Yemoja, the River/Ocean Spirit

About Yemoja, Yemanja, Yemaya It is not only nigh impossible, but probably also inadvisable to try create much separation between the African and the various estern characteristics of the Orishas! On both sides of the Atlantic Ocean there"s #uite an e$tensive variation in how different families/branches see their Orishas, but nevertheless there are many more similarities than differences, leading to the conclusion that the Orishas everywhere are the same, and only look different! Such a principle suits me fine, so in pages about any individual Orisha the characteristics, #ualities and attributes from all over the world are liberally thrown together!
Yemanja: very popular in Brazil

Yemoja %also called Yemaya, Yemonja, Yemanja, Yemaja and various other spellings& is not only the Spirit of the River/Ocean, but also of female fertility and motherhood! Although in the est she is often seen as a coffee'colored slender beauty with perty little tits, in Africa she is imagined and depicted as a thorougly (lac), #uite voluminous lady with big hanging breasts* a truly majestic woman who derives her beauty not from s)inny slenderness, but from her full, mature fertile glory+ Yemoja is a typical ,family person,, who can be appealed to for issues pertaining to healing bro)en families and such! Although she"s popular all over the Ifa'Orisha world, especially in (ra-il she is greatly revered! .olors* blue, opal, crystal!

Yemoja's Gelede cult /he 0elede cult, a secret society of women, is closely connected with Yemoja, as a mighty witch! 1urpose is the reconciliation of humans and witches! 0elede mas#ueraders wear mas)s in the form of %usually female& faces, as far as I )now always adorned with facial mar)s or scarifications! /he costumes are wide, fat, bul)y, with enormous padded breasts and buttoc)s, on account of Yemoja herself being considered!!! well!!! eh!!! how shall we politely put it!!! a 2AR03 woman! /he idea of Yemoja as a slender light's)inned mulatta with long flowing hair results from the .uban/American ,reformation, of the religion, the true African Yemoja as brought over by the slaves being a coalblac) mountain of a woman, with tightly plaited fri--led hair!

Food for Yemoja ater, molasses, melon, hen, goat!

Yemoja Achaba Yemoja Achaba once was married to Orunmila, who had great respect for her, on account of her being not only very wise, but also very dangerous! She is a great caster of magic spells! She listens by turning her bac) at you!

Yemoja Afrekete Yemoja Afre)ete is the Yemoja who constantly wal)s, i!e! is in motion li)e the incessant movement of the waves against the shore!

Yemoja Asesu Yemoja Asesu is the messenger of Olo)un! She lives in dirty and polluted waters, and is not the #uic)est when it comes to answering re#uests!

Yemoja Atara

a!"a #noboye

Yemoja that is the (eauty of the Ocean, providing abundance for all that lives in the sea!

Yemoja A"oyo /he ,crown of Osumare,, Oshumare being the Rainbow Sna)e! /his particular road of Yemoja is connected with the blessings that come through the fall of rain! She is considered to be the oldest and wealthiest Yemoja!

Yemoja $yaba Yemoja Iyaba is the wife of Orunmila!

Yemoja $yaba %i Gbe $bu #mi /his Yemoja is the mother of Shango, and she rules the bottom of the water!

Yemoja &onla /his is the Yemoja that lives in the foam on the surf, wrapped in seaweed!

Yemoja

ayaleo

/his particular Yemoja %4ayaleo or 4ayalewo& is the wise woman of the forest5 she has a close relationship with the Ancestors! She lives in la)es in the forest, and cooperates with Ogun who is also a forest dweller!

Yemoja #koto Yemaja O)oto is the Yemaja of the red earth near the shore, the place where eons ago the first sea creatures crept onto the land and eventually became land

creatures!

Yemoja #kute A warrior aspect of Yemoja that lives in the coastal reefs, which is a dangerous area for ships+ /his is the Yemoja that uses mice as her messengers! She"s not a particularly easy'going person!

Yemoja Yalode /he ,chief of the ocean, aspect of Yemaja!

Yemoja Ye'le Ye lodo /he Yemoja of the beach and the river ban)* places where land and water meet and influence each other!