If you missed my last article on Chaac, you can find it here.
Yemoja, also spelled Yemonja or Yemaja, is a goddess of the Yoruba religion and is what is called an Orisha. Her name translates to “Mother whose children are fish”. She is the mother of Orishas. She is particularly tied to the Ogun River in Nigeria. Yemoja is the Goddess of the waters, the mother of water in fact. She is a protector of children, mothers, and those that work closely with water. Yemoja is closely tied with the Virgin Mary. Slaves, like witches, often had to hide their deities and practices within the Christian religion to not be further punished.
Yemoja’s mother is Oduduwa, the Yoruba creator of all. Her father is Obatala the creator of human bodies. Her husband is Agayu, God of Volcanoes. Her symbols are cowrie shells, fans, a gourd rattle, anchors, seashells, carvings depicting mothers and children, and river stones. Her animal is a fish. She is often seen wearing a multi-strand necklace with every seven beads alternating between crystal and turquoise and she uses a cutlass or fan as a weapon. In art, she is often portrayed as a mermaid.
As a mother goddess, she takes special care of pregnant women, children, mothers. Yemoja is loving and kind. Don’t piss her off though, she’s like Bruce Banner. You won’t like her when she is angry. She is the ultimate mother. She gave birth to all the water of the world, both fresh and saltwater. This is probably why she takes care of those who live or work close to or closely with water. It is said you can summon Yemoja with a gourd rattle.
Would you try summoning a Goddess? What would you wear? More importantly, what would you say? Let me know in the comments below. Until next week…
