The beautiful story of Yewá, the Orisha Queen of the dead

Yewa in the Yoruba religion it is represented in purity, chastity, virginity and sterility. He lives in the cemetery and wears the eggun or spirits of the deceased to Oyá, his sister.

She is the owner of the grave, she is among the tombs and the dead and lives inside the coffin, in the tomb. Represents loneliness and containment of human feelings.

The Orisha Yewá is darkness, she is darkness, she is a warrior and death, a very powerful deity who governs the storms of life and is able to control the egguns. He is owed a lot of respect, and although his representation is dark, he exudes goodness and a lot of love.

But what is the story of this pure and self-sacrificing Orisha?

The patakí of Yewá and Shango

The Pataki says that, in a beautiful crystal palace, he lived Obatala, with his daughter Yewá, who was a young woman as beautiful as spring and possessed a cheerful laugh and bright eyes.

But Yewá for Obatalá was the symbol of purity and virginity, so he refused to let her see the world outside the crystal palace.

That is why Yewá had never had the opportunity to see a man, since his father had forbidden male company, because the oracle had communicated it to him.

Despite this, she was a woman who lived cheerful and happy, and looked after the beautiful palace garden where everything flourished under her accurate and miraculous hands.

However, the beauty of the young woman hidden in the crystal palace was soon known in heaven and on earth. And so he found out Shango, the most womanizer of the gods, the king of dance, fire and the drum, and he proposed that he would conquer her, ignoring Eleggua, who asked him not to break the spiritual peace and the decisions of the wise father Obatala.

Shango arrived at the palace and quickly the garden gave the alarm that Yewá was approaching, as the songs of the birds were heard and the flowers began to open their petals.

The meeting of the beautiful Orisha and the King of dance

Yewá made his entrance and Shango was struck by such beauty. So he begged the beautiful girl in pink to look at him and let him see her eyes.

Shango insisted and said "Look at me", until finally Yewá turned around and their eyes met.

The beautiful orisha also when she saw that man so masculine and felt his voice so deep and masculine, she felt sleeping feelings awaken.

But the young woman got scared and started a mad race, so Shango knew that he would never see the beautiful young woman again.

Yewá did not stop running until she fell ashamed at the feet of Obatala, and told him: "Father, I have seen the face of a man, and I have fallen in love with him."

The punishment of Yewá, living in the grave

Obatala felt distressed, knowing that he should punish his daughter for disobeying his command. Asking about her punishment, Yewá implored him to take her to a place far away, where she could not see any man and no one would want to visit her.

Then Obatalá appointed her as queen of the dead, and since then she has lived in the cemetery separated from all living beings. She hides inside the coffins to protect herself from men and lives pure and alone.

A beautiful story where Yewá shows selflessness and punishes herself, obedience and respect for her father Obatalá was so great and immense that she was destined to live forever in the darkness of the night, and of life.