Manmay LaKay Magazine Issue 2 April 2018 | Page 21

So your formal name is Yannette James.
How did Oshun Yan come about?  
Yan is short for Yannette. And Oshun, well... I
was very fond of Caribbean history in school.
I learned about the trans-Atlantic 
slave trade where African people were sold
to Western European slave traders.
The slaves carried their own traditions and
customs which are now lost because we
adapt more to the Europeans. So, yeah, I just
kind of move away from all that European-
ness and embrace my blackness, you know.
But Oshun is the African Goddess of love and
fertility. 
Ah! I see. Thanks for the history lesson(lol).
So you're from Mon Repos, right? What was
life like growing up as a little girl in Mon
Repos? 
It was exciting. I remember all the kids
playing in the yard until late without fear of
being kidnapped. Going to the bakery was
something everyone looked forward to on
afternoons. I remember sewenal during the
Christmas season. People would come out,
dance in the street, sing – that was nice. That
used to be the community spirit but things
are changing. Such a beautiful community.
Your community has a major part to play in
shaping you and your development.
That's for sure. Speaking of shaping and
development, what were your childhood
dreams? What did you want to be growing
up?
I’ve always dreamed of being a famous
actress. I also wanted to be
the governor general.      
Oshun with former Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy