A. Santana (filha de Oxum) – CANDOMBLE’ AFRO-BRASILIANO Book – Pages 168 – Year: 1998 – Language: Italian

Brazil is a land of magic, and perhaps this is why its inhabitants find it completely normal to establish contacts with the invisible world. The candomblé, an ancient magic-religious cult of African origin, includes numerous followers throughout Brazil: the mysteries, beliefs and specific rituals make it a real religion, completely different and independent from the others. Candomblé is closely linked to nature and the forces that animate it. The author, who has been initiated into her practices since childhood, traces a short story, presents all aspects and illustrates all the rituals, even the most mysterious. The reader will find in these pages the descriptions of the most important ceremonies taking place in Bahia, the methods of natural therapy used in the cult for healing and healing, the areas attributed to the individual deities (orixàs), the recipes relating to sacred dishes and offerings for saints on feast days, a glossary with the main terminologies used in candomblé, a scheme to identify one’s patron deity and the explanation of divination with shells commonly called “Jogo de Buzios”. For the first time in Italy, with this work, a mãe de santo (priestess) reveals the secrets of some foundations of the Brazilian magic-religious tradition, bringing the reader closer to the knowledge of a culture hitherto shrouded in mystery. 23 photographs out of text