Capoeira Capital of the World

Typical architecture in the main square in Pelhourina, the heart of Bahia
see all photos »

I found Bahia to be fascinating  and very different from anywhere else I have ever been. A tiny history of Bahia might better help understand where I am coming from. The successful conversion of native Indians depleted the pools of available slaves to work on Brazilwood (a source of reddish dye)then their major source of wealth. With the introduction of sugar plantations the need for human workers grew immensely and thus the importation of African slaves began. Until 1888 when slavery was abolished in Brazil, the number of slaves imported was double that in the United States!The spirit and culture of Bahia has been largely determined by the successors of the first African immigrant slaves.  I was amazed to find that the Yoruba (one of the biggest tribes in Nigeria) have greatly influenced a lot of the practices that remain common there today. 'Abada', the name for capoeira pants comes from the word 'agbada' which in Nigeria refers to the long robe (if you have seen the current Nigerian president then you know what I mean as that is the only thing he wears). Candomble , which is some kind of a religion that evolved due to the slaves being forbidden to practice their native beliefs. We tried to go to one of their ceremonies but were unable to find anyone who knew where, what or when.

Part of the same square
see all photos »

We talked to lots of locals who denied any form of racism in Brazil. Experiencing this made me think about US's racial problem and what the US racial state would have been if like in Brazil with the abolution of slavery it had not continued with segregation, discrimination and all things racial.