Yemaja - in Popular Culture

In Popular Culture

• The worship of Yemanjá by the fishermen of Bahia, Brazil, is a central element of the 1936 Modernist novel Mar Morto (Dead Sea) by the famous Brazilian writer Jorge Amado, himself a native of that state. The book's wide publicity and translations to various languages made this goddess well-known to many people around the world - for example in Israel, where Hebrew books and songs make references to Yemaja, inspired by Amado's work (see Hebrew Wikipedia page he:ים המוות (ספר)).
• Amado also collaborated with his friend and fello-Bahian Dorival Caymmi in writing the famous song É Doce Morrer no Mar (It's sweet to die on the sea) where the drowned fisherman is described as having "made his rest in the confort of Iemanjá's arms" (Fez sua cama de novo no colo de Iemanja) - a reference to the belief that drowned sailors and fishermen become "Iemanjá's sons and lovers" and wander forever with her on the sea bottom.
• In 1966, carioca guitarist and composer Baden Powell de Aquino created an "Afro-Samba" which he called "Canto de Iemanjá", which he recorded together with Vinicius de Moraes.
• In 1980, Héctor Lavoe performed "Para Ochún" on his album El Sabio. It featured Willie Colón on trombone and background vocals. The main verse repeats "Para Ochún y Yemaya" over and over.
• In 1994, a house music track was produced, arranged and written by Little Louie Vega and his wife at the time, La India, called "Love & Happiness (Yemaya Y Ochún)" which features a Cuban chant/prayer dedicated Yemaya and her sister Ochún. The song can be found on Cream Classics Volume 2, or Renaissance: The Mix Collection .
• As Yemanja, the goddess is also a very prominent subject of veneration by a Brazilian chef in the 2000 romantic comedy Woman on Top.
• Yemaja, called with her Haitian name Lasirèn, plays an important role in Nalo Hopkinson's novel The Salt Roads.
• In 2009, GaiaOnline released Yemaya's Pearl, an evolving item designed after her.
• In the first episode of Tales of Monkey Island, the Voodoo Lady has a crystal ball she refers to as "The All-Seeing Eye of Yamalla".
• In Helen Oyeyemi's 2007 novel The Opposite House, the frame narrative character is Yemaya or Aya for short, and the protagonist of the novel, who is of African and Cuban descent, is named Maja.
• In the episode of the TNT series Saving Grace titled "Mooooooooo", Yaani King's character is seen apparently making an offering to Yemanjá after Earl transports her to Brazil.
• The novel Keeper makes references to her.
• English rock band Queen Adreena composed a song called "Yemaya" on their debut album Taxidermy.
• In the HBO series True Blood, Season 4 Episode 6, Lafayette heals his boyfriend Jesús while channeling a Hispanic healer saying, "May Yemaya protect and heal you with the waters of the ocean of life. May the waves of her healing energy wash over you."
• The novel The Invisible Mountain makes references to her.
• On May 28th, 2012, Grammy-nominated jazz singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Melody Gardot released her third studio album, "The Absence". Track 11 is entitled, "Iemanjá".