How Afro-Brazilians Have Preserved Their African Cultural Heritage Through the Candomblé Religion

Brazil, with 19.2 million people identifying as 'preto', is the non-African country with the second-largest Black population after the US, as of 2018. However, due to centuries of interracial mixing, there are millions more who can trace their roots to Africa. In a 2010 census, 86 million Brazilians identified as “pardo”, an ethnic category ascribed to Brazilians of mixed ethnic ancestries. For a country with a population of about 214 million, this is no small figure.

How did this South American giant come to have such a large population of African descent?

The simple answer is slavery. During the mid-16^thcentury, the Portuguese started the trans-Atlantic slave trade, bringing in more than 5 million slaves mostly from present-day Mozambique, Angola, Nigeria, Congo, Benin and Ghana. In 1888, the slave trade ended and some enslaved people returned to Africa while most of them stayed back in Brazil.

Though thousands of miles away from home, the former slaves were determined to hold on to their traditions and pass it down over centuries. Consequently, African culture is deeply engrained in much of Brazilian culture.

In this article, we will particularly be looking at the widespread practice of a traditional African—or African-derived—religion called Candomblé in Brazil.

The Candomblé Religion

Candomblé, meaning ‘gather in honour of gods’, is one of the most prominent Afro-Brazilian religions. It originated in Brazil during the 19^thcentury and takes on major influence from the Yoruba religion, as well as the traditional religions of the Bantu and Gbe. Candomblé also integrates some elements from Roman Catholicism, which was the religion of the Portuguese slave traders and colonialists.

Candomblé involves the worship of deities called orixás—spelt ‘Orisa’ in Yoruba. The practices in Candomblé and Yoruba religion bear many similarities, except for a few adaptations to the order or function of the deities. Just like in the Yoruba religion, the orixas, alternatively called inkice or vodun, are believed to be under the ultimate creator god, Olodumaré. However, in some factions of Candomblé, the deities are not given Yoruba names.

Though the orixas derive their names and characteristics from West African deities, they are linked to Roman Catholic saints. For example, Yemanjá, the sea goddess of fertility is sometimes associated with the Virgin Mary. During the period that Candomblé was forbidden in Brazil due to its affiliation with slave revolts, these saint-connections enabled slaves to practice their religion under the guise of Roman Catholicism. This is largely why many practitioners have called for a separation of Roman Catholic influences from the religion, so as to be more faithful to their traditional West African roots.

Practitioners of Candomblé hold ceremonies wherein they drum, dance, sing and encourage an orixa to possess one of their members. The possessed member then becomes a channel through which other congregants can interact with the divine. The orixas are presented offerings, known as ebós, such as fruit and sacrificed animals while their will is sought through divination. Sometimes, offerings are given to lesser spirits such as cabocios and the spirits of the dead, called the egun. Worship ceremonies may also feature healing rituals and preparation of amulets and herbal remedies.

Candomblé temples, called terreiros, are run by priests who have been approved by the orixas and undergone comprehensive training and initiation rites. Priestesses, called ialorixa or mâe de santo (mother-of-the-saint) usually take the lead and are assisted by priests, called babalorixa or pai de santo (father-of-the-saint). Candomblé has no sacred texts, meaning its beliefs and practices are strictly oral. Practitioners believe that, whether they realise it or not, every individual is tied to a certain orixa from birth who informs their personality and destiny.

Candomblé has a yearly cycle of festivals in honour of certain orixas. The festivals, which may be private or open to the public, are usually held on the Roman Catholic saint’s day of the saint linked with the orixa. The feast of Oxala in September marks the main festival season, which continues through to February and is rounded off by the feast of Yemanja.

Yemanja’s Day, held on February 2, has become increasingly popular with the public as hundreds of thousands of people gather at the beach to celebrate. There, they load offerings to the orixa onto boats and cast them overboard on the water.

The religion is divided into seven denominations, called nations, to highlight which traditional African culture has been its primary influence. Candomblé Ketu (or Queto in Portuguese) is the most prominent denomination. The ‘Ketu’ signifies the influence of the Ketu people, a Yoruba subgroup in Benin Republic and parts of southwest Nigeria. Other notable nations are Candomblé Jejé and Candomblé Bantu.

Though initially shunned, Candomblé has now spread throughout South America and beyond. Today, it has a combined followership of at least 2 million across Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay and Paraguay. Moreso, there are many more who dabble in the religion, but don’t exclusively identify with it.

Interaction with the Source

In recent years, some African traditional rulers have visited countries like Brazil, Cuba and Trinidad to strengthen ties with the diaspora, especially those who are adherents of African-derived religions.

In March 2023, the Ooni (ruler) of Ife—an ancient kingdom in southwest Nigeria which is believed to be the cradle of humanity in Yoruba religion—paid a momentous visit to Brazil. The Ooni, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, inaugurated a Yoruba Religion day called ‘Isese Day’ at the banquet hall of the Presidential palace in Brasilia, the capital city.

Ogunwusi also issued a certificate of Yoruba territory to a Quilombola territory called Quingoma; the Quilombola are residents of a Quilombo, a settlement originally established by escaped slaves of African descent. Ogunwusi believed that the community’s reverence of the Yoruba religion earned them the honour.

He also noted that their priests, called ‘Babalawos’, were grounded in the Yoruba religion and could render panegyrics like the Babalawos back in Nigeria.

Even with all the variations and adaptations present in Candomblé, the religion remains a strong symbol of the connection between Africa and the diaspora, and more importantly, the resilience of the slaves who fought to hold on to their heritage.