• Batalá
  • About Us
    • History
    • Drums
    • Mundo Batalá
    • In The News
    • Meet the Batalettes
  • Media
    • Music
    • Videos
    • Photos
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Book Us
  • Blog

Leave a Comment

Batala Washington on Interfaith Voices

Batala Washington members were interviewed for this episode of Interfaith Voices, a national public radio program about faith and social justice.

The theme for the episode is about Brazil’s changing religious landscape as Pentacostalism continues to grow beyond traditional Catholicism and become more contentious against Afro-Brazilian religions (Candomble, Umbanda, Macumba).

The last section of the episode features Batala Washington.

God and Government: Brazil Beyond Catholicism

It's only fair to share...Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Email this to someone
email

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Leave a Comment

Mulheres de Axé

Mulheres de Axé (Women of Axé) is a short documentary–with English subtitles–about the Bahian women of Candomblé and their roles in leading the community, keeping their culture alive, and being at the forefront of the struggle against religious intolerance and discrimination from evangelicals. The video features many of the same women featured in another documentary called Cidade das Mulheres (City of Women) which goes deeper into the exploration of the topic of race and gender and reveals Afro-Bahian women as leaders, cultural sustainers, and the heart and soul of Salvador.

Also, check out the trailer for Cidade das Mulheres below.
It's only fair to share...Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Email this to someone
email

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Leave a Comment

Dia de Finados or Dia dos Mortos

O Dia de Finados, or Dia dos Mortos (also known as the Roman Catholic, All Souls Day), is celebrated as a national holiday every year on November 2. In Brazil, Finados is considered a national holiday. The day is meant to honor loved ones who have died. Many Brazilians will visit the cemeteries where they will leave offerings of flowers and light candles for their loved ones. Some also sing hymns and pray for the souls of the dearly departed. Others use the day to hold a cookout and invite friends and family over for gathering.

Unlike in Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos, Dia de Finados in Brazil, is not celebrated as a party. Finados is a somber day to pray for the dead. The idea is to remember and celebrate the life of loved ones.

In Candomblé houses, Omolú is the orixá that ushers those passing from life to death. He also is the owner of the cemetery and is sometimes propitiated on this day.

It's only fair to share...Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Email this to someone
email

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Leave a Comment

Santos Cosme e Damião (and Caruru!)

The festa of São Cosme and São Damião (Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian) occurs on the 27th of September. It’s a day when everybody eats carurú, a kind of vegetable stew made from quiabo (okra), dried shrimp, dendê oil, and ground cashews. However, whenever someone says they are having a carurú, they mean that guests are served a traditional plate that includes this food (plus vatapá, among other things). It’s one of many traditional Bahian holidays celebrated by people coming together in family, food, and friendship. Since the two saints were twin brothers, Cosme and Damião are syncretized with the orixá of twin children called Ibeji.

RECIPE – CARURU

2 lbs. okra, trimmed and cut into small rounds

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

1 lb. dried small smoked shrimp (found in African or International markets), ground in food processor

1/2 lb. roasted, unsalted, cashews, ground in food processor

3/4 cup dendê oil

juice of one lime

hot water

Heat the dendê oil in a large heavy saucepan, add the onion and garlic and fry until soft. Add the ginger and cook for an additional minute or two. Add the okra, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the okra is soft. Add the ground shrimp and cashews, and cook for an additional five minutes. Add water just to cover. Continue to cook at low temperature, checking consistency. If the dish becomes very thick and slippery, add the lime juice. Let cook until the okra seeds change color from white to rosy-pink, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Source: http://flavorsofbrazil.blogspot.com/2009/10/recipe-caruru.html

It's only fair to share...Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Email this to someone
email

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Next Page »

Categories

  • Bahian Culture
  • Bahian Food
  • Bahian Women
  • Candomblé
  • Cultural Activism
  • Dance
  • Festas / Holidays
  • History
  • Music

Tags

Afro Afro-Bahian afro-brazilian afro-feminist axe bahia Baianas Black Black Consciousness Month black movement blocos Candomble Carnaval Cortejo Afro cuisine Culture dance female Festas film food History Iemanja iyalorixa mae de santo Male movimento negro music Olodum Omolu orixa orixas Oxossi recipe recipes Reconcavo reggae religion roda Salvador Samba samba reggae social resistance women Yemanja

Like Us on Facebook

WordPress booking

Join Our Mailing List

Join Our Mailing List For Info On Performances & Rehearsals!

Show your Bata-love and donate!

Follow Us On Instagram

bataladc

Batalá Washington celebrates Black History Month Batalá Washington celebrates Black History Month and joins in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society. We honor the roots of the music we play as well as our Black artists and musicians. Did you know that Samba-reggae arose in the context of the Black Pride Movement that occurred in the city of Salvador de Bahia, around the year 1969, and it still carries connotations of ethnic identity and pride for Afro-Brazilians today? #blackhistorymonth #blacklivesmatter #batalahey #sambareggaemusic #musicofresistance
Every year on February Second, some million or mor Every year on February Second, some million or more people in the Brazilian city of Salvador, Bahia, walk in procession through the streets of the Rio Vermelho district of that city, all dressed in white, making their way down to the seashore and the small house that's said to be the home of Yemanjá, a powerful goddess (Orixá) in the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomblé. Yemanjá is the essence of motherhood, the protector of children, fishermen and sailors, and most importantly, she is the sea itself. When the celebrants reach the shore Yemanjá's they pass their baskets laden with gifts for the goddess to fishermen to take out to sea and leave them on the waters as offerings to the Orixá. Gifts for Yemanjá often include images of the goddess, flowers and objects of female vanity (perfume, jewelry, combs, lipsticks, mirrors). Later in the day, the festival of Yemanjá becomes a massive street party which carries on into the night.

In the synchristic tradition that blends the Orixás who traveled to Brazil with African slaves with the saints and holy figures of Christianity who arrived with the Portuguese,  Yemanjá is identified with certain aspects of the Virgin Mary, and February Second in the Roman Catholic calendar is the day of Our Lady of Navigators (Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes). The celebrants at Salvador's festival honor one divinity in two personages, the African Yemanjá and the Christian Our Lady, without thoughts of separation or difference between the two.

Gifts for Yemanjá
As with all the gods and goddess of the Candomblé tradition, Yemanjá is associated with certain foods, and these foods are offered to her on her special day as well as eaten by her devotees at the street festival that follows the ceremonical activities of the day. Yemanjá's colors, like the Virgin Mary's, are white and blue - obvious choices for a Rainha do Mar (Queen of the Sea). An Orixá's favorite foods are often visually connected with his or her image and chosen colors, Yemanjá's special food are white, or very light in color (there are very few foods that are truly blue). Yemanjá prefers sweet foods, making such dishes as honeyed rice and sweet corn puddings.
We couldn’t help but to join in the Bernie fun! We couldn’t help but to join in the Bernie fun! Thanks to our drummer gal @jcon2313 for the photo edit! 😅🙌🏽🎉 #batalahey #berniesanders #berniesmittens
Wishing you all, our friends and family, a wonderf Wishing you all, our friends and family, a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year! We hope we get to perform for you in person in 2021! #batalahey #oneloveonedrum 🎉💪🏽🎶🥁
Memories of last year (2019) when we added music a Memories of last year (2019) when we added music and percussion background sounds to the “Un Violador En Tu Camino” manifestation supporting all the survivors of sexual assault, violence and harrassment. #elvioladorerestú #lastesis #saynotoviolenceagainstwomen
We SOO miss playing at this great yearly event! ❤️😩 But all the love to our friends at @krampusnachtdc for the awesome video 👌🏽🎉❤️ #batalahey #oneloveonedrum❤️🥁
Happy “I can’t, I have practice” day to all Happy “I can’t, I have practice” day to all our fellow musicians of the world! #internationalmusiciansday #batalahey #oneloveonedrum❤️🥁
#Repost @batala_atenas Our music has its roots in #Repost @batala_atenas
Our music has its roots in Salvador in Bahia, and is filled with a big dose of brazilian samba...last year some of us were lucky enough to visit our home of inspiration and play with @batala_brasilia, alongside our Batala friends from across the world. It was such an amazing experience...truly unforgettable! #OneLoveOneDrum ❤️🥁

#Athens #Greece #expression_greece #batala #batalamundo #batalaatenas #sambareggae #samba #brazilianmusic #brazil #brazilian #brazilianmusic #takemebacktobrazil #brazil🇧🇷
Felíz Dia de los Muertos DC! #diadelosmuertos #ba Felíz Dia de los Muertos DC! #diadelosmuertos #batalahey #batalamundo #washingtondclife #washingtondcmusicians #tamboreras #womendrummers
Load More... Follow on Instagram
  • Batalá
  • About Us
  • Media
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Book Us
  • Blog

BatalaWashington.com 2018 All Rights Reserved

No photos, graphics, videos, or content in general of this website may be reproduced without Batala Washington's express consent.


Handcrafted with by District Creative Studio | Powered by Genesis Framework.