Yemoja, the Yoruba Orisha of Waters and Motherhood

Gentle and powerful like the ocean, Yemoja (also spelled Yemaya or Iemanjá) is the orisha of the waters and of motherhood in the Yoruba tradition. A protective, nurturing figure, she holds a tender and essential place in the pantheon.

The mother of the waters

In Yoruba cosmology, Yemoja is one of the major orishas — originally associated with a great river of Yorubaland, she is more broadly the deity of the waters, fertility and motherhood. Her name is often linked to the expression “Yeye omo eja” — “the mother whose children are the fish” — an image of her immense progeny.

A maternal and protective figure

Yemoja watches over mothers, children and families. She is invoked for fertility, protection and comfort. Like the sea, she can be gentle and generous, but also deep and fearsome — a duality found in many deities of African mythology. Blue and white are traditionally associated with her.

A worship that crossed the Atlantic

Like Ogun and Shango, Yemoja traveled with the African diasporas. She is venerated under the name Yemayá in Cuba and Iemanjá in Brazil, where great festivals are held for her by the sea. She is thus one of the best-loved figures of Africa’s spiritual heritage.

A goddess still celebrated

A symbol of maternal love and of the quiet strength of the waters, Yemoja continues to inspire. Explore our overview of African mythology and our African folktale books for children.