Cuban content creator @cuquitaquintana_oficial recently shared a moving tribute on TikTok, celebrating Yemayá's Day, the orisha of the sea and motherhood in Cuban Santería. Her message of gratitude resonated deeply with her thousands of followers.
September 7th holds great significance in the Afro-Cuban religious calendar as the day devoted to honoring Yemayá. In Cuban syncretism, she is associated with the Virgin of Regla, the patron saint of Havana Bay. This day brings together both Catholic devotion and Afro-Cuban worship, featuring offerings to the sea, batá drums, songs, and processions at the National Sanctuary of Our Lady of Regla in Havana's Regla municipality.
In a nearly three-minute video, the creator approached the orisha not with material requests but with words of profound appreciation. She began by stating, “When I say my mother has blessed me, I’m not talking about money or material things; I’m referring to situations meant to destroy me that didn’t even touch my soul.”
The description accompanying her post echoed this intimate and devout tone: “To my mother Yemayá, who knows my tears, struggles, silences, and victories. I come not to ask for anything, mother... today, I come to give thanks. For all I have experienced, learned, and even for what I didn’t understand at the time.”
The video also featured a song dedicated to the orisha: “When everything is heavy, I return to your power, you read my silence, and I am reborn. Your cold water breaks what hurts, your steady light cleanses all that wounds, your steel cuts what is useless, you remove the darkness and do not let it return.”
The post concluded with the phrase “Maferefún Yemayá,” a Lukumí expression in Santería meaning “praised be Yemayá.”
Yemayá is one of the most revered orishas in the Regla de Ocha, a religion of Yoruba origin brought to Cuba by African slaves and syncretized with Catholicism. Her colors are blue and white, her sacred number is seven, and her symbols include the sea, shells, fish, and the ritual fan known as abebé. Typical offerings to the sea from devotees include watermelon, melon, white flowers, coconut sweets, and silver objects.
TikTok has become a platform in recent years where Cuban creators, both on the island and abroad, share songs, spiritual messages, and tributes to the orishas, blending faith, cultural identity, and digital content. The video from @cuquitaquintana_oficial fits into this trend but stands out for its intimate nature and explicit refusal of any material requests.
The post garnered over 21,200 views, 3,730 reactions, and 181 comments, a testament to the enduring devotion to Yemayá among Cubans, regardless of their location.
Frequently Asked Questions about Yemayá and Cuban Santería
Who is Yemayá in Cuban Santería?
Yemayá is an orisha revered as the goddess of the sea and motherhood in Cuban Santería. She is associated with the Virgin of Regla in Cuban syncretism.
Why is September 7th significant in Afro-Cuban religion?
September 7th is celebrated as Yemayá's Day, a key date in the Afro-Cuban religious calendar for honoring the orisha with offerings, music, and rituals.
What are typical offerings for Yemayá?
Devotees typically offer watermelon, melon, white flowers, coconut sweets, and silver objects to the sea in honor of Yemayá.