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YEMANJÁ: Wisdom from the African Heart of Brazil

The film Yemanjá: Wisdom from the African Heart of Brazil discusses Candomblé as a nature-based religion and examines its political nature as a religion of resistance against racism and religious discrimination.  Yemanjá also voices concerns about ecological and environmental issues that Candomblé practitioners face with regard to access to and the preservation of sacred natural spaces, and problematizes Bahia’s world famous annual Yemanjá festival. Ile Oxumare (shown in the film) and others have been vocal about offerings being biodegradable and encouraging more awareness of waste. The film also illustrates the role of a terreiro in the community and how the women that operate them serve as spiritual and community leaders.

(photo by Gerald Lee Hoffman)

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Mãe Stella de Oxóssi

Born on May 2, 1925, in Salvador, Bahia, Maria Stella de Azevedo Santos (also known as Mãe Stella de Oxóssi or Mãe Stella) is the first black woman and first iyalorixá (orixá priestess) to be inducted into the Bahia Academy of Letters. Though a retired nurse, she has written many books on African culture and widely promotes and advocates for the acceptance of Candomblé as a religion and of African-based culture across Brazil.

On March 19, 1976, she was chosen to be the 5th iyalorixá of the Ilê Axé Opô Afonjá, one of the more well-known terreiros in Salvador. In the late 70s, Mãe Stella personally appealed to the governor of Bahia to no longer require a terreiro to obtain the government’s permission to operate. Since then, terreiros have sprung up all over Salvador.

As a champion against religious intolerance and racial prejudice, Mãe Stella also sounded the call for a break with Christian syncretism and the removal of all Catholic saints from the temple’s altars. Preferring the Yorubá title iyalorixá, as opposed to the Portuguese mãe de santo, she encouraged the use of Yorubá in liturgy in naming practices, Candomblé education, and depiction of icons in order to restore Candomblé back to its African roots.  It was Mãe Stella who, quite successfully, sought public recognition of Candomblé as a full fledged, legitimate religion, rather than a “cult”, “sect”, or “folklore”.

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Mãe Menininha do Gantois

Maria Escolástica da Conceição Nazareth was one of the most important mães de santo (iyalorixá or priestess of orixá) of the Afro-Brazilian religion, Candomblé. She was born in Salvador, BA in 1894 and for 64 years, she led the Candomblé house Ilé Ìyá Omi Àse Ìyámasé, located in Salvador in the neighborhood of Gantois. Mãe Menininha do Gantois, as she was called, became nationally known and well-respected for her kindness and affection. Her fight for the legalization of the office based religion and the consequent integration of religion in national society also made her respected by all. At the time that she inherited the position of mãe de santo at a young age, it was not easy to lead a terreiro (Candomblé house of worship) due to the persecution the religion suffered by the authorities in those days. Menininha, however, promoted the value of the religion and its integration into local society, obtaining the license to worship the orixás in 1930. Mãe Menininha died in 1986 at age 92. Her funeral was one of the greatest processions in Bahia. All mourned the death of one of the most beloved women of Brazil. Iba e Mãe Menininha!

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