Celebration in Serra da Barriga honors legacy of Quilombo dos Palmares
After a four-year hiatus, festivities for Black Awareness Day resumed on Monday (Nov. 20) at Serra da Barriga, in the Quilombo dos Palmares Memorial Park, in the state of Alagoas. This historical site served as the headquarters of the quilombo—community of runaway slaves—led by the iconic Zumbi, leader of the resistance against slavery. The chosen date for celebrating the fight against racism in Brazil corresponds to the day of Zumbi's death.A pre-dawn ritual by priests of African religions on Monday involved ascending Serra da Barriga to pay homage to ancestors. Early in the morning, floral offerings were presented at the park's lagoon in reverence to the female orishas (gods or spirits) of the waters. "Water is the force of nature," emphasized Pai Célio Rodrigues, or Father Célio Rodr...