Yemanja

Yemanja (Orisha/Goddess)from the Yoruba people and IFA tradition has become prominent in the Afro-American religions and other forms of African American diasporic spirtuality which can be found in various countries of the Caribbean and Latin America as well as parts of the USA.

Yemaya (Yemoja, Iemanja, Yemaya) is known as Mother of the Sea, the lady of Rain, the Creator Mother and she is one of the Seven African Powers, a well-respected Goddess of the Yoruban pantheon and Ifa Tradition. Her name (Yey Omo Eja) means “Mother whose Children are the Fish” and expresses her direct association with the sea. Often depicted as a mermaid or a black woman at the seaside wearing a blue-green and white dress, Yemaya is associated with the ocean, saltwater, rain, healing fertility, the Moon, the subconscious, creativity and female mysteries such as menstruation, conception, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. Yemaya governs the household and she grants protection, safety, love and healing to all those who ask her aid. Yemaya is a merciful, compassionate spirit who traditionally was invoked by fishermen to bless their nets and provide food to their family. In addition, the fishermen’s wives often prayed to Yemaya in order to grant her protection and return their husbands safely back home. Finally, Yemaya is the patroness of all Witches and two of her sacred names are Queen of Witches and Mama Watta (Mother of the Waters) which explain why many of her followers built their altars next to the Ocean.

In the Yoruban pantheon, Yemaya was embraced by Christianity and was often called the Star of the Sea which was a name for Virgin Mary. According to legends, Yemaya is highly associated with the Goddess Isis and it is said that she originated from Egypt. After the end of slavery, many of the ex-slaves who returned to different parts of Africa after escaping Egypt brought Isis with them under the new name of Yemaya. This may be one of the reasons that Yemaya is associated with the water, Magic, healing and Motherhood. According to the legend, when her uterine broke, the water caused a great flood in the Earth that created the Ocean, while the first Man and Woman were her children.

Yemaya is a deity that chooses her followers. She often comes to them in a vision, dream or concept that clarifies the Union between the Goddess and the Student. Yemaya’s feast days are traditionally the 7th of September and the 2nd of February that is also associated with her daughter Oya. Saturday is her sacred day of the week. Offerings to Yemaya often were pidgeons, seashells, mother of pearl, fruits and flowers that were released next to the Ocean, the Home of Yemaya. Please be aware that the offerings to Yemaya can never be fish, as they are her children.

Followers of Yemaya wear ornaments of seashells, moonstones, pearls and mother of pearl. Yemaya’s sacred colours are blue and green as they signify the Sea and White as it signifies the Moon and the Foam of the Sea. Followers of Yemaya often cast their rituals and spells near the Sea where the Goddess resides.

Yemaya Eleke (religious beads worn by initiates)

YEMAYA INVOCATION:

Goddess who is Mother of All,

Queen of the Deep Sea,

Protectress of women –

Allow your presence to be known throughout this sacred space.

We who call upon you as Yemaya

Our Mother, Our Womb of Creation,

ask that your love rolls and washes over us as the waves of the ocean,

as the rivers from your breasts.

Yemaya, Mother Whose Children are Fish

You who are comfort, inspiration, and forgiveness

We call you forth to enter our hearts.

(http://thepaganandthepen.wordpress.com)

 

Symbols of Yemayá

Sacred Place in Nature: the ocean, lagoons and lakes

Colors: blue, blue-green, silver, pearl and clear

Number: 7

Tools: oars, boat steering wheel, anchor, life preserver & machete

Temperament: Nurturing, loving, direct, frank (like a mother)

Catholic Saint : The Virgin of Regla, Virgin Mary.

Offerings for Yemaya

Yemaya enjoys rich and delicious foods, many of which she shares with Chango. Yemaya enjoys rooster, ram, and guinea hen as well as sweet foods like molasses, watermelons, oranges and coconut.

 

ALSO KNOWN AS

Yemanja is also known by various other names such as

Yemoja, Yemoja, Yemowo, Mami Wata (Africa)

Iemanjá, Janaína (Brazil)

Yemaya, Yemayah, Iemanya, Madre Agua (Cuba)

La Sirène, LaSiren (in Vodou) (Haiti)

Yemalla, Yemaya, Yemoja (USA)

SPELL FOR YEMAYA’S PROTECTION

1)In order to petition Yemaya for her protection with this spell, a person should gather six candles (three white and three blue), seven “silver” colored coins (quarters, dimes, etc), “silver” colored pins, dark molasses, brown wrapping paper, blue pen, and a fish.

2)After lighting the candles, the person requests protection and writes “whoever seeks to hurt ___” (either “my son,” “mi nina,” “mi enamorado,” “me,” whatever) on a piece of brown wrapping paper. Then s/he rolls up the paper and stuffs it in the fish’s mouth and closes the mouth with the “silver” pins. The fish is placed on a plate and covered with dark molasses, and then wrapped up neatly in the brown wrapping paper. Place the seven coins on the plate around the wrapped fish.

3)The candles must be lit for seven days.

4)The fish with the paper inside is eventually tossed into the ocean along with the seven silver coins–apparently after sitting wrapped up on the plate for seven hours.

5)Yemaya’s offerings should be arranged in an ascetically pleasing manner on a white, blue, or silver plate. Traditionally, her offerings include molasses (melaco), dried seaweed, lettuce, white wine, white flowers, and watermelon.

It is probably a good idea to pour a glass of white wine to sit with her candles as an offering. At the end of seven days, the wine should be given to Yemaya in the sea.