Celebrating Iemanjá in Rio Vermelho

 

On Tuesday, February 2, the neighborhood of Rio Vermelho in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil celebrated the Queen of the Sea, Iemanjá. Devotees began arriving at the beach around 4:00 am and kept streaming into the Casa de Peso, where the offerings were collected until well into the evening; bringing offerings of flowers, perfume, jewelry, mirrors, and dolls to be sent off into the sea.

And there was plenty of capoeira. A street roda led by Sapoti, who organizes the weekly Sunday night roda in Rio Vermelho, as well as a roda, samba, and feijoada organized by Grupo Nzinga.