4 Powerful Roads of the Orisha Yemayá that you should know

The mighty mother of the world and mistress of the salty waters of the earth, Yemaya, it has many paths.

In them it is characterized by having different qualities, characteristics and attributes, but in all it has that special bond with the blue waters of the world, from which its energy and strength emanates.

Among the Yemayá roads we have selected these four, because, although they are all very important, some are little known and, being part of the secrets of the Yoruba religion, little information is available about them.

Paths of mother water Yemayá:

The first three roads of Yemayá are directly related to the Orisha Olokun, the owner of the secrets of the oceans who, together with mother water, governs this sacred liquid in the world.

Yemayá Okute, Olokun's goalkeeper:

It is also called Yemayá Okunte or Yemayá Okuti, it is known as "The keeper of Olokun".

She is very industrious, but has an angry, defiant character, she is inflexible, and very resentful, she is feared and respected. She makes a lot of powder, she is very witchcraft and when she dances she does it with a snake coiled around her body.

Characteristics of the Yemayá Okute trail:

Yemayá Okute lives on the coast of reefs, but is also usually found in rivers, lagoons, mountains, desolate forests or in the sea.
He is known as Okute Odofe Iyagba, but his full name is Okute Oggunasomi.
This Yemayá is born in the sign of Oggunda Melli, it is the path of frozen waters, ice is included in its ceremonies to make you feel happy.
Yemayá Okute offerings can be left in the sea or in the mountains.
The Ararás call it Okuadume and Ikondole.
His colors are dark blue and hot pink.

Warrior and companion of Oggún:

She is the wife of Oggún Alagbo or Alagbede (on the way to Oggún blacksmith) and eats roosters with him. He does not like duck.

Fierce and fierce, when she goes to war she carries with her 2 machetes, a knife and all the weapons of Oggun, Your partner.

Apart from his tools, he carries a boat made of cedar wood painted blue and white, another lead boat, an anvil, a windlass and a chain with 21 tools belonging to Oggún, a chain that is tied around the boat inside his tureen.

He sends messages to his omos by means of the mouse that is his animal, but he is afraid of dogs and his children should not have dogs in their homes.

Yemayá Asesu, Olokun's messenger:

She has Olokun for everything and is very powerful. "The Forgetful" They tell her by name and she is like the duck, very forgetful. She owns ducks, swans, and geese.

She is the Yemayá of murky and dirty waters, which is why she lives in muddy waters, in sewage waters such as pipes, latrines and sewers.

Characteristics of the Yemayá Asesu road:

Born in the Oddu Oddi Melli, others say that in Irete Untendi.
Break all alliances related to the land.
Their elekes (necklaces) are made of dark blue beads and opaline pearls, that is, of a color between white and blue, but with reflections, they can also be soap beads.
His addimús (offerings) are usually received together with the egguns.
Apart from his common tools he carries a small boat, a drum, a whirlpool and his silver handles.
Ducks and geese are slaughtered.

The duck represents the triumph of Yemayá Asesu

Yemaya Asesu It usually lives in a jar that, on top of it, carries the ram's head from when it was born and two masks, in addition this jar will go inside a basin with sand and also with ducks around it.

His crown is adorned with a duck, a rooster, a key, seven machetes, a life preserver, two adams, a manatee, an anchor, a crescent, two oars, a pig, a hoe, a rake, a scimitar, a sickle and a shovel.

Su Osun carries a duck instead of the rooster representative of Osun, the duck represents the triumph of Yemayá Asesu over his adversaries.

Asesú does not satisfy the requests of her omos so quickly because when a demand is made or a plea she begins to count the duck's feathers and if she makes a mistake in her count she starts counting again.

In Cuba it is syncretized with the Virgen de los Remedios.

Yemayá Ashabá, the first daughter of Olokun:

Its name means "she who seeks refuge in anchors" and hence it is represented with an anchor. She is a haughty, proud, persevering goddess, but very wise and a good fortune teller.

This Yemayá symbolizes the woman of unwavering faith, of the will to face obstacles, forgetting setbacks, that woman who struggles to solve and find the answer to her problems.

Olokun's first daughter, she is the eldest of all the Yemaya, esteemed and respected.

Characteristics of the Yemayá Ashabá road:

Born in the Oddún Osa Melli and in this sign the crown of Yemayá is also born.
Yemayá Ashabá comes from heaven (Ará Onú) and wears a silver chain on her ankle.
Ashabá, when listening to his omos, usually turns his back because his gaze is unbearable.
Itawollo they call her the Ararás
Yemayá Ashabá's colors are blue and black, and on top of her tureen there is a coiled chain.
Their elekes (necklaces) are made with transparent and pale blue beads.
In addition to her common tools, she carries 7 fish hooks, a silver mermaid, 3 porcelain dolls, a silver Oshosi arrow, 7 silver machetes, a sword, and 7 crystal balls.

Yemayá Ashabá is a good fortune teller

Being a fortune teller brought with her that she separated from her husband orunmila. But Ifá always abides by his word, because in his omens and medicines he is never wrong, they are accurate, his spells of moorings are never destroyed.

It is the one that reveals the unknown and the one that solves the impossible.

He eats duck, but in a special way, next to his tureen he puts a basin with indigo and sea water, the duck is sacrificed to the lid of his tureen inside that basin.

Afterwards, the animal must be properly cleaned and roasted and placed on top of the Yemayá tureen for 7 days.

Yemayá Ibu Okoto, warrior who dresses in colors:

"The one who lives in the shells" This is what her name means. Yemayá Ibu Okoto lives on the coast where there are many shells, in the reddish seabed.

Mother with claws, who defends and ends those who try to harm their children. On this road, Yemayá leads naval battles, where the sea turns red from so much blood spilled in those battles.

Characteristics of the Ibu Okoto path:

Born in Oddu Marunla Iroso.
Ibú Okoto is warrior and intrepid, she usually dresses like the Orisha Oyá of 9 colors.
Their colors are usually blue and pink.

Attributes of Yemayá Ibu Okoto:

She lives in a jar with 7 large seashells. Among his tools and attributes, apart from the common ones, he carries 7 machetes, and they are placed in front of his jar. Also, a blue flag, a spear and a dagger.

From a ship that has been wrecked, or broken to pieces, take a piece of wood and cover it with 7 hands of snails.

On top of his jar he wears a cobo snail, two oars, two rings and 7 silver handles.

All the ways of mother water are possessors of incredible power, if you want to know all the roads of Yemayá I recommend the following article: