Mora Iemanjá
Song Lyrics
Quando a maré baixa
Vá lhe visitar
Vá fazer devoção
Vá lhe presentear
No mar
Mora Iemanjá
No mar
Mora Iemanjá
Vários negros foram pro Brasil
Bantos, nagôs e Yoruba
Dentro de um navio negreiro
Deixando suas lagrimas correr no mar.
No mar
Mora Iemanjá
No mar
Mora Iemanjá
Sua lagrima que correu no mar
Tocou no peito de Iemanjá
Ela podia mudar a maré
Fazer meu navio
Voltar para Guiné
No mar
Mora Iemanjá
English Translation
When the tide is low
Go visit her
Go do devotion
Go give her a gift
At sea
Mora Iemanjá
At sea
Lives Iemanjá
Several blacks went to Brazil
Bantos, Nagô and Yoruba
Inside a slave ship
Letting their tears run in the sea
At sea
Lives Iemanjá
At sea
Lives Iemanjá
Their tears ran to the sea
It touched Iemanjá’s chest
She could turn the tide
Make my ship
Turn back to Guinea
At sea
Lives Iemanjá
History and sentiment behind song
Iemanjá is one of the most important “orixas” from the Afro-Brazilian religions Candomblé and Umbanda. She can be thought of as the Goddess/Spirit/Queen of the Sea, and is often represented as a mermaid, or a beautiful woman dressed in blue. She is the patron spirit of fishermen and the shipwrecked, goddess of birth and creation, and the spirit of moonlight.
