POR101 Fall 2018: Nordeste do Brasil: Bahia

Nordeste do Brasil: Bahia

Bahia is a very historically rich region, Porto Seguro first place the Portuguese landed in Brasil. It was named so because of the reefs that formed a natural break line along the coast, allowing for the European ships to dock very easily and make landfall. Discovered by Pedro Alvares Cabral (another European trying to get to India) in the 1500's, he only stayed for a few days before deciding to move on and conquer this new land at a later time.

Salvador is the home of capoiera, a fighting style that looks a lot like dancing. It was created by slaves to disguise fights with dance and has since been turned into a soulful craft of millions around the world. https://youtu.be/aF0HVit4XBU

This is the region where you will find snacks like the coconut candy cocada and tapioca, a manioc flour crepe. There is also the dangerously appealing Capeta, a vodka-based drink, with sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon and Guarana sold by vendors on the boulevard.

Now to talk about the music genre axé, which sounds like something you wold play at a party, or while jazzercising like these people. https://youtu.be/Ab9hxtpFanw

There are also many native tribes still living (relatively) similarly to how they did when the Europeans arrived, in fact, in December of 2005, I went to one with my family and we took a couple hand made bows and spears like these.

The population of Bahia is made up of a mixture of African and European lineage. Roman Catholicism is the primary religion. Crops grown in Bahia include sugarcane, cassava (manioc), soy, corn (maize), cotton, cacao (the source of cocoa beans), and sisal (Britannica, 2018).
It is made up of more than 50 small, yet stunning islands.

What is Samba? A Brazilian dance of African origin from Bahia.

Food of Bahia

Vatapá:

If you want vatapá – ô

Try to make it like so:
First add the corn meal,
Then the African palm oil,
Look for a black woman from
Bahia – ô
That can - stir
That can - stir
That can - stir
Add cashew nuts
A little bit more
Red pepper
A little bit more
Add peanuts, shrimp and grate
the coconut
Then mix it all together
Finally, season it with salt,
ginger and onions, Yayá!

Song written by Dorival Caymmi.

Acarajé: Black-eyed-pea and shrimp fritters made from peeled beans formed into a ball and then deep-fried in dendê.

Bobo de Camarão: a chowder-like Brazilian dish of shrimp in a purée of manioc meal with coconut milk and other ingredients.

Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, Bahia: This is one of the most famous churches in Brazil. One of its most iconic features is its painted wooden ceiling designed by Bahia artist Franco Velasco between 1818 and 1820.