Why Jemayá?!

The name Jemayá comes from my past marriage. The aunt of my exhusband was (is?) a Santera, a priestess of Santeria, a religion on Cuba. Every person has their own protector, "Santo", if I remember correctly. She thought my "Santo", my "Saint" could be Yemayah, and I liked that! My spelling was chosen to help pronounce the name, and I also like the "maya" part, since that reflects my interest in Southern America!

Yemayah is: The Orisa of the Ocean and Motherhood. The Yoruba peoples of Nigeria brought her to the New World via Brazil and Cuba, where she has been venerated for centuries as Protectress during the middle passage of slavery. She is long-breasted, the goddess of fishes, and wears an insignia of alternating crystal and blue beads. The other spelling of her name is Yemoja. She has a strong, nurturant, life-giving nature, yet can be furiously destructive also. She is considered the Great Witch, the ultimate manifestation of female power.