PROPHET TV

Yemanja: Queen of Heaven

I recently did some searching on the "Queen of Heaven" or "Yemanja" (pronounded Yemanya). It's pretty interesting stuff (and pretty pathetic at the same time -- and very seducing, I might add).

Frankly, I've been stirred to wonder what the tie-in might be with the "Queen of Heaven" mentioned in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 7:18 and 44:17-25) and the "Queen of Heaven" that the Roman Catholics claim is "Mary, the Mother of God" and "Our Lady of the Conception, the Virgin Mary." And, I happened to find this quote at a Metareligion site that says: "In the New World, the orishas and much of the religion was hidden behind a facade of Catholicism with the orishas themselves represented by various saints. The slave-owners would then say 'look at how pious this slave is. She spends all of her time worshipping Saint Barbara.' Unbeknownst to them, she would actually be praying to Shangó, the Lord of Lightning, fire and the dance, perhaps even praying for deliverance from that very slaveowner" ( http://www.meta-religion.com/World_Religions/Santeria/santeria.htm ).

Then, along the same lines, an iCulture site says the following -- and this is very revealing: "African slaves from the Yoruba region brought their beliefs of Yemanja to Brazil, Cuba and Puerto Rico. Although forced to convert to Catholocism, many continued worshipping their Orixas by matching them, according to their characteristics, with Catholic 'Saints.' Yemanja was paired with the Virgin Mary" ( http://www.wigmag.com/reruns/culture/stories-yemanja.html ). So, these references give clues to the fact that many of the traditional beliefs about the "Saints" among Roman Catholics today are actually rooted in this pagan religion, including the worship of the so-called "Mary, Queen of Heaven" and "Lady of the Conception" (see more info about this below).

It seems that, in modern times, worship of Yemanja (a.k.a. "Yemoja," "Yemaya," "Yemalla," "Auset" in ancient Egypt, "Mami Waters" in Ghana and other parts of West Africa, literally means "Great Mother who's children are like fish in the sea") drew its inspiration from the Orixas (or Orishas or Orisas, literally meaning "head guardians"), devine beings who "rule over every force of nature and every aspect of human life." This religion, which began around the year 1517, has often been cynically called Santería ("the Way of the Saints"), or more properly Regla de Ocha ("the Rule of the Orisha"), or La Regla Lucumí ("the Rule of the Friend"). Originally, it was prevalent among the Yoruba people in western Africa (the Ivory Coast, Nigeria & Bernin), but was brought over to South & Central America by the slave industry a couple hundred years ago, where it became popular in Brazil (via Candomble, Macumba, Quimbanda, Umbanda or Voodoo ceremonies -- i.e., Black Magic), and also became popular in Cuba, Salvador, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Haiti and other countries in that area where slaves were taken and sold. It also came to the US and festered in New Orleans ("Mama Roux," "the Witch Queen," etc.) and various other former slave havens.

Yemanja or Yemoja supposedly gave birth to the sun, and "pursued with incestuous design by her own firstborn son, so the story goes, she fell." She is known as the Mother of All the Orishas, Goddess of the Sea and the Crescent Moon, Queen of the Witches and of Healing, Goddess of Salt and Sweet Water, Goddess of Children and the Weak and of the Water Buffalo, Protector of Fishermen & Sailors and Provider of Wealth, Goddess of Fertility/Conception/Birthing/Parenthood and Creation, all representing nurturance and strength. Yemanja is one of the seven main spirits/personality types (known in Santeria as the "Seven African Powers"). She is also one-third of the "Legends of Three Feminine Orishas" (rooted in a feminist worldview of witchcraft and "feminine empowerment"). The matriarchal triad also includes Osun (Goddess of the Rivers, representing beauty and love) and Oya (Goddess of the Winds, Tornados, Lightning, Buffalo Woman, all representing power and passion). The folk religion is passed on through the telling of tales, and the faithful are involved in various aspects of ritual, prayer, divination and offerings (which include sacrifice), song, rhythms, dance, seances and trance possession.

By the way, if you remember the "I Love Lucy" show, where Cuban-born Ricky Riccardo used to sing and play that song called "Babalawo" (pronounced bah-bah-la-oo), you'll be amazed to learn that he was actually singing about the pagan priests from this same religion!

You can also find lots more info at the following websites (only a small sampling):

• http://members.tripod.com/~Yemoja/Tarot.html

• http://www.brazildining.com/yemanja.htm

• http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6415/yemanja.html

• http://www.yemanjaonline.com/pages/aboutus.html

• http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/comments/yemanja/

• http://www.hranajanto.com/goddessgallery/yemaya.html

• http://www.thegolddoor.com/gduvoodoo.htm

• http://www.googlism.com/who_is/y/yemanja/

• http://www.religioustolerance.org/santeri.htm

• http://www.palo.org/

• http://www.lukumi.nu/