Afro-Brazilian

Afro-Brazilians is a name for Brazilians with African ancestors. Usually the term is used more cultural than ethnic. He differs from the North American designation African Americans.

In Brazil, living with 70 to 75 million people, most descendants of Africans outside of Africa. Descendants, who mainly descended from African slaves, or only, who make up 10 % of the Brazilian population. Another 40 % comes from both Europeans and Africans. The largest concentration of Afro Brazilians found in Bahia, where over 80 % of the population are Afro-Brazilians.

History

After the Indian population had proved unsuitable for the work on the sugar plantations, the colonial homeland Portugal began in 1550 to import Africans. More than 3 million slaves, about 37 % of all deported to America Africans were brought to Brazil.

During the colonial era in Brazil slavery was the mainstay of the Brazilian economy, especially in mining and sugar cane production. 1835/1836 freed Afro-Brazilian slaves were resettled in Africa. They were called Retornados, Tabom in Ghana and Amaro or Agudas in Benin, Togo and Nigeria. In the 19th century a group of evangelical leaders operating in the UK lobbying for the abolition of slavery in Brazil. In addition to moral concerns, there were also tangible economic interests: the colonies of Great Britain, where slavery was prohibited by competition had disadvantages compared to Brazil. That is why the British government increased the pressure on Brazil and reached on 13 May 1888, the final abolition of slavery. Thus, Brazil was the last country in the Western Hemisphere, which abolished slavery.

Ethnic composition of the Afro-Brazilians

The Africans who were brought to Brazil, consisted mainly of two groups. The first group comes from the Sudan and West Africa. They were mostly Yoruba, Fon, Ashanti, Ewe and Mandinka. They were large, had a relatively high- culture and were forced to settle mainly in Bahia.

The second group were Bantu from Angola, Congo and Mozambique, which were mainly located in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and the Northeast of the zona mata. In the last decades of slavery black indentured laborers came to Brazil, mainly from Portuguese-speaking Africa.

Religion

Most Afro-Brazilians are Christians, mostly Catholics. In addition, also religions of African origin, such as Candomblé million followers, most of them Afro-Brazilians. The followers are mainly focused on the major urban centers in northeastern Brazil as Salvador da Bahia, Recife. Rio de Janeiro in the southeast is another center. Also in São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul, there are followers, mostly immigrants from the northeast. In addition to Candomblé Umbanda still exists, among other things, which is a mixture of African belief and spiritualism.

Previously, the Afro-Brazilian religions were persecuted, later, the religions of the Brazilian government were legalized.

Other variants Candomblé and Umbanda in addition include Rowdy, the Xangô cult in the Northeast and Macumba.

Afro Brazilian cuisine

The kitchen in the state of Bahia dominated the Afro- Bahian cuisine, which consists of African, American- Indian cuisine and traditional Portuguese dishes.

Typical dishes are Vatapá and moqueca, both of which are prepared with seafood and palm oil. Palm oil ( Azeite de Dendê ) is a tropical oil that is obtained from the oil palm, which grows in northern Brazil, won.

Another typical Brazilian dish is feijoada. Usually it consists of black beans, rice, pork and farofa. Originally a Portuguese court, it developed on the African slaves and led some inferior ingredients a: pig ears, feet and waist and beans. It was further developed by all cultures and there are hundreds of methods of preparation.

Capoeira

Capoeira is a martial art that was introduced in colonial Brazil by African slaves. It is characterized by nimble and tricky moves. Capoeira comes from Angola. But there he is, capoeira rhoda. Accompanying the martial dance of percussion music that is played on the berimbau, Atabaques, the Agogô and Xequerês.

Music

The music of the Afro-Brazilians is based on the music of Africa. It strongly emphasizes the percussion and is characterized by strong syncopations and polyrhythmic structures.

The Afro-Brazilians were able to maintain African traditions rather than the slaves in North America, as the Portuguese slave owners this is largely allowed. The Afro-Brazilian music has nevertheless strongly mixed with Portuguese and African influences.

Musical styles with particularly strong Afro-Brazilian share include the music of Candomblé, samba, maracatu, the music of capoeira, Afoxé, Lundu and Rowdy.

Among the Afro-Brazilian instruments include Atabaque, Agogô, berimbau and Xequerê.