Yemaya (Iya Moaye, Mother of the World) is one of the greatest deities of the Yoruba pantheon, since all things on this Earth are born from her and life is born.
All the devotees of the Yoruba religion revere her as a merciful mother, giver of strength, peace and prosperity, protector of the needy and of newborns.
Her name means IYA MO ELLA, Mother of the Fishes, from her the universe was born, she is the one who suckles and gives life to men, Yoruba legends say that she was born with the moon as Obatala himself, the wise father of the world, was born with Sun.
The most powerful of the Orishas, she is the protagonist of legends that indicate that due to her raptured character she lost the hegemony of the world and was given only control of the surface of the seas.
Madre and patron of seas
Yemayá is as old as Obatala and that from that marriage the other Orishas are born.
She is an Orisha of immense power that can influence parts of the human body such as the uterus, liver, chest and buttocks.
In addition, she is the patron of all sailors, who invoke her protection when they go to sea, because in the oceans she governs and decides the destinies of those who cross it.
For his immense powers, he is due respect and to make him receive his offerings, his name must be pronounced touching the ground and then the fingertips are kissed, a symbol of devotion to contemplate before performing any ritual.
You can offer her flowers and tools related to marine elements, and objects made from her colors that are light blue and white, elements of sea, water and life, like herself.
When Yemayá is on the land, she likes to live at the entrance to the mountains and she is a very hard-working woman.
History of Olofi's mandate a Yemaya
The pataki tells that one day Olofin organized a very large party with food and drink and invited all the Orishas to participate, but one by one they arrived empty-handed.
Yemayá, who had eaten mutton that day, remembered that she should bring something to the party to entertain Olofin.
So when he was getting ready to leave for the party and he thought he did not have to give the host Olofi, he decided to take the head of the ram that he had eaten to take it to the celebration.
He took the head of the animal and arranged it in a fountain and there he appeared at the feast with the offering in his hands.
But Olofi, who was angry with the other Orishas for not having entertained him, was glad to see Yemayá's present.
She then told him that because she was the only one who remembered to bring him a gift and this being a head, from now on she would be the head.
And that is how Yemayá is head and power in the Yoruba religion, in the eyes of Olofin, the world, men and their children.
Offering a Basket of 7 fruits to the Virgin of Regla and Yemayá
Work at the foot of the 2 waters: Tribute to Yemayá and Oshún in September
