The Festival of Iemanjá

 

The festival of Iemanjá each February gives thanks to the Candomblé goddess of the seas. You will see her image in many places in Salvador.  The city is located on a peninsula with the ocean on three sides.  She is very important to the livelihood of many fishermen. There are a few islands very nearby to Salvador that locals live, and commute by ferry each day to the city. Keeping the goddess of the seas pleased is a priority. Like most festivals, there is the serious spiritual aspect followed by a joyful carnaval like festival. 

In Salvador, Bahia, Iemanjá is celebrated by Candomblé on the same day consecrated by the Catholic Church to Our Lady of Seafaring (Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes).^[5] Every February 2, thousands of people line up at dawn to leave their offerings at her shrine in Rio Vermelho. Gifts for Iemanjá include flowers and objects of female vanity (perfume, jewelry, combs, lipsticks, mirrors). These are gathered in large baskets and taken out to the sea by local fishermen. Afterwards a massive street party ensues.^{[2][6] - Wikipedia} 

By the thousands, they come to bring offerings of flowers to the Iemanjá alter. Along the streets vendors sell flowers to those who want to have placed a sea. Thousands of beautiful flowers wait for their turn.  

The beach in the Rio Vermelho barrio is full of fishing boats and schooners which hustle to the ocean.  Those who want to personally place their flowers at sea pay a fee to join the fishermen.  

Others stand at the edge of the water and place their flowers...

Meantime, thousands of people adored in white and blue, crowd the streets of Rio Vermelho. 

Flowers carriers have a difficult time making their way through the vast crowd. This is the second live festival since the pandemic and considered the warmup for Carnaval later in the month, all the energy needs to be released. It's a perfect day, the direct sun is very hot, yet the steady breeze is refreshing if you can find shade.  

The neighborhood of Rio Vermelho where the ceremonies take place, is known for its bars, restaurants and live music. Local establishments crank up the sound to entertain and lure in customers. At some point, the locals join in the singing. The band lets them belt out tunes while their friends cheer them on. Its loud, and out of tune at times, but after a few drinks in the hot sun no one really notices. 

Then, out of nowhere, this guy just stands up, moves his arms like he is jogging and dances. Not a dance I have ever seen. No one corrected him. No one asked him to leave. He danced to his own beat. You can let your hair down, with whatever hair you may possess, and totally enjoy the moment. That is Bahia. 

The Festival of Iemanjá is a fabulous day to enjoy the sights and sounds, it's very hip and cool like this little guy. 

Thank you for reading my travel blog. My name is Howard W. Tucker. I am honored to be your guide to Bahia, Brazil. I have traveled to Bahia for 10 years. I am currently a resident of Brazil, living in Bahia with my wife and family.  As my travel companion, I will be introducing you to sights, sounds, people and culture of this incredibly amazing and diverse country.  

I welcome your thoughts and suggestions about places we can both explore so please feel free to contact me at htvision4edu@gmail.com