Candomblé is an Afro-Brazilian religious tradition rooted in Yoruba, Bantu, and Fon belief systems, shaped through their encounter with Catholicism during the colonial period. At its center are the orixás – deities associated with natural forces and human characteristics, who are honored through ritual, music and offerings.

Ceremonies take place in terreiros, where participants gather for structured, often night-long rituals. Rhythmic drumming, chanting, and repeated dance movements guide the ceremony. Initiates, dressed in ceremonial garments, enter states that are understood within the practice as possession by specific orixás, expressed through distinct gestures and movement.

This reportage was photographed in Salvador da Bahia during a ceremony dedicated to Yemanjá, the orixá associated with the sea, motherhood and protection, often honored through offerings and rituals connected to water.