Traditions of Salvador
The Afro-Brazilian heart of the country, home of Candomblé, capoeira, acarajé and the Lavagem do Bonfim.
Salvador, the first capital of Brazil, is the centre of Afro-Brazilian culture, where the heritage of enslaved Yoruba and other peoples shapes religion, music, dance and cooking. Candomblé houses, capoeira circles and the sellers of acarajé in white dresses, the baianas, are everyday sights. Carnival in Salvador is a street party of trio elétricos.
Candomblé, capoeira and Bonfim
In January, the Lavagem do Bonfim sees baianas wash the steps of the Bonfim Church with perfumed water, in a mix of Catholic and Candomblé belief. Capoeira, a martial art disguised as dance, with berimbau music, is played in circles in the plazas. On 2 February, offerings are carried to the sea for Iemanjá at Rio Vermelho.
At the table
Acarajé, a black-eyed pea fritter fried in dendê palm oil and filled with vatapá and shrimp, is the signature snack. Moqueca baiana, a fish stew with coconut milk, and caruru, okra stew, are offered to the orixás. Cocada and quindim are sweets.
Signature traditions of Salvador
Also part of it, and being written: Candomblé (The faith.), Acarajé (The fritter.), Moqueca (The stew.).
A trail idea for Salvador
- Pelourinho Walk the old town.
- Mercado Modelo Buy crafts.
- Igreja do Bonfim See the ribbons.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilCapoeira
An Afro-Brazilian martial art and musical game played inside a circleGame
🇧🇷 Salvador, BrazilLavagem do Bonfim
An annual inter-religious procession and cleansing ritual in Salvador, BrazilSpiritual
🇧🇷 Recife, BrazilFrevo
A fast, brass-driven dance and music of Recife's Carnival, danced with a small umbrellaPerformance
🇮🇹 Venice, Italy and 5 moreCarnival
A season of parades, masks and feasting in the days before LentFestival · Feasts and festival meals
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Lavagem do Bonfim: Adenilson Nunes/ AGECOM, CC BY 2.0, source
- Capoeira: Augustus Earle, Public domain, source
- Frevo: Prefeitura de Olinda, CC BY 2.0, source
- Carnival: Etienne Le Cocq, CC BY-SA 3.0, source