Culture: The CandomblÉ Religion

You can’t take the jungle out the cat, and the portuguese couldn’t take the African religion out of the slaves. So what happens when the master prohibits his slaves from practicing their religion, and forces them to practice his? Brazilian slaves realized that their African religion’s rituals could be cloaked under Catholic rituals and symbology. What emerged is what is called sincretism: two religions paralleled by similar practice. In this case, Catholicism and Candomble.

Candomble worships 27 Orixas, kind of like how greek mithology had various gods for various purposes. In Brazil, only 16 of the 27 are worshiped, each with their own colors, days, greetings, tools and food.

The African Orixas (Gods/saints) were secretly being praised together with Catholic saints, so that the master would be under the impressions that they were properly converted, and hence less whipping.
At the same time, many rituals could not be performed in a church, due to their extravagance, so slaves created sites to practice various rites, usually hidden in the cane fields.
The Candomble religion, still practiced in present day Bahia, was always oppresed by the Catholic society, which did not understand it, but was never extinguished. 30 Years ago, a law was passed recognizing the religion and all its rituals.
You can hire a tour guide to visit one of the night rituals. It is highly recommended that you behave during the ritual, wear white clothes and refrain from taking photos. What they are experiencing is meta-physical, way beyond your kung-fu skills. And the last thing you want is beef with the meta-physical.
Middah Borges
middahalegria@hotmail.com
9119-2155
R$300 for 2 persons
IF you want to see a show about the Candomble and Capoeira, check out Solar do Unhao’s Buffet show.
Check the yearly events calendar for a list of the various Candomble festivities. (Most happen between December and January.)