Each year, the Yoruba people in Nigeria offer thanks to Yemoja, goddess of the river and mother of all other Yoruba gods.
Is Yemoja a real goddess?
In West Africa, Yemoja is worshipped as a high-ranking river deity, but in Brazil and Cuba she is worshipped mainly as a sea/ocean goddess.
Who did Yemoja marry?
She was married to Aganju and had one son, Orungan, and fifteen Orishas came forth from her. They include Ogun, Olokun, Shopona and Shango. Other stories would say that Yemaya was always there in the beginning and all life came from her, including all of the orishas.
What does it mean to be a child of Yemoja?
Yemonja’s name is derived from the Yoruba words Yeye or Iya (“mother”), omo (“child/children”), and eja (“fish”) and thus literally means “Mother whose children are the fish.” According to the itans (stories) of the Yoruba, the orisha Yemonja was a primordial spiritual entity who was charged by Olofi (God; also known
Where is Yemaya from?
Yemaya, queen of the sea, first emerged in Yorubaland (now in modern Nigeria). A primordial deity, considered the mother of all, some perceive her to be at the root of numerous ancient goddesses, including Isis.
Who is the mother of Yemoja?
Eventually, the practitioners, priests, and priestesses of Santería slowly syncretized the Goddess of the Sea – Yemaya – with the image of Mother Mary. In iconography, both holy mother figures are shown dressed in blue and white. One seen as giving birth to the son of God and one gave birth to all living things.
How old is Yemaya?
In SHALLOW WATERS, though, Yemaya is a 17-year-old mermaid who knows she’s different from the humans but doesn’t know exactly what she is. The one thing she is sure of is her inexplicably magnetic connection to Obatala (more on that later).
Is Yemaya a mermaid?
Often depicted as a queenly mermaid, Yemaya is considered the Ocean Mother Goddess in Santería, an Afro-Caribbean religion practiced around the world. With anchored roots in the Yoruba religion, Yemaya was brought over to the New World by enslaved Africans as early as the 16th century.
Who is the youngest orisha?
Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Ayagunna is the youngest path, or avatar, of the undergod Obatala in the Lukumi (Santería) pantheon. In this manifestation, Obatala is a youth who battles with a scimitar. He is credited with having spread gunpowder throughout the world.
What is a daughter of Yemaya?
Lisa, she’s the daughter of Yemaya, who is the sea, and I’m daughter of Shango, who is thunder. And it’s really us. Our characters are really like that. Lisa-Kaindé: In the Yoruba religion, you are chosen by an orisha, which is a divinity. And Naomi was chosen by Shango, who is the orisha of the thunder.
How do you worship Yemaya?
Stand with the water just covering your feet; don’t venture deeper into the water than that. Hold the flowers close to your heart and pray to the goddess. Count seven waves from the end of the prayer, then toss the flowers out into the sea.
Who is Yemaja?
Yemaja, also known as Yemoja, depending on the traditions of the local area, is the deity of the Yoruban people found in Nigeria, Benin and Togo. The Yoruba people are one of the three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria and as of the beginning of the 21st century, were made up of 20 million people.
What color is Yemaya?
Yemaya is the orisha of lakes and seas and the patron of women and of motherhood. She is associated with Our Lady of Regla, the protector of sailors. Fans, seashells, canoes, coral, and the moon all represent her. Her colors are white and blue.
What saint represents Yemaya?
Our Lady of Regla (patron saint of sailors and of Havana Port) – the Catholic Saint used to represent Yemaya.
Is Yemoja a mermaid?
Yemoja (aka. Yemaya) is an African mermaid goddess from the Yoruba religion. She is a goddess of waters, fishermen, and pregnant women, she is also connected to the moon. Yemoja is often depicted as a mermaid formed river deity.
