Believers of the Umbanda religion take to the waters of the River Plate in Uruguay's capital Montevideo to make offerings to Yemanja, the Goddess of the sea. "This is a little bit of a space for reunion with the spirit, with faith," says one religious leader, as believers participate for the first time in two years, after celebrations were cancelled in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Umbanda is a South American religion blending African traditions with Catholic and Indigenous American beliefs. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES