Iemanjá: Know The History And Characteristics Of This Orixá!

Known to many as the Sea Queen, Yemanja is an Orisha worshiped in religions with African connections, such as Umbanda and Candomblé.

In these religions, the Orisha represents a Entity of Light that is considered the mother of many Orixás. Therefore, its representation is strongly associated with fertility.

also called Orisha of the GenerationIemanjá is responsible for the mysteries of the generation, which means that she is symbol of reproduction and fertility. This and other characteristics make this Orixá one of the most sought after by practitioners of religions of African descent.

Do you want to know more about the characteristics of Iemanjá, stories, forms of worship and greetings to Iemanjá? Keep reading until the end to discover all the peculiarities of this admirable Orisha and learn to worship her too!

Who is Yemanja? What does Yemanja mean?

Rainha do Mar and Orixá da Geração are the most common names for Iemanjá. Also, your name is spelled in two different ways: Yemanja and Yemanja. There are still other denominations given in Brazil to refer to this Orisha, some of which are: Janaína, Ísis, Inaé, Princess of Aiocá, Mucanã, Maria, Princess of the Sea and Mermaid of the Sea.

Yemanjá is also heavily confused with another Orisha called Oxum. Therefore, you can find both terms to refer to Iemanjá out there, but know that it is not correct. Oxum is actually an Orisha that represents fresh water, while Yemanjá symbolizes the sea. In fact, Oxum is one of the many children of Orisha Iemanjá.

In several African religions or with African descent, Yemanjá is worshiped as the Orixá da Geração. She holds the mysteries of generation, so she is considered the symbol of fecundity. In the Orixás family, Iemanjá is the mother of most of them. her name means “mother of fish children” which is also related to fertility.

To learn more about other Orixás, just click here:

History of Yemanja

The most told story about Iemanjá denotes how did she become the queen of the sea. Daughter of Olokum, who is a sovereign Orisha of the seas, Iemanjá stole a potion from her father as a child that allows her to escape from any danger.

Much later, the Orisha married the Orisha Oduduá and had a total of ten children. Because she had so many children, her breasts became huge and full due to the number of times she breastfed them. This characteristic made her ashamed, which made Yemanjá leave her husband to achieve her own happiness.

That’s when he met Okerê and fell in love. Unfortunately, this couple’s love story was short-lived. After drinking too much, Okerê offended Iemanjá by insulting her breasts, which left her disappointed and made her run away again.

Pursued by Okerê, the Orisha had to drink the potion stolen from her father to escape danger. That’s when, Iemanjá, turned into a river that met the sea. But so that the Orisha wouldn’t run away, Okerê turned into a mountain to arrest her. So Xangô, who is the son of Yemanjá, opened the way between the valleys of Okerê so that his mother could escape. From that event, the Orisha was called Queen of the Sea.

Yemanja Syncretism

All Orixás worshiped in Afro-Brazilian religions are represented by Saints in the Catholic Church. This association is called syncretism and has existed for a long time, since blacks were enslaved in Brazil.

Thus, the most common representation of Iemanjá among the saints is that of Our Lady of the Navigators. Considering that Orixá represents the waters, mainly the sea, her association with Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes is very strong. However, some people syncretize this Orisha with Our Lady of Conception, Our Lady of Candeias, Our Lady of Mercy and even the Virgin Mary.

Yemanja in Umbanda

In Umbanda, Candomblé and in other religions of African origin, Yemanjá is an Orisha of great importance, considering that it represents aspects relevant to human life such as fertility. Mother of almost all the other Orixás, she is worshiped by these religions and by people who sympathize with the Orixá.

See below some of the most interesting features about Iemanjá in Umbanda, Candomblé and in religions of African origin.

children of Yemanja

Iemanjá is the Orixá with the highest number of children and is seen as a young mother, as she started motherhood very early. You Iemanjá’s children love luxury and even exaggerate in some situations because of this peculiar taste.

Although, lead a fairly balanced lifegiven that like to plan very well for the future. In many aspects of their lives, the children of this Orisha possess emotional mastery and spiritual balance.

Wise and sincere by naturethe children of Yemanjá also have the characteristic of protection of others and charity. They all carry a big maternal instinctwhich is the Orisha’s trademark of the mystery of the generation. These are the main characteristics of children of Iemanjá.

Children of Iemanjá and their outstanding characteristics

Worship of Orisha

THE Iemanjá celebration takes place on February 2nd in Brazil, being a great milestone with offerings, rituals and tributes to the Orixá. On this occasion, practitioners of Afro-Brazilian religions dress in white and make offerings to the Orixá with many flowers in the sea. This happens mainly in Bahia and Rio de Janeiro.

In São Paulo, the celebrations take place on December 8, and this date also marks the celebration of Nossa Senhora da Conceição.

In all cases, the day of the week that represents Yemanjá is Saturday.

Regarding the colors, the celebrations are decorated in shades of light blue, white and silveras well as adornments, clothing and other items that receive these colors. The three colors symbolize the mysteries of the sea, as well as aspects of Yemanjá’s vanity..

Prayer for Yemanja

Another way to worship Iemanjá is through prayer. There are several ways to pray and ask for the intersection of the Orisha. Here’s an example of a prayer for Yemanjá!

Salute to Yemanja

There are two very common greetings for Iemanjá, namely: Odaciaba and Odoya. The first means Queen of the Holy Waters and makes an invocation of the mighty force of the waters. The second greeting is the same as “I am a son of Iemanjá”.

Iemanjá sweetening

Some people still look for Spiritual Works with the help of Iemanjá. As is the case of Adoçamento de Iemanjá, a work done to assist in the marriage. Here at you can perform your Amorous Sweetening and receive help from the Orixás.

Did you like the history and characteristics of this Orisha? See also other Orixás and their stories here at . Take the opportunity to schedule your Spiritual Consultation and receive guidance from Beings of Light such as Iemanjá, just click here!