Monday, February 2, 2009

Yemanja Festival Celebration







Every February 2 in Salvador, there is a celebration of lemanja, which involves thousands of people lining up at dawn to leave their offerings at her shrine in Rio Vermelho. Presents for lemanja usually include flowers, perfume, and objects of female vanity (jewelry, combs, mirrors). These are gathered in large baskets and taken out to the sea by local fishermen...Afterwards a massive street party ensues.






Wikipedia: Yemaja is an orisha, originally of the Yoruba religion, who has become prominent in many Afro-American religions. African from what is now called Yorubaland brought Yemaya and a host of other deities/energy forces in nature with them when they were brought to the shores of the Americas as captives. She is the ocean, the essence of motherhood, and a protector of children,

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