Iemanjá

Iyemanjá, Yemanjá, Yemaya, Iemoja "Iemanjá or Yemoja, is an African deity, whose name derives from the Yoruba phrase" omo eja Yéyé ("mother whose children are fish"), identified by the game's merindilogun odu ejibe and Ossa, represented by material and immaterial Candomblé, through the settlement called sacred IGBA YEMANJA.
Africa
In Yoruba mythology, the mistress of the sea is the mother who is Olokun Yemanjá, both of Egba origin.
Yemojá, which is hailed as Odo (river), Iya (mother) by the people of Egba, in connection with Olokun, orisha of the sea (male (in Benin) or female (Ife)), is often referred to as the queen of sea in other countries. Worshipped in the Ogun River at Abeokuta
History
Pierre Verger in the book Dieux d'Afrique [1] reported: "Iemanjá is the orisha of the Egba, Yoruba a nation once established in the region between Ife and Ibadan, where there is the river Yemanja. With the wars between nations have led the Egba Yoruba to migrate westward to Abeokuta, in the early nineteenth century. They were not able to bring the river, but carried with them the sacred objects, supports the axé of divinity, and the Ogun River, which traverses the region, became thereafter, the new home of Yemanja. This river Ogun should not, however, be confused with Ogun, the orisha of iron and blacksmiths. "
Brazil
In Brazil, the orisha enjoys great popularity among the followers of african-Brazilian religions, and even by members of different religions.
In Salvador, occurs each year on February 2, the biggest party of the country in tribute to "Queen of the Sea." The celebration involves thousands of people, dressed in white, they go in procession to the chief temple, located near the mouth of Red River, where they deposit varieties of offerings, such as mirrors, jewelry, foods, perfumes and all sorts of goodies.
Another important festival dedicated to Iemanjá occurs during the New Year in Rio de Janeiro. Thousands of people show up at sea and deposit offerings to the deity. The celebration also includes the traditional "popcorn bath" and the seven waves the faithful, or even followers of other religions, as a way to skip the chance to ask Orisha.
In Umbanda, is considered the deity of the sea, besides being the patron goddess of the castaways, the mother of all human heads.
Yemanja, queen of the sea, is also known as Ms. Jana, Inae, Princess of Aioca and Mary, in parallel with the Catholic religion. Aioca is the realm of the mysterious lands of happiness and freedom, images of the homelands of Africa, miss the free days in the forest
Besides the great diversity of African names by which Yemanja is known, the Portuguese form Jana is also used, although on rare occasions. The nickname was created during slavery, was the mildest way of "syncretism" encountered by blacks to perpetuate their traditional cults without the intervention of their lords, who saw inadimissíveis such "pagan manifestations" in their propriedades.Embora such invocation has fallen into disuse, popular author of several compositions were performed in order to welcome the "Jana of the Sea" and how liturgical songs.
For the first time on February 2, 2010 a black sculpture of a mermaid created by the artist Santana Washington, was chosen to represent Iemanjá in this grand traditional festival of the Rio Vermelho, Salvador, Bahia in homage to Africa and African descent Religion .
Archetype
His sons and daughters are quiet, motherly, honest and help everyone without exception. They love order, hierarchy and discipline. Are naive and quiet too much, but when rage are like the waves that hit without knowing where it will stop. Are vain with more hair. His daughters know how to seduce and enchant with the beauty and mystery of a mermaid. Generally the daughters of Iemanjá have difficulty having children because they are already mothers of everyone's heart.
Qualities
Yemowô - that Africa is a woman of Hopefully,
Ìyàmi - is the birth mother,
Yewá - African river Ogún parallel to the river, which is often confused with some legends in Yemanjá,
Olossa - African lagoon in which empty into rivers and OGUN Yewá,
Iemanjá Ogunté - that house with Ogun Alagbedé,
Iemanjá Asèssu - very headstrong and respectable,
Iemanjá Saba or Assab - are always spinning cotton is the youngest.
Day: Saturday.
Date: February 2.
Metal: silver and silver.
Color: silver transparent, blue, green and white water.
Food: blancmange, acacia, salt water fish, rice cake, Eboy, Ebo and various types of stick.
Archetype of her children: willful, strong, tough, protective, charitable, sympathetic to an extreme, gullible friend, timid, vain with her hair especially proud, moody, sometimes brash and domineering, and has a certain fear of the sea.
Symbols: abebé silver scimitar, Agadir, obese, fish, shell, ade, bracelets, and bracelets.
Syncretism
There is a syncretism between the Catholic saint Our Lady of the Navigators and the orisha of African Mythology Yemanja. In some moments, including festivals in honor of the two merge. In Brazil, both Our Lady of the Navigators as Iemanjá has its festive day on February 2. It is customary to celebrate the day dedicated to it, with a large fluvial procession.
One of the biggest celebrations takes place in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, due to syncretism with Our Lady of Navigators. In the same state, in Pelotas the image of Our Lady of Navigators going to the Port of Pelotas. Before the closing of Catholic festival happens one of the best moments of Feast of Our Lady of Navigators in Pelotas, which in 2008 reached the 77 th edition. The boats stop and are held hostage by umbandistas carrying the image of Yemanja, providing an ecumenical meeting attended by several people from the edge.
On December 8, another celebration is held on the seafront in Bahia: the Feast of Our Lady of Conceição da Praia. That day, December 8, is dedicated to the patron saint of Bahia, Our Lady of Conceição da Praia, is a municipal holiday in Salvador. Also on this date is performed on Holed Stone in Monte Serrat in El Salvador, this Iemanjá, a manifestation of popular devotion that comes from the local fishermen to the Queen of the Sea - also known as Jana
In the capital of Paraíba, João Pessoa, the municipal holiday dedicated to Our Lady of Conception, December 8, is the traditional day of celebration in honor of Yemanja. Every year in Tambaú beach, it puts a circular stage surrounded by flags and blue and white ribbons around which the faithful flocked from various parts of the state and curious to watch the parade of deities and especially of the honoree . The beach, there are holes with candles, flowers and gifts. In 2008, according to organizers of the festival, 100,000 people attended the place.
The traditional Iemanjá Party in Salvador, Bahia's capital, takes place on the beach of the Red River every day on February 2. On the same date, also Iemanjá is worshiped in many other beaches in Brazil, where they are offered candles and flowers thrown overboard in small artisanal boats.
The festival takes place in the Catholic Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceicao da Praia, in Lower Town, while the Candomblé and Umbanda divisions are surrounded with ropes, ribbons and flowers on the beaches, limiting room for the holy houses which conduct their work in the sand .
In Brazil, Iemanjá version of Pierre Verger, represents the mother who protects the children at any cost, the mother of several children, or more fish, that loves taking care of children and pets.
Cuba
In Cuba, Yemayá also has blue and white is a black queen of the sea, took the Christian name of La Virgen de la Regla and is part of Santeria as the patron saint of the ports of Havana.
Extraordinary events
In 2008, Feb. 2, the Feast of Iemanjá Red River in Bahia, coincided with Carnival. The parade of electric trios were diverted from the region until late afternoon, so that the two parties happen at the same time.
Preceding New Year's Eve 2008, the Orisha devotees of water, were at that time, with your prayers addressed to a skyscraper shaped like a black monolith at Leme beach in Copacabana where it was customary at the last minute of the year appear a cascade of fire at the top of this monolith, illuminating the surroundings as well as offerings.
Every New Year, especially in the city of Rio de Janeiro, in Copacabana, thousands of people gather to sing and give Iemanjá, gifts and throwing roses into the sea.