Maritime Madams: Yemaya

Yemaya, also known as Yemoja, is one of the most revered and powerful divine spirits in various Afro-Caribbean religions, associated with fertility and motherhood. Yemaya is the goddess of the ocean and the mother of all living things, and is revered for her nurturing and protective nature. She is the source of and controller of all waters and is seen as the quintessential mother figure.

For Further Reading:

• Yemonja: Yoruban Goddess of Rivers & Seas 
• The History of Yemaya, Santeria's Queenly Ocean Goddess Mermaid 
• Learning to Surrender: The Sacred Lessons of Yemayá
• Santeria: Definition, Meaning, History, & Facts 

This month, we’re talking about Maritime Madams. Whether through scientific study, aquatic exploration, or legendary prowess, they harnessed the power of the bodies of waters that cover our earth. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hello from Wonder Media Network. I'm Jenny Kaplan and this
is Wamanica. This month we're talking about maritime Madams. Whether
through scientific study, aquatic exploration, or legendary prowess, these women
harness the power of the bodies of water that cover
our earth. Today's Womanican is considered the mother of all
life in West Africa, her homeland. Her name literally translates

(00:29):
to mother whose children are the fish, but her name
has been spoken by many lips across many lands. Depending
on where you are, you might hear it uttered differently. Yamoja,
ya Manja, or Yamaya in all iterations. She's a goddess
celebrated in the Yoruba religion of West Africa. Yamaya is

(00:50):
the eldest child of Olodumare, the creator of the universe.
This god called upon Yamaya to help create Earth. With
other Arishas or spear rtual deities, they descended down to
Earth on a rope to carry out this mission and
prepare the planet for humankind. Yamaya became the goddess of
the ocean and of all living beings. She resides over

(01:12):
the waters of the world and the waters of the womb.
One could call upon her as a guide, particularly in
matters of fertility, birth, and child rearing. Like the ocean,
she was known for her nurturing and life giving presence,
as well as for her wrath and power to destroy,
either with a broad blade shedding blood or a tidal wave.
She could overturn worlds. When colonizers enslaved West Africans and

(01:42):
took them to the Americas, Yoruba traditions traveled with them.
People now worship Yamaya in many countries, including Brazil, Haiti,
the southern United States, and Cuba, but at the time
in Cuba, for example, Spanish colonists forbade any kind of
worship outside of Catholicism as a form of control, so
those who practiced Oruben rituals were forced to keep them secret,

(02:04):
often by hiding them within Catholic traditions. Santeria, a Cuban
religion which mixes Uruben and Catholic elements, was born and
in places where Catholicism was enforced as the dominant religion,
Yamaya's image merged over time with that of Mother Mary,
both depicted with the colors blue and white. Yamaya is

(02:26):
also often depicted as a mermaid rising from the ocean
covered in sea creatures, her hair long and free. Those
who worship Yamaya may decorate their altars with pearls, silver,
and seashells, and invoke her with offerings like white flowers, watermelons,
and molasses. In Brazil, some of her followers paid tribute
on New Year's Eve with altars built on the beach

(02:47):
and prayers inscribed into paper boats to float out to
her at sea to thank her, ask for her blessings,
and stay on her good side. All months, We're talking
about maritime Madams. For more and from find us on
Facebook and Instagram at Wamanica podcast special thanks to Liz Kaplan,
my favorite sister and co creator. Talk to you tomorrow