Yemanjá - Mother of Living Waters

Yemanja (Yemoja) is an orisha, originally of the Yoruba religion, who has become prominent in many Afro-American religions. Africans from what is now called Yorubaland brought Yemaya/Yemoja and a host of other deities/energy forces in nature with them when they were brought to the shores of the Americas as captives. She is the ocean, the essence of motherhood, and a protector of children. Yemaja is said to be the mother of all orisha. She also is the spirit of water, and her favorite number is 7. In Yorùbá religion is a mother goddess; patron deity of women, especially pregnant women; and the Ogun river. Her parents are Oduduwa and Obatala. There are many stories as to how she became the mother of all Orishas. 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. Her name is a contraction of Yoruba words: "Yeye omo eja" that mean "Mother whose children are like fish." This represents the vastness of her motherhood, her fecundity and her reign over all living things. Yemaya is celebrated in Ifá tradition as Yemoja. 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. Nana Buluku is an ancient god in Dahomey mythology. She is known as Yemanjá, Iemanjá or Janaína in Brazilian Candomblé and Umbanda religions. The Umbanda religion worships Iemanjá as one of the seven orishas of the African Pantheon. She is the Queen of the Ocean, the patron deity of the fishermen and the survivors of shipwrecks, the feminine principle of creation and the spirit of moonlight. A syncretism happens between the catholic Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes (Our Lady of the Seafaring) and the orixá Yemanjá of the African Mithology. Sometimes, a feast can honor both.

Source

Sacred Song of Yemanjá

Most of us -Brazilian people - honour Yemanjá for New Year's Blessings.
Odoyiá Yemanjá


For Inspiration Avenue -  Water

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