Today’s video is a real treat for us to share with you ! One of the primary reasons we are down in Salvador is to study the rhythms of Candomble. Candomble comes from the Yoruban people of Nigera and traveled to Brazil with the slaves. In Brazil the religion morphed slightly and became a distinct tradition of its own, while still maintaining many elements from Nigeria, including song lyrics which continue to be sung in Yoruban here in Brazil. So far, we have gone to observe two Candomble ceremonies. One of the great things about Candomble is that it is celebrated in large gatherings in which people who aren’t members of the religion are invited to attend. The downside is that it is forbidden to photograph or video record the ceremonies. We were delighted to come across this Candomble ceremony happening in the street last night, especially because it allowed us the chance to make a video to show everyone what these ceremonies look like.
A few things to note about the clip:
- There are four drummers, called ogun. Three are playing conga-like drums called Atabaque. There is also a bell player, or gan player. All the ogun sing as they play.
- The dancers dance in a circle during which they may become “possessed” by an Orixa. The Orixa are the god/goddesses in the Yoruban traditions. During this clip noone becomes entrance or possessed, though we’ve seen it happen at the other ceremonies we attended
- One of the perks of attending a Candomble is that food is served freely to everyone attending. In this clip you can see Brad chomping down on some grub. The food is believed to spread energy, or “axe” (pronounced a-shh-ay) It tends to be a mixture of chicken, blackeyed peas, and grains.
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