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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.

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Day of the Baiana

Although any female from Bahia is Baiana (Bahian), the character of the Baiana has become a historical and cultural symbol of Bahia, Afro-Brazil, and the Black Woman. Typically, Baianas are women that dress in the traditional white blouse, skirt, head wrap, and colorful beads that represent the orixás of Candomblé. On the streets of Salvador, Baianas cook and sell their quitutes (tasty Afro-Bahian treats) such as acarajé, a fritter made of black-eye peas deep fried in dendê oil.

On November 25, the symbolic character of the Baiana is celebrated as part of the Mês da Consciência Negra (Black Consciousness Month). Celebrations take place with a mass at the church Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos (Our Lady of the Rosary of the Blacks), in Pelourinho, followed by a dance of samba de roda, and typical Bahian food.

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Luislinda Valois

In 1984, Bahian-born Luislinda Valois was the first black woman to become a judge in Brazil, just one of many achievements. She earned her law degree at the age of 39 and lived in the city of Curitiba, in the south of Brazil, working as a municipal attorney, deputy chief and chief of the National Department of Roads and Railroads (DNER) for six years . Valois has won numerous awards and honors for her tireless dedication to the defense of black people and the oppressed. In 2009, she released her first book, O Negro no Século XXI (The Black in the 21st Century) detailing the current situation of black people in education, work, social justice, public policy and sports, and in 2010, she won the prestigious Claudia award, which honors women who dream, achieve and transform the lives of Brazilian people, in the category of Public Policy. Today, at 73, she continues to fight so that black women have more of a space in society.

 

Check out this article on Black Women of Brazil’s website to learn about other Afro-Baianas making a difference in Bahia.