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Festa Junina- São João/St. John Festival

Festa Junina continues with the celebration of São João (Saint John the Baptist) on June 24 all the way until June 29 with the celebration of São Pedro (Saint Peter). It is a state holiday throughout Bahia and, typically, baianos travel to the rural small towns for festivities as it is a celebration of  the countryside with forró (country style music), quadrilha dancing (similar to square dancing), and bonfires lit for the summer solstice (“winter” in Brazil). The most popular celebrations are in the Recôncavo cities of Cachoeira, Santo Amaro, and Santo Antonio de Jesus. Orixá Xangô, the deity of fire and thunder, is syncretized with Saints John and Peter and is celebrated with the jumping of the bonfires and venerated for peace and justice.

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Bembê do Mercado and the Abolition of Slavery

On May 13, 1888, the Lei Áurea (Golden Law) was signed by Princess Isabela of Brazil which finally abolished slavery in Brazil, making Brazil the last nation in the western hemisphere to free its enslaved people.

In Santo Amaro, a Bahian Recôncavo town, Bembê do Mercado is a festival that commemorates this event every May 13. Candomblé rites are practiced under a barracão (a big tent) with religious icons and symbols set up in front of the town’s mercado (market). Musical shows, capoeira, samba de roda and maculelê are some of the highlights of the celebration. Nego Fugido, a reenactment of a slave escape attempt that resulted in recapture and the purchase of manumission, takes place in the streets. At the end of the celebrations, a fireworks display is followed by a ritual offering to Iemanjá at nearby Itapema Beach.

It should also be noted that many other Afro-Brazilians do not commemorate this day and have branded it as the Day of “Falsa Abolição” (False Abolition) because the law did nothing to guarantee a better life for the hundreds of thousands of slaves in Brazil, like providing education, land, or monetary grants, which effectively kept them from advancing and participating equally in Brazilian society. Afro-Brazilians fought for their freedom, and continue to fight to this day, for political, social, and economic justice.
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Samba de Roda

Samba de Roda, which involves festive music, dance and singing, was developed in the state of Bahia, in the region of  the Recôncavo during the 17th century. It evolved from the dances, rhythms, and cultural traditions from different regions in Africa where enslaved Africans brought to Brazil were from. One of the defining characteristics of the dance is the gathering of participants in a circle (roda) while each one takies turns dancing in the center of the ring while the others clap their hands and sing. At first, a major component of regional popular culture among Afro-Bahians, the Samba de Roda was eventually taken by migrants to Rio de Janeiro, where it influenced the evolution of the urban samba that became a symbol of Brazilian national identity in the 20th century.

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Hey DC! We’ve got a busy weekend ahead and we’ Hey DC! We’ve got a busy weekend ahead and we’re so excited for it! Join us for any or all of our performances! Saturday 12p: Afro-Atlantic Histories Festival @ngadc 3:30p: Mt Pleasant family show @dcpl Sunday 5pm: Season Opener halftime show @washingtonspirit
Hi friends! Be sure to catch us at our next show w Hi friends! Be sure to catch us at our next show when we play at the Afro-Atlantic Histories Festival @ngadc National Gallery of Art on April 30th at 12pm.
Also, check out this great exhibition that opens tomorrow. 
#braziliandrumming #afrobrazilian #batala #washingtondc
Another @runrocknroll in the books! Congrats to al Another @runrocknroll in the books! Congrats to all the runners! Also, shout out to all the race staff, volunteers, and city employees that make it all happen! 👟🥁 #batalahey
International Women’s Day - Celebrated annually International Women’s Day - Celebrated annually on March 8. Is a day that commemorates the social, political and economic achievements of women. Women in different parts of the world use this day to come together to celebrate one another and rally for equal treatment and representation. Batala Hey to all the wonderful women of the world! 🎉❤️💃🏽🎶🥁
#batalahey #womeninmusic #womendrummers #internationalwomensday
We had a fabulous time celebrating Mardi Gras yest We had a fabulous time celebrating Mardi Gras yesterday with everyone that came out to @thewharfdc for the parade! #mardigras #bataláhey ⚜️💚💜❤️🥁 

🎥 @4romeros
Looking for something fun to do this coming Saturd Looking for something fun to do this coming Saturday? Batalá Washington will be participating at this year’s Mardi Grass Parade at The Wharf. Festivities start at 3pm. February 26 at 3pm. Hope to see you there! 

#mardigrassdc #washingtondc #thewharfdc
Happy Black History Month from Batalá Washington! Happy Black History Month from Batalá Washington!
Batalá Washington’s mission is to empower women through music and drumming and to expose our DC community to the Afro-Brazilian, most specifically to the Afro-Bahian, music and culture. We celebrate and honor all the Afro-Brazilian artists and musicians who inspire us every day.
#blackhistorymonth #afrobrazilianculture #afrobrazilianmusic #afrobahia #sambareggae
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022 to our Batala DC Familia. Wish HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022 to our Batala DC Familia. Wishing the new year brings much happiness, health and samba reggae and funk beats to all. Feliz Ano Novo. Batala Hey!.
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#batalahey #happynewyear
We had an amazing (& chilly) morning playing for a We had an amazing (& chilly) morning playing for all the runners of the @runrocknroll half marathon! Thanks to all the runners, staff, volunteers, first responders and crowd for a great race! 👟🥁
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