Radiantly rising from the sea, her dark skin shining under the moon, Yemaya rules over her domain with grace, beauty, and maternal wisdom. Although the Virgin Mary is traditionally depicted as a white woman (a misrepresentation in history, but that’s another story), Yemaya is depicted as a woman of color. One seen as giving birth to the son of God and one gave birth to all living things. In iconography, both holy mother figures are shown dressed in blue and white. And who is the reigning Lady in Catholicism? Mother Mary, of course.Įventually, the practitioners, priests, and priestesses of Santería slowly syncretized the Goddess of the Sea – Yemaya – with the image of Mother Mary. Like many religious practices outside the dominant norm, the Orishas and their symbolism, rituals, and folklore had to be kept a secret, and eventually syncretized with those of the Roman Catholic Church. Under the highly-censored, Communist rule of Fidel Castro following the Cuban Revolution, the religion continued to be outlawed, and it was only until recently that it was openly recognized and legalized in the island country. Since Cuba was occupied and colonized by Catholic Spaniards, the practice of Santería was illegal. The story of Yemaya was originally brought over to Cuba via the transatlantic slave trade.
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