Located on the forested banks of the Osun river in Osogbo,
Osun State, Nigeria, the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove is a UNESCO World Heritage
site.
Google Arts & Culture’s mission is to preserve and
promote the world’s art and culture online, allowing anyone, anywhere in the
world, to share in it.
The purpose of the Susanne Wenger Adunni Olorisha Trust is
to preserve and promote the Sacred Groves of Osogbo and the New Sacred Art,
Nigeria’s most important cultural site, celebrating the heritage and
contemporary art.
CyArk, on the other hand, is a nonprofit in Oakland,
California, United States, whose mission is to “digitally record, archive and
share the world’s most significant cultural heritage and ensure that these
places continue to inspire wonder and curiosity for decades to come.
The launch marks the digital preservation of one of
Nigeria’s last remaining sacred groves and is part of Google Arts and Culture’s
wider Heritage on the Edge project.
The project seeks to support site managers in digitally
documenting heritage sites at risk due to climate change, using the imagery
captured to support community maintenance and conservation further.
Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove project
Highlights include a 75ha Street View of the Osun Osogbo
Sacred Grove, including the Busanyin Shrine before it was affected by the flood
and 3D models of four of the site’s dynamic shrines.
The collection allows people to view 900 high-resolution
photographs of the site, contemporary and historical artworks and sculptures,
artists and spiritual leaders.
It also tells 28 stories about art, community and
spirituality at the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove and the effect of climate change
at the site.
It includes three audio interviews, including one with
famous artist Jimoh Buraimoh about Susanne Wenger.
The project also allows visitors to watch 27 video
interviews and see aerial views and 3D views of the site, while annotated 3D
tours of the Busanyin and Iya Moopo shrines showcase the legacy of art and
spirituality at the sacred grove.
Remarks
Chance Coughenour, Program Manager and Digital
Archaeologist, Google Arts & Culture, said, through partnerships, one of
the most recognised, culturally rich Yoruba heritage sites, known for active
traditional worship and contemporary art movements, can now be preserved.
“Through state-of-the-art technologies, site managers will
be able to monitor and mitigate the effects of the changing climate and more
broadly provide resources to support growing the capacity for the preservation
of heritage sites”, added Mr Coughenour.
The Grove is several centuries old and among the last sacred
groves of their kind, which joined the edges of most Yoruba cities before the
mass shift from rural to urban areas.
On the site, Yoruba deities are embodied in shapely,
sculpted shrines where creativity and spirituality come to life.
The Grove has been in danger of destruction due to flooding,
heavy rain and climate change. The Busanyin Shrine was damaged in floods
shortly after being digitally captured.
“The Yoruba community is one of the largest in Nigeria. The
Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove is truly a unique and special place that embodies the
essence of the Yoruba culture and heritage. We are excited about the digital
preservation of the site and the partnership with Google Arts & Culture. It
offers an amazing body of work that portrays the admirable culture of the
Yoruba people to the world,” says Olufemi A. Akinsanya Akinsanya, Chair, Save
Our Art! Save Our Heritage! Campaign.
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| Artist Adebisi Akanji, Adunni Olorisha Trust Osun Foundation |
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| Cliff below the Ọbà tálá Shrine and Staircase, Adunni Olorisha Trust Osun Foundation |
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| Dr. Ijeoma adjusts the total station at Busanyin shrine, CyArk |
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| Flooding at Busanyin shrine, CyArk |
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| Ọbà tálá Shrine Complex, Adunni Olorisha Trust Osun Foundation |
Kacey Hadick, Director of Programs and Development, CyArk, said the work in Osogbo has been a true collaboration between Nigerian government officials, local NGOs, the community of Osogbo, and Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Larooye II.
He said all the parties are working together to share the
stories of Osogbo with a broader audience.
Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed thanked
Google Arts and Culture and its partner for digitising the Osun Osogbo shrine
and its surroundings, thus protecting them for posterity.
“I said during the visit to the Grove in 2019 that it was
important to refocus national and global attention on this world heritage site.
I am glad we achieved our purpose, as can be attested to by this project
digitising the shrine and its surroundings. I wish to commend all the partners
for this monumental work most sincerely,” the minister said.
Through past projects like Taste of Nigeria and Eko for
Show, Google Arts and Culture says it has helped people worldwide experience
Nigeria’s heritage and history.
The launch of the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove project allows
new audiences locally and internationally an opportunity to experience its
past, present and future, reinforcing Google’s commitment to preserving
Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
Google Arts & Culture is accessible to everyone on the
web or via the Arts & Culture App on iOS and Android. Google Arts &
Culture is a new way to experience art, history, culture, and world wonders
from over 1000 organisations worldwide.
The Osun Osogbo, Sacred Grove project can be explored via
goo.gle/osun-osogbo
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