Jan 10, 2015
|Last updated on March 26th, 2021 at 02:34 pm
Salvador da Bahia in the northeast of Brazil is often left out by tourists, as they usually start in Rio and head either south towards Foz do Iguassu and the world-famous waterfalls, or northwest to the mighty Amazon Rainforest. Salvador is not to be overlooked, however. As the third most populous city in the country with 3.5 million people, Salvador is undoubtedly Brazilβs cultural capital.
Historical Salvador
The city was originally founded as SΓ£o Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos (Holy Savior of the Bay of All Saints). Not far from this place, the Portuguese sailor Pedro Γlvares Cabral discovered a piece of land unknown to the Western world in 1500. To cultivate the fertile soil, Indians who lived there were subjected to work as slaves for Portuguese landlords. As they were not working efficiently enough or suffered from diseases introduced by the Europeans, the rulers searched for alternatives. Eventually, they would find replacements in African colonies such as Angola, Mozambique, and other West African strongholds. The inhabitants of the named regions seemed more resistant and generally had a more vigorous constitution, so the colonialists shipped them to the new territory to replace the Indian agricultural workers. However, before they were brought to the fields, the slaves were traded in the upper city of Salvador, at the square that was therefore calledΒ Pelourinho,Β which means pillory. This well-preserved historical district (pictured above) was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.Β Although they were oppressed, and ethnic groups and families were separated from each other, the Africans succeeded in maintaining parts of their culture. You can relate to thisΒ fact quite easily as you explore all around the town.
CapoeiraΒ β dance or fight?
Capoeira is a mixture of African dance and martial arts. It developed as slaves tried to defend themselves against their landlords, but as they couldnβt practice fighting out in the open space of the fields, they figured out how to pretend to be dancing. Thus, when βfightingβ against each other nobody contact was allowed and it appeared to simply be a dance. However, when fighting against their oppressors they strapped razor blades under their feet, swinging them around the landlordβs body. Youβll see Capoeira fighters around the main squares, especially on Sundays. If youβre feeling adventurous, get active and try it out yourself! The performers are very friendly and eager to teach visitors about their craft. Capoeira Awarded UNESCO Cultural Heritage Designation in 2014.Β
CandomblΓ© β mystical religion
CandomblΓ© is a religious orientation that is based on catholic saints. However, when observing it more precisely, its roots lie in Africa. As slaves were oppressed, they were not allowed to practice their religion. ButΒ in order to continue practicing their beliefs, they pretended to adapt to catholicism by praying to the Christian saints in front of the colonialists. Instead, they actually worshipped their former African saints, the OrixΓ‘s. Under the pretext of catholicism,Β CandomblΓ© survived and is still existent today, especially in Salvador, which has a black population of 80% β the largestΒ in the entire country. Festivities like Lavagem do Bonfim, which arose from the traditional feet washing beforeΒ theΒ Sunday mass in January, are becomingΒ more popular asΒ tourist attractions too.
Food & Language
Once in Salvador, you will see Afro-Brazilian women in opulent, colorful dresses with turbans and fitting make-up, the baianas. If you take a picture with them, they might charge you money, be aware of that or just ask them politely if you are allowed to. A better option to capture the perfect Salvador βselfieβ is to buy food at the stands around the main squares. Usually, they will offer AcarajΓ©, which is a kind of bread stuffed with veggie sauces and dips plus shrimp, you shouldnβt miss that! I can definitely recommend AcarajΓ© da Mary at PraΓ§a da SΓ©. As a dessert, go and get a passion fruit coconut cream or sweet tapioca. As the slaves spoke various different languages and dialects at the time they arrived, they were forced to speak Portuguese. Nevertheless, some words were taken over to Portuguese and are even listed in dictionaries.
Carnival β the other one
Unfortunately, I myself have not been to the Brazilian carnival yet, but Salvadorβs version is both similar and unique in comparison to the huge show in Rio β more traditional and not as touristy. The festivities themselves were introduced by the Portuguese settlers during colonization and evolved from an upper-class event to one celebrated by rich and poor. It was the poor who took the party to the streets, which still is an important part of the festival today. A huge parade takes place and if you want to be part of aΒ bloco,Β buy an obligatory shirt that tells to which of them you belong to, anΒ abadΓ‘, well in advance. African percussion groups as well as dancers are an essential part of the parades. Book It! β A Tour of the Amazon and Salvador
Architecture β colonial preservation
Cobblestoned streets and old houses around Pelourinho still remind people of the Portuguese colonization. The Terreiro de Jesus, the historic square officially titledΒ PraΓ§a 15 de Novembro,Β offers various churches. One of the rare baroque-style buildings in Brazil, the Igreja da OrdΓ©m Terceira de SΓ£o FranciscoΒ plus the golden Church and Convent de SΓ£o Francisco, are both worth visiting. Every Tuesday masses are held throughout the town. Go to Pelourinhoβs Igreja Nossa Senhora RosΓ‘rio dos Pretos with the colorful ribbons tied on the fence railing (make sure you get a bunch of those and you have various souvenirs! Make three knots and a wish and wait untilΒ it falls off your wrist and your wish may come true).