At once beautiful, protective, seductive, and dangerous, the water spirit Mami Wata (Mother Water) is celebrated throughout much of Africa and the African Atlantic. A rich array of arts surrounds her, as well as a host of other aquatic spirits--all honoring the essential, sacred nature of water. Mami Wata is often portrayed as a mermaid, a snake charmer, or a combination of both. She is widely believed to have "overseas" origins, and her depictions have been profoundly influenced by representations of ancient, indigenous African water spirits, European mermaids, Hindu gods and goddesses, and Christian and Muslim saints. She is not only sexy, jealous, and beguiling but also exists in the plural, as the mami watas and papi watas who comprise part of the vast and uncountable "school" of African water spirits. Mami Wata's presence is pervasive partly because she can bring good fortune in the form of money. As a "capitalist" deity par excellence, her ...

Yemoja is the African Goddess of the Ocean and the patron diety of pregnant women. She is honored not only in Africa but in Brazil. She is the creator goddess of the Yoruba tribe. This goddess went with the members of the Yoruba tribe when they were captured and taken to various areas in the world as slaves. She then became very well known and given different names. This is why she is honored in Brazil and also how she is associated with Virgin Mary. Her followers all wear necklaces of seven blue beads and seven clear crystals alternating. Yemoja gave birth to all the waters and is known as the “mama watta”. Her name is a contraction of Yoruba words,”Yeye emo eja” which means “Mother whose children are like fishes.” Her parents are Oduduwa and Obatala. She married Agayu and they had one son, Orungan, and fifteen Orishas. She is different then most goddesses because she is, in fact, a mermaid. Her symbols are seashells, coral, a gourd rattle, an anchor, a key, and turquoise. In the Umba...