Yemanja

Orisha also known as Orixa or Orisa reflects a type of manifistation Olodumare (God) in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system. They are a type of sprit also known as a deity. This type of Afro-Brazilian religion has found itself around the world, but is now mainly practiced in parts of Brazil. The religion manifistation itself is a complex type of religion including rituals such as dances, costumes, colors, symbols,movement and stories. According to this type of religion all humans are linked to their own type of Orisha from the day of his birth. They are spiritual beings not able to coexist in man inhibited land. The appearance of the Orisha is determined by placing a human at their disposal, dressed up in costumes and ornaments. The Orsihas are then summoned upon by percussion music, dance and song. For each deity to be summoned they are given its own music, its own rhythm, and special dancing steps.

The Orisha faith believes in a Supreme Being, named Olodumare. Adherents of the religon follow several manifastions of Olodumare in the form of several type of Orishas. The religion is expressed in means of dancing and movements all practiced by the people. It can be compared to religions such as Catholism, were instead of dancing as a way of communicating with the religion, people eithter sing or eat things that represent their creator or god.

For people that practice this religion a certain dance is issued. The way the dance and moves are performed all rely on a certain type of Orisha. One of the Orishas that are important to this people is the Orisha named Yemanjá. As many people would state she is the goddess of female fertility. She is the ocean, the essence of motherhood. Her large, amplified breasts are a sign of her fertility also along with her beauty. She protects the heads of newborns to ensure they are safe when given life to this new world. People worshop this deity because of the good luck she can bring to fertile women. It is thought that she ensures the safety of a mother and her unborn child for those 9 months. If gifts are offered to the deity they usually include flowers and objects that a typical female posseses such as, perfume, jewelry, combs, lipsticks, mirrors etc. This gifts are usually then gathered in a bastket and taken out by local fisherman and set out at sea were she resides. She is often displayed as a mermaid, which is the reason behind why people take their gifts and offerings out to the sea. Story on her origins are not exact, but it is said she was married to Agayu and had one son, Orungan, and fifteen Orishas came forth from her. They include Ogun, Olokun, Shopona and Shango. Other stories would say that Yemanja was always there in the beginning and all life came from her, including all of the orishas.

The type of movements that are created with this dance arent complex as others. But they do require a body that can move freely at any direction. Movements made in rituals or dances which represent the deity Yemanja include movement of the handds and arms that mimic the way water moves throughout the ocean. Like the water in the ocean, the hands move freely swinging left to right in a wavy motion as the body moves around freely.

The costume of this type of deity can include a mermaid type dress. It is colored in blue to represent the color of the ocean. Silverware is melted and carved into things such as a crown for the person dancing. Ornaments are also made with shapes and patterning similar to those of a fish. The person that is dancing usually will wear them throught the ritual to captivated the deity as much as they can.

Music that is played at rituals is unique. Different types of instruments are used in order to make the music come to life. For the more bigger and important ceremonies of the Orisha, an ensemble of a three double-headed bata drums are used and commonly folowed by an achere, which is a small gourd rattle. According to the people the Bata drums are an important part of the ritual and particulary please the Orishas. In less rigorous rituals other fine instruments can be used such as shekeres, which are large gourd rattles that are strung with beads, also followed by conga drums and a guataca. The Orisha music is also

accompanied by singing asking of the deity to descend to their devoters or followers. It is belived that when they perform in secular contexts, they help audiences gain a new perspective on a religion that is often misunderstood.

Yemanja represents motherhood and the essence of fertility. Therefore different types of rituals can be used to summon her spirit. All these instruments and rituals and costumes all come into one when the ritual is being presented. Each part has a specific and important role is satisfying the diety and allowing it to venture upon the people that follow the religion. They all have a purpose and connection to one another. For example the costume and its ornaments combined as one represent the diety itself. The music, instruments and singing are a way of reaching the diety and allowing it to venture around the people.

David Vargas

Works Cited

1."Yemanja" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemanj%C3%A1. 25 March 2009

2."Tanzbrasil" http://www.tanzbrasil.de/eng/orixas.html.

3."HISTORICAL MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN FLORIDA" http://www.historical-museum.org/exhibits/carib/carib.htm