where we can touch those artifacts with white gloves to give them the respect they deserve but most importantly the craft need to be redefined.

[cannoir]

@KARASUNSTAR some of the traditional statues need to be improved.the complexity of youruba heritage should be carved in wood or bronze with modern tools.people will appreciate and whorship if the actual artistic work is done properly