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Beyonce’s Oshun and Lemonade

The African route of Beyoncé's Lemonade

Fashion / News / Beyonce’s Oshun and Lemonade
May 16, 2016 6:30 AM

Nigeria’s roots are intertwined with the Yoruba people. Today, these people and their faith which include 401 Orisha (Gods), inhabit the south-west section of the country on the gulf of Guinea. Those Gods are as ancient as Africa’s history, flirting the line of legacy and mythology. One is said to be celebrated most recently in Beyonce’s Lemonade. But whether Oshun’s presence was purposeful, or happenstance – the 60 minute film tour de force uses fashion and art to tribute Yoruba tradition and folklore.

At first glance, Beyonce’s Lemonade which premiered on HBO, appears to be a manifesto of girl power and rebellion set to music. While her new visual album which has dominated social media since its premiere on April 23rd, focuses on womanhood, the film’s deeper meaning has to do with Beyonce’s plight and the larger plight of black women.

As in African culture, there’s a deep appreciation for generations displayed in Lemonade. Several generations of black women including some mothers of children slain due to police brutality made cameos – including both Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown’s mothers. Their presence, dressed in fashion, beautifully draped held their most important accessory, photos of their sons.

Oshun is called the goddess of sweet water and love. In folklore, her legend is one of betrayal and infidelity. Her temper is as layered as the waters she protects. Her primary color is yellow which if often the color of dress that drapes the deity in visual interpretations.

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In “Intuition/Hold Up” Beyonce emerges from a building. When the doors open the streets and steps are flooded. She destroys a car, a meter, and a fire hydrant. Water becomes a major prop in the video which isn’t by accident. But the showstopper is the yellow Cavalli dress that was almost not included when it came a day late right off of Peter Dundas’ runway. Other than the usage of water, and the yellow dress, the song itself is about infidelity and lost love – similar to the legend of Oshun.

In “Daddy’s Little Girl,” “Love Drought,” “Sorry,” and “Forward,” Ankara (African prints) has a prominent presence, no doubt due to stylist Marni Senofonte who blends traditional African costuming with modern fashion including: the Gucci suit amidst a burning house, the fur coat with the long cornrows, even the two piece Yeezy look all of which fit in well with the earthy and heartbreaking/triumph project.

In some of the above songs, Beyonce employs Nigerian-born artist Laolu Senbanjo to perform the Sacred Art of the Ori – in which he paints your essence on the outside of the body, also a Yoruba ritual.

Likewise, the tradition of baptism which predates Christianity and has its own version in traditional African religion was also a major moment in the film. Beyonce lead a group of women to dark waters wearing loose-cut, collared silk georgette number with black piping by Daniele Carlotta.

Lemonade exists somewhere in the intersection of black power and black girl magic. The music video for “Formation” and the notorious Superbowl performance that followed are both visual protests in the vain of the Black Lives Matter Movement. But Lemonade as a whole uses African influence to tell a larger story of the historical power of black women tracing their roots back to the various tribes of Yoruba and Africa as a whole, from which they are descendent.

Black Girl Magic indeed.

Text by James R. Sanders

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