Offerings to Iemanjá

The beginning of the year is a time choosen by many, here in Brazil, to give offerings to Iemanjá, the Godess of the Sea. The intention of the offerings is to please the rather moody Godess. Iemanjá is quite mundane in her likings, and, as any female, she likes to receive many flowers, perfume, and sometimes a stiff drink.

The offerings are delivered by giving them into the sea, the godess'es home. Sometimes the offerings are washed back to shore, indicating that the Godess rejected them, and is, therefore, not so very pleased. Bad sign! Bad, bad sign...

To increase chances of a positive reception, the offerings might be posted by shipping them in small delivery-boats. The small boats often go with small candle lights in nightly cerimonies, making for a beautifull spectacle, when dozens of lights drift out to the sea.

Our friend Gustavo Pacheco does also give an annual offering, and, of course, chooses an appropriate vehicle for the purpose. The vehicle itself is the offering in this case. Just look at the pictures of the nice little trimaran he just sent me. I am sure that Iemanjá loves to receive that cute little boat! I can imagine she loves to carreen through her home seas in the lovely sailboat.

I think it is a lovely ritual, and consider picking it up myself. It reminds me of many afternoons I spent in the Yachtclub, as a kid, producing makeshift sailboats out of floatsome. Putting them out to sail into the sea, allways gave me a great feeling. I imagined where they would sail to, for how long, who would pick them up... It really fired up my imagination in a great way!

As a kid, of course, stories of Iemanjá were unknown to me. So, little did I know, that it was her who would receive all those little rafts and boats! I guess she was pleased, because none ever came back. So, I have a positive record. And, well, since I have a bigger boat in production, and plan on spending time on the sea with it myself, a little divine goodwill would be welcome.