This week I found the story “Aganju and Yemaja” from the Penguin Book of Mermaids particularly interesting. Aganju and Yemaja are deities from the Yoruba religion and mythology of West Africa. Yemaja, the goddess who “presides over ordeals by water,” marries her brother Aganju, a god representative of Land. The couple then have a son named Orugan, whose name references the “apparent space between the sky and earth,” or in other words, Air. Orungan falls in love with Yemaja, eventually leading to the goddesses’ fate of swelling and bursting into water, and the creation of several gods.

I found it interesting that Orungan “stretching his hand out to seize [Yemaja]” is what led to the goddess falling “backward to the ground,” swelling, and then ‘bursting’ into streams of water. Perhaps this is meant to show the dynamic balance present in nature. There is an attraction of opposites in this story as Orungan’s symbolic representation of air can be interpreted as chaos in nature. Air creates the heavy storms associated with destruction. On the other hand, as a female figure, Yemaja embodies nurturing and protective qualities that are aligned with the Yoruba’s beliefs regarding the ocean. In Yoruba mythology, the ocean is thought to provide sustenance for life. Perhaps the relationship between Orungan and Yemaja is meant to symbolize the interplay between destructive and nurturing forces in the natural world. Just as storms can bring forth destruction, they can also create room for new growth and regeneration. Therefore, this story may highlight the importance of balance and reciprocity in maintaining harmony with the natural world.