ReligioninPenha

Ilê Asè Omo Odo Afefé was founded 10 years ago in Campo Grande, in the west zone of Rio, but in December 2020, a change of address moved the terreiro to Rua Panamá, No. 100, in the Penha neighborhood.

Babalorisá Azury Ty Logun Edé (Azury Peixoto), son of Babalorisá Marcos Vinicius Ty Omolu (Marcos Vinicius), also represented the famous Axé Olaria, a candomblé terreiro located in the neighborhood near Penha.

Image description: The image is a photograph of a festive event. In the center, a man is wearing a jacket printed with African patterns in blue, yellow, and red, paired with white pants and blue shoes. He is posing in front of a table with a three-tiered cake, adorned with flowers. In the background, several people are dressed in traditional attire, some in vibrant colors. On the right, there are more people in white and gold outfits. The decoration includes colorful floral arrangements behind the cake.

Ilê is always well attended on festival days, by people from the neighborhood or from several other places in Rio de Janeiro, including children and friends from outside the State. But unfortunately, just like many other houses of African-Matrix religions, Ilé Omo Odo Afefé suffers a great deal of prejudice and racist attacks.

Image description: This is a photograph of a traditional ceremony. The image shows several people dancing and interacting in an indoor setting. In the foreground, there are individuals dressed in colorful attire, including turbans and traditional clothing. On the left, a man is wearing a brown turban and a blue sash, while on the right, another person is wearing a white turban. In the background, other participants are watching the ceremony.

The attacks come from neighbors, from police officers, and also from the internet. In one of these attacks, a woman threw a bucket of water on all the "filhos" during a religious ceremony. Another attack nearly put the lives of all the "filhos" and friends present at risk. A young man came in armed during a party, was drunk and clearly bothered, on account of his own prejudice.

Even so, we remain together and strong, fighting against religious racism, and every day more, conquering our space. Ilé Asé Omo Odo Afefé represents love, happiness, and a lot of axé.