What is yamanja?

Yemanjá is a goddess in the Afro-Brazilian religion of Candomblé, and is also honored in several other Afro-Latin American religions, including Santeria and Umbanda. She is the goddess of the sea, fertility, and motherhood. She is often depicted as a mermaid or a woman with flowing hair and dressed in blue and white clothing. Her name is derived from the Yoruba language, and she is associated with the Yoruba goddess Yemoja. She is widely worshipped in Brazil and is celebrated annually on February 2nd with offerings of flowers and other gifts thrown into the sea as a way of thanking Yemanjá for the bounty of the ocean and seeking her blessings.