Being Cuban and carried on the waves of Yemaya
Born in Havana, raised in Miami, living in Melbourne — reflections from a Cuban exile on African and Indigenous ancestry, light skin privilege, and Yemaya.
Yemaya
Drowning and emerging: Yemaya and life’s crossings
Yemaya is the orisha present at birth, death, and spaces between. This reflection considers her healing presence and the comfort she offers in uncertain times.
Four roads of Yemaya, the orisha of the ocean
The orisha Yemaya has dominion over the world’s waters. Her attributes are expressed through “roads” representing different aspects of her character.
Yemaya, the orisha of the ocean and motherhood
Yemaya, whose name roughly means Mother of Fish Children, is the Great Ocean Mother. She is the orisha associated with motherhood and women’s mysteries.