This calabash has been prepared by the Chief Priest of Oshun who dedicates a basket of food to the Goddess. The young arugba must not look down at the path, neither must she trip. After her journey, she rests in a calm room, especially prepared for her within the shrine. Traditionally, the town's people could use the occasion of a festival to criticize their chiefs and rulers. The Oshun participants confine themselves to a sartorial exchange of sexual roles.
Men wear earrings and necklaces and braid their hair in feminine styles.
Some women carry aggressive weapons like guns, swords and axes. Sacrifices and special requests are made to the Goddess to bring fertility. This is a very moving moment. Everyone then rushes into the river to bathe and fill their pots with water, while the Ataoja is asked to sit on a stone slab in the Oshun Grove. The Oshun Festival retains its relevance, drawing a web of gut-level recognition within the changing African world.