In addition to a lot of Samba and Acarajé, the event organizes the Negrindia Fair and cultural presentations such as Jongo, Capoeira and other activities and attractions linked to Afro and indigenous cultures. Visitors, in addition to being able to taste delicacies from Bahia such as Acarajé and Abará, can also refresh themselves with several drinks, hot or cold, including coconut water (Água de Coco) which cannot be missed. And even, take an invigorating dip in the sea, you are all invited!
The “Roda de Conversa com Acarajé – Samba do Joá” aims to value popular culture and is also an act of resistance. The “Samba do Joá” is a project of the Circuito de Samba Carioca.
The creator of this project is Israel Evangelista, known within the Black Movement as Ofarerê, is from Salvador and holds the position of Ogã initiated at Casa de Oxum Maré, located in Bahia. He is a cultural producer, activist of the social movement CONEN – National Coordination of Black Entities and coordinator of the Afro Religious Movement Ofarerê RJ.
Living in Rio de Janeiro since August 2003, Ofarerê came at the invitation of Yalorixá Edelzuita de Oxaguian to contribute to the institution she presides over, INAOSSTECAB- National Institute, and the Supreme Priestly Organ of the Afro-Brazilian Tradition.
A bit of the trajectory of Israel Ofarerê Evangelista
In March 2004, he participated in the First Walk to Combat Religious Intolerance, held in Copacabana, after consolidating the objective of creating the National Day to Combat Religious Intolerance, which is celebrated on January 21 and was instituted in Salvador by councilwoman Olívia Santana. and made official in 2007.
The date was chosen because on that day, a disrespect was committed against the Priestess Mãe Gilda de Ogum (deceased in 2000), who in 1988 founded the Terreiro de Candomblé Ilê Axé Abassá de Ogum, located in Lagoa de Abaeté in Salvador/Bahia. According to the website Calendarr Brasil, she died after suffering physical and verbal aggression, as well as attacks on her house and terreiro, setting up Religious Intolerance, in addition to being accused of charlatanism by adherents of another religion through a publication in a newspaper.
In 2012, Ofarerê was invited to celebrate the Centenary of Priestess Ìyá Regina de Bomgbosé (Bomboxé) of Iemanjá, who died in 2009. The celebration was a procession starting at Posto Dois, a kiosk in Oxumarê, to Quebra Mar, on Avenida do Pepê , Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. This celebration took place four days after an image of Iemanjá, which the fishermen had in that locality, was totally destroyed, and the possibility of an act of Religious Intolerance was not ruled out, according to the website O Globo Eu-Repórter.
There, a struggle began with the aim of obtaining respect for the signs and symbols of the African Matrices. The topic was debated during the procession and, in the following years, in March, the event Presente de Iemanjá – Xirê de Iemanjá began in the locality, with Ofarerê, the Associação dos Pescadores Livres and the Amigos da Barra as responsible. of Tijuca and surroundings.
In 2015, Ofarere received the Local Actions Award, Rio450 Edition from the Municipal Department of Culture of the City of Rio de Janeiro. With the money earned, an image of a mermaid was made and placed with 750 kilos of concrete, where the image of Iemanjá used to be, which was destroyed.
This image was consecrated by a group of renowned priestesses from the city of Rio de Janeiro, such as: Mãe Beata de Iemanjá (now deceased) accompanied by some of the Ogãs from her house, Ilê Omiojuaro, Mãe Francis de Iemanjá, Mãe Mimi de Nanã , Mãe Almerinda de Oxum, Ebomy Miracema de Oxum, Ekedi Ivete de Iemanjá and by Ogã Ofarerê himself.
Also present was Aluísio Pica pau, local fisherman and President of the Praia dos Amores Fishermen’s Association, who gave all the support to implement the idea, and to hold the event. At the time, the event was recognized as a symbol of resistance in that locality, Barra da Tijuca, and as a manifestation of Afro Popular Culture.
That same year, the project “Roda de Conversa com Acarajé- Samba do Joá” held the cultural event with the Bahian Afro fair and cuisine to hold the Presente de Iemanjá event. And so the project was born, the result of the Gift of Iemanjá.
In October 2019, “Samba do Joá” was part of the Carioca Samba Circles Calendar and was considered fit by the Rio de Janeiro city hall to carry out the Samba Entrepreneurship Circuit. Ofarerê organized a fair with 30 exhibitors, and held a two-hour presentation followed by cultural expression and demonstration, and thus the project received authorization to permanently sell Quitutes from Bahia, having as reference Acarajé, Abará and their rich spices.
How is the project “Roda de Conversa e Acarajé – Samba do Joá” maintained?
Ofarerê explains that the project continues with the Acarajé Board, set up next to the image of the Sereia, in the Quebra Mar in Barra da Tijuca. According to Ofarerê, during the pandemic external events were suspended and the project “Roda de Conversa e Acarajé – Samba do Joá”, received contributions from the exhibitors of Feira Negrindia and partnered with the Delivery trade “Aconchego da Bahia”, a space located on Rua da Chácara, 17, Tijuquinha, Estrada da Barra da Tijuca, and with that the Tabuleiro do Acarajé continued working at full steam with delivery. The same space also serves as the project’s headquarters, where meetings take place.
Below is the 2022 agenda. All events are accompanied by Feira Negrindia, Cultura Afro Indígena:
June 27th and 28th, Samba das widows;
25th and 26th of July, Anniversary of APELABATA – Association of Free Fishermen and Friends of Barra da Tijuca and Surroundings of Barra da Tijuca;
August Recess;
September 19th and 20th, Samba da Primavera;
October 10th and 11th, Samba dos Erês and goes on;
-Acarajé tray, daily at Quebra Mar da Barra da Tijuca starting at 11:00 am and going until the dough runs out;
-Delivery Aconchego da Bahia, from Wednesday to Sunday, from 16:00
More actions
“In March 2020, we were preparing to hold the Salão Arte Naif de Portas Abertas, which, at the invitation of the plastic artist Jorge de Olinda, came from São Paulo with the aim of painting a baiana de acarajé on one of the pilasters, and the others would be painted by other artists representing urban culture such as: graffiti artists, the Hip Hop crowd and others.
With the arrival of the Pandemic, this action became unfeasible and, on the other hand, the artist could not make the return trip, so we spent two months painting the 22 pilasters of Joá, with themes focused on the locality, for the religious issue of Iemanjá and other popular manifestations.”, says Ofarerê.
Another point he points out is that indigenous and African communities need support so that they can be multipliers of actions and management within their institutions, and thus be able to compete on equal terms with the public notices issued by government agencies and others. Samba da Consciência then participated in the Forum Negrindio Rumo a Década Afrodescendant where the Canoas Group was present. Canoas is a consultancy group for social projects that pays attention to public notices aimed at traditional peoples, promoting access to these people, projects and institutions that help maintain the culture and tradition of a people.
For more information about the events, contact Ofarerê in the channels below. Exhibitors are welcome, the more diversity the better.
All are also invited to enjoy the Naif art displayed on the pilasters of Joá RJ.
email: [email protected]
