Who practices Candomblé?

Candomblé is a religion based on African beliefs which is particularly popular in Brazil. It is also practised in other countries, and has as many as two million followers. The religion is a mixture of traditional Yoruba, Fon and Bantu beliefs which originated from different regions in Africa.

What are the beliefs of Candomblé?

Candomblé practitioners believe that every person has their own individual orixa which controls his or her destiny and acts as a protector. Each orixa represents a certain force in nature and is associated with certain foods, colours, animals and days of the week.

Who founded the religion of Candomblé?

Iya Nasso
The first Candomble temple was founding at the start of the 19th century in Salvador, Bahia by Iya Nasso, half Nigerian, half Brazilian. The sacred space is carefully observed by the followers of the Candomble.

What are the origins of Candomblé?

Candomblé is an African-Brazilian religion. It was born of a people who were taken from their homes in Africa and transplanted to Brazil during the slave trade.

What is Candomblé and Umbanda?

Candomblé and Umbanda are two religious cults that developed when the Portuguese forcibly converted the slaves to Catholicism. In a successful attempt to preserve their own religious traditions, the slaves related the Catholic saints to their own African spirits, called orixás.

What is Candomblé dance?

Candomblé, meaning “dance in honor of the gods” in Portuguese, is an Afro-Brazilian religion developed during the earliest days of slave trade by Africans forced into slavery in Brazil.

Why is Candomblé important?

Candomblé: Key Takeaways Worshippers believe in a supreme creator and many minor deities; every individual has their own deity to guide their destiny and protect them. Worship rituals consist of African-derived song and dance during which worshippers are possessed by their personal gods.

What are orixás in Candomblé?

(Candomblé and Umbanda developed when the Portuguese forcibly converted the slaves to Catholicism. In a successful attempt to preserve their own religious traditions, the slaves related the Catholic saints them to their own African spirits, called orixá.

Why is Candomblé important to the history of dance?

Latin American dance dance movements were inspired by Candomblé dance and emphasized healing. Beginning in the 1970s, this message of Black pride was echoed by many parading groups called blocos afros.

When was Candomblé founded?

Candomblé, initially called Batuque, emerged from the culture of enslaved Africans brought to Brazil by the Portuguese Empire between about 1550 and 1888.

What is the purpose of music in Candomblé rituals?

Music and the use of percussion is a crucial element in candomblé ceremonies especially as a vehicle in which the orixás are appeased. During rituals, practitioners regard the music as axé’s embodiment and view the musical practice as the voices of the deity-like orixás.

How many Brazilians practice Candomblé?

According to the census, there are 588,797 practitioners of Candomble, Umbanda, and other Afro-Brazilian religions, and some Christians also practice Candomble and Umbanda.