Afro-Brazilian Architecture: The Ilê Axé Xapanã in Cachoeira, Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

This article deals with the recognition of Afro-Brazilian architectures present in Quilombola territories, taking Ilê Axé Xapanã as a reference, a Candomblé temple located in the community of Santiago do Iguape, municipality of Cachoeira, state of Bahia, Brazil. In the Quilombola territory, the existence of an Afro-centered and Afro-referenced cosmovision is affirmed, where anticolonial movements that build counter-hegemonic architectures are articulated, such as those that constitute the Candomblé Terreiros, essential for the permanence and resistance of these communities. The qualitative methodology was based on social interaction with the Ilê Axé Xapanã community and its rituals, on interviews, oral and photographic records, and on the descriptive and detailed form of Afro-Brazilian architecture and ritual elements. As a result, the relevance of affirming a black / African ancestry is highlighted, expressed in the materiality and immateriality of the Candomblé Terreiro, built from the various existing cultural and religious manifestations. These architectures are composed of material and immaterial heritage simultaneously, driven by the flow of vital Axé that gives is a unique and singular meaning to the architecture of Terreiros in Quilombos.