Yemanjá: Ecological Wisdom From the Heart of Brazil

In August I came across the trailer for an upcoming documentary, Yemanjá: the film.  To my surprise, the documentary has also already been released (and has English subtitles!).  In addition to addressing Candomblé as a nature-based religion, it takes a look at the political nature of Candomblé as a religion of resistance against racism and

Where’s the Trono?

A few years ago I went to a religious movie night hosted by a Lukumi Iyalorisha friend of mine.  We watched documentaries about both Lukumi and Candomblé, and were able to do a little comparative study through them to learn about each religion. One of the videos we saw was a drumming for Iemanja by

Documentary: Omolu

August-September marks the season when terreiros across Brazil celebrate Omoluaye with the ceremony of the Olubaje.  Here’s another documentary with English subtitles that teaches a little about who Omolu is.

Getting Involved in Candomblé IV: In it for the long haul

by Melissa Since this blog’s inception, hosted across different platforms, I’ve written about the hierarchy in Candomblé both directly and indirectly. I’ve been extremely blessed to have the love and guidance of my Babalorixá, elders and brothers & sisters.  When I first began this journey, I did not anticipate that anything that actually transpired would have.

May the orixás (deities) protect her: Afro-Brazilian religious leader’s temple has suffered eight violent attacks in eight years

Black Brazil Today Note from BW of Brazil: The persecution of followers of African-oriented religions is another form of intolerance that we’ve been following for some time. There’s nothing new about it and represents yet another means in which Brazilian society shows its rejection of the African presence and influence in the country. The rise