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Releasing the woman’s fingers, I turn away, not watching as her body sinks into the depths. A daughter, a wife, a mother. My tears join the salt of the sea.
“I know you find this hard, Simidele.” Folasade pauses, thinking carefully before speaking again. “But gathering the souls of those who pass in the sea is a way to honor them and bless their journey back to our Creator, Olodumare.” She nods in encouragement, her smile beatific. “It is important to focus on this and not be distracted by other doubts.”
“But you are not a girl anymore.” Folasade grips my shoulder, forcing my gaze to hers. “You are more than that. We are more than that. Gathering souls to bless is what we were created to do. It is easier to leave who you were behind. Rejoice in that, sister. Let the sea swallow your memories, and embrace what you are now.”
hold
“The òyìnbó first came to our lands this year, greedy for power and resources. I watched as they began to steal people, taking them away on their giant ships.
“A journey that is eternally horrifying. Enslaved and stripped of their homeland— I wanted to ensure that those who lose their lives on the sea receive comfort and our prayers before they return home to join Olodumare. This I can do through the creation of Mami Wata.” When she drops her gaze to me, her eyes glitter with fervor. “It is not everything, but it is something. It is our honor.”
“Because if you act on loving a human, your form will be revoked and you will be nothing but foam upon the sea.”
What is done is done. We cannot change the past, only learn from it. What happens next is up to you.”
“Let’s think of a solution, not the problem. None of us prosper when we’re divided.”
know
