Mia Doi Todd – Canto de Iemanjá
07 November, 2011New video released for “Canto de Iemanjá” by Mia Doi Todd. The song was written by Vinicius de Moraes and Baden Powell and originally featured on their classic Os Afro-Sambas album. This update by LA-based Mia Doi Todd has appeared on both her own Cosmic Ocean Ship album and the Red Hot + Rio 2 compilation from earlier this year.
Iemanja is the Orisha (Orixa) or Goddess of the Ocean in the Yoruba, Candomble, and Santeria traditions. The video pays homage to the rituals that take place in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil at the Praia de Iemanja every year on February 2nd, her special saint’s day. Devotees bring flowers, watermelons and perfume for the Goddess and make altars for her on the beach. These offerings are then taken out to the ocean with prayers and wishes alongside the statue of the Goddess in a small boat. The belief is that if the offerings are accepted by the Ocean and do not tumble back to shore, wishes will be granted.
We had a chat with Mia Doi Todd earlier this year regarding Brazilian music. You can read that interview here.
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