THE Afro-Brazilian culture it dates back to the colonial period, when the transatlantic slave trade forced millions of Africans to come to Brazil. Thus, the largest population of African origin outside Africa was formed.
This culture is marked by its relationship with other cultural references, especially indigenous and European, which is constantly developing in Brazil.
Characteristics of Afro-Brazilian Culture
One of the main characteristics of Afro-Brazilian culture is that there is no cultural homogeneity throughout the national territory.
The distinct origin of the Africans brought to Brazil forced them to make appropriations and adaptations so that their cultural practices and representations could survive.
Thus, it is common to find the African cultural heritage represented in new cultural practices.
African demonstrations, rituals and customs were prohibited. They only stopped being persecuted by the law in the 1930s, during Getúlio Vargas' Estado Novo.
Thus, they began to be celebrated and valued, until, in 2003, Law No. 10.639 (Law of Guidelines and Bases of Education) was enacted.
This law required that Brazilian elementary and secondary schools have the teaching of Afro-Brazilian history and culture in their curricula.
The two most prominent and influential groups in Brazil are:
- you Bantos, brought from Angola, Congo and Mozambique;
- you Sudanese, from West Africa, Sudan and the coast of Guinea.
It should be noted that the most populated regions with African labor were: Bahia, Pernambuco, Maranhão, Alagoas, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul.
This is due to the large amount of slaves received (Northeast region) or the migration of slaves after the end of the sugarcane cycle (Southeast region).
Aspects of Afro-Brazilian Culture
At the outset, we must emphasize that Afro-Brazilian culture is a constituent part of Brazilian memory and history and that its aspects overflow the margins of this text.
It comprises customs and traditions: mythology, folklore, language (spoken and written), cuisine, music, dance, religion, in short, the Brazilian cultural imagination.
The Popular Festivities
Yemanja's Party
Carnival, the biggest Brazilian popular festival, celebrated at the beginning of the year and mobilizing the nation.
The Festa de São Benedito, the main festival of Congado (an expression of Afro-Brazilian culture), celebrated on the weekend after Easter.
And finally, the Festa de Yemanjá, held on February 2nd.
Meet the History and Origin of Carnival.
Music and Dance
Djembe, African Drum
The Afro-Brazilian influence is evident in expressions such as Samba, jongo, Stamp, Maxixe, Maculele, Maracatu. They use a variety of instruments, especially the Afoxé, Atabaque, Berimbau and Tambor.
We cannot lose sight of that these musical expressions are also corporeal. They reflect on the ways of dancing, as in the case of Maculelê, a Brazilian folk dance, and the samba de roda, a musical variation of samba.
We have other expressions of music and dance, such as ritual dances, the Creole drum, and more contemporary styles, such as samba-reggae and axé from Bahia.
Finally, the Capoeira. It is a mixture of dance, music and martial arts prohibited in Brazil for many years and declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014.
the cuisine
Shrimp bean ball
Cuisine is another typical element of Afro-Brazilian culture. She introduced clay pots, coconut milk, black beans, okra, among many others.
However, the best known foods are those from Bahian cuisine, prepared with palm oil and peppers.
The highlights are Abará, Vatapá and Acarajé, as well as Northeastern Quibebe, prepared with carne-de-sol or jerky; in addition to mush and coconut sweets
And, finally, the most popular Brazilian dish: feijoada. It was created by slaves as an appropriation of Portuguese feijoada and produced from the remains of meat that the planters did not consume.
The religion
Candomblé cult
The Afro-Brazilian religion was characterized by the syncretism with Catholicism, whence it united aspects of Christianity to its religious traditions.
This happened so that they could perform African religious practices secretly (association of saints with orishas), since conversion was only apparent.
Thus, Batuque, Xamba, Macumba and Umbanda, while some African variations of Quimbanda, Cabula and Candomblé were preserved.
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