The White House [Candomble]

Our visit to the White House was great. We sat on padded benches as we learned the history of Candomble from Willys Santos dressed in as much white as we could find in our Fulbright Brazil wardrobes. If I ran this program, I would send a list of suggested dress such as white for this visit, more formal wear for the trip to Congress, comfortable walking shoes and insect repellent for the day biting mosquitoes that carry dengue fever, lightweight pants and skirts

Yemanja is the orixa who looks like a mermaid, known to me by her Haitian name Erzulie. I looked up some information on her due to my obsession with mermaids. She is very important in Brazil. In Salvador Yemanjá is celebrated by Candomblé on the same day consecrated by the Catholic Church to Our Lady of Seafaring (Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes). Every February 2nd, thousands of people line up at dawn to leave their offerings at her shrine in Rio Vermelho.

Gifts for this orixa usually include flowers and objects of female vanity including perfume, jewelry, combs, lipsticks and mirrors. These are gathered in large baskets and taken out to the sea by local fishermen. There is a lively street party after the offering is made.

Yemanjá enjoys a second celebration in Salvador every December 8. The Festa da Conceição da Praia (Feast to Our Lady of Conception of the church at the beach) is a festival dedicated to the Virgin Mary and also to Iemanjá. Another feast occurs on in the Pedra Furada, Monte Serrat in Salvador called the Gift to Iemanjá, when fishermen honor the Queen of the Ocean. Outside Bahia State, Yemanjá is celebrated mainly by followers of the Umbanda religion.

We were going to go shopping in the Mercado after our visit today but it was closed I suppose because it is a Sunday. Maybe tomorrow Mariana tells us. I did get a lot of pictures though inside the main shrine. The orixas get their energy from leaves, trees, stones especially those from rivers though volcanic stones are sacred to one of the male orixas, water, etc. The White House has lots of greenery sacred to the orixas and an interesting stand of bamboo tied with a huge ribbon. Nearby, across the street, is a favela - where the working class people live. You will be able to tell from the picture that I post next.