The diverse religious symbols that crossed the Atlantic from the 16th century onward, with the trafficking of enslaved Africans, unfolded into typically Brazilian expressions, such as Candomblé, a religion that, according to Nei Lopes - samba musician and scholar of Afro-Brazilian cultures -, synthesizes the varied cults of Orixás, Inquices, Voduns, and other entities and traditions of the different peoples who arrived in Brazil during the colonial period.
The Orixá Omolu - Candomblé Ketu. Correio da Manhã Collection - Arquivo Nacional
Image description: This is a photograph of a person dressed in a traditional costume made of natural fibers. The figure is seen from behind, with the right arm raised, holding an object that appears to be a musical instrument. The costume covers the entire body, with textured, frilled details. The background is dark, highlighting the costume and the hand holding the instrument.It is not possible to specify a single territory where Candomblé originated, because many rituals currently associated with it trace their origins to varied peoples who occupied different regions of Brazil. However, in the 19th century, cities such as Salvador, Recife, São Luís, and Porto Alegre were more closely linked to these practices. In Rio de Janeiro, the religion began to spread with the establishment of an Afro-Bahian community, which arrived in what was then the imperial court starting in the mid-19th century and founded the first Candomblé terreiros in the region that became known as Pequena África.
The famous tias baianas (Bahian aunts) were fundamental to the spread of Candomblé and other practices of African origin in the city. Aunt Ciata, for example, widely recognized as one of the precursors of Carioca samba, was Iaquequerê (or Mãe Pequena) at the terreiro of João Alabá, Babalorixá (or Pai de Santo) of one of the city's first Candomblé houses.
Image attributed to aunt Ciata, matriarch of samba and Candomblé priestess. Wikimedia Commons
Image description: This is an old photograph of a woman. The image is in black and white. The woman is seated, with short hair pulled back. She wears a dress with lace details on the sleeves and neckline. Over the dress, she has on a cape made of striped fabric. Around her neck hang two thin necklaces.The different denominations, called nations - Ketu, Jeje, Nagô etc. - make Candomblé a broad set of symbols and meanings whose main pillars include reverence for ancestry.
Each Candomblé house has its own liturgical calendar, and rituals vary according to the nation. But music, accompanied by the beat of the drums and by voices chanted in chorus by the initiates and other participants of the terreiro, along with dance and the rituals of incorporation, are fundamental aspects of most ceremonies, whether public or closed.
"Religião Espírita - Guanabara" - Correio da Manhã Collection - Arquivo Nacional
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of three people dressed in traditional costumes. The figure on the left holds a long, pointed object and wears a white turban. In the center, a woman wears a white dress and a headscarf. On the right, another person is dressed in richly adorned clothing, including a helmet decorated with feathers. They are all in an indoor setting, with walls and doors in the background.Despite its importance to the formation of Brazilian identity, Candomblé - along with other traditions of African origin – was the target of strong repression, even after abolition (1888). The constant association of its followers with evil practices fueled religious racism, and although the establishment of Umbanda, in 1908, helped reduce prejudice, it was not enough to remove these religions from marginalization. Candomblé endures over time, thanks to the terreiro communities and in spite of all the violence practiced against the people of Axé1.
"Povo do Axé" is how followers of African-derived religions are also known.
