Yemaja

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Yorùbá mythology, Yemoja is a mother goddess; patron deity of women, especially pregnant women; and the Ogun river (the waters of which are said to cure infertility). Her parents are Oduduwa and Obatala. She had one son, Orungan, who raped her successfully one time and attempted a second time; she exploded instead, and fifteen Orishas came forth from her. They include Ogun, Olokun, Shopona and Shango.

Yemaya is celebrated in Ifa tradition as Yemoja^[1], and as Iemanja in Brazilian Candomblé^[2]. She is also venerated in Vodun as LaSiren. In the Umbanda religion, Yemoja is a goddess of the ocean and patron deity of the survivors of shipwrecks. In Santería, Yemoja is the equivalent of Our Lady of Regla.

Every February 2 there is a celebration of Yemanja which involves large processions of people walking out in to the sea and celebrations to the sea goddess.

Yemayá, as she is known in Santería, is seen as the mother of all living things as well as the owner of all waters. Her name is a contraction of Yoruban words that mean "Mother whose children are like fishes". This represents the vastness of her motherhood, her fecundity and her reign over all living things. Her number is 7 (a tie into the 7 seas), her colors are blue and white or clear (all aquatic colors) and her favorite offerings include melons, molasses ("melao" - sugar cane syrup), whole fried fishes and pork rinds.

As Iemanja Nana Borocum, or Nana Burku, she is pictured as a very old woman, dressed in black and mauve, connected to mud, swamps, earth.^[3] Nana Buluku is an ancient god in Dahomey mythology.

As Yemanja, the goddess is a very prominent subject of veneration by a Brazilian chef in the 2000 romantic comedy Woman on Top.