RioanditsmeetingwiththeAtlantic

It's with the people of the shore
That Dona Iemanjá wants to marry

Image description: The image is a black-and-white photograph of a beach with fishing boats. On the left side, there is a large boat with the word "MAR" written in white letters. Next to it, a fishing net hangs over the boat. On the right, other boats are resting on the sand. In the background, there is a city with several buildings and mountains in the distance. The beach appears sandy, and a few people can be seen walking near the boats.

In one of its greatest celebrations, on New Year's Eve night Rio heads to the sea to greet a deity of African origin. Iemanjá, the queen of the sea, is the mistress of the celebration, and receives offerings and tributes from crowds dressed in white, who go to the sea to give thanks, make requests, and welcome the new time.

Image description: This is a photograph of a ceremony on a beach. On the left, two women dressed in white have their backs turned, looking out at the sea. In the center, a person is kneeling, placing flowers in a blue vase. In the background, more people are taking part in the ceremony. The landscape shows the calm sea and mountains in the distance. The sky is overcast, giving the image a gray tone.

The official day dedicated to her by African-rooted religions is February 2nd. Even so, Iemanjá is also honored and celebrated on New Year's Eve. After all, it is along Rio's shores of the Atlantic Ocean that this encounter between the city's residents and visitors and the sacred gift of joy and hope takes place.

Image description: This is a photograph of a smiling woman carrying a large wooden basket covered with white and red flowers. The spatial arrangement begins on the left, where we see part of another person dressed in traditional clothing, followed by the wooden basket in the center, and ends on the right with more flowers. The woman is wearing a blue and white turban, and the basket is adorned with white and blue fabric. The flowers are predominantly white, with some red ones, and are arranged around the basket.