The Yoruba heritage is one that is felt in places all around the world. A major driver of this being that many Yoruba people, especially of Oyo origin, were sold as slaves to plantations in the Americas.
As a result of this, countries in the Americas such as Brazil and Argentina still have people that practice Yoruba culture and traditions today.
One of these can be found in Brazilian’s worship of a goddess called Yemanja who is from a religion that has Yoruba origins.
Yemanja is the Goddess of the Sea and many worshippers honour her by providing offerings in mini-boats during New Year celebrations or leaving offerings of fruit, candles and cigarettes in shallow holes in the sand throughout the year.
The goddess is from Candomble, a West African religion that has integrated into Brazilian customs. Candomble developed in Brazil during the early 19th century.
It arose through a process of syncretism between the traditional Yoruba religion of West Africa and the Roman Catholic form of Christianity. There is, however, no central authority in control of the movement.
Practitioners of the Candomble religion in Brazil worship Yemanja (also Yemọja), a major water deity from the Yoruba religion. She is an Orisha, in this case, patron spirit of the oceans and/or rivers – particularly the Ogun River in Nigeria.
For these Brazilians, Yemanjá is one of the seven Orishas. White roses are used as a ritual offering to her. She is the Queen of the Ocean, the patron spirit of the fishermen and the survivors of shipwrecks, the feminine principle of creation, and the spirit of moonlight.Also, Saturday is the consecrated day of Yemanjá.
On New Year’s Eve in Brazil, millions of Brazilians, of all religions, dressed in white gather on the beaches to greet the New Year, watch fireworks, and throw white flowers and other offerings into the sea for the goddess in the hopes that she will grant them their requests for the coming year. Some send their gifts to Yemanjá in wooden toy boats.
