Banco da Gamboa

Ironically, on this date in 1857, the US Supreme Court in Dred Scott v Sandford, ruled that Scott, a slave, could not sue for his freedom since he wasn’t a citizen. [Note: he was emancipated by his new owner 3 months later.] This decision is often cited as one of the main reasons for the Civil War. The 13th Amendment abolishing slavery but didn’t pass until 1865. Why is all this so interesting TODAY?

TODAY, we are in Salvador (capital of the state of Bahia), Brazil, which is 80% black of African descent and has a strong Afro-Brazilian culture due to its slave history. This includes their religion, music and art. There are statues commemorating this time period and the freedom fighters and the freedom they fought for. Slavery was abolished here in 1835. Their religion is very interesting as depicted in the lagoon at Dique de Tororo Park where there are 8 statues of the gods called the Circle of Orishas (there are a total of 128 African Gods). According to their beliefs, everything has a soul including all of nature and everything we see and hear.

Over 4 million people live here (it’s the 2rd largest city in Brazil and 7th in Latin America) and it lays on a peninsula bounded by the Bay of All Saints and the Atlantic Ocean. Founded in 1549 as a part of the Portuguese Empire this is a very strategic area for its sugar, gold and for its location. The difficulty they have had with their topography has developed the upper and lower towns.

The women are in traditional Baiana (slave) costumes and everywhere we went they gave us a wish ribbon, which is to be worn until your wish comes true. The Barra neighborhood is the place to be for Carnival with the largest party in the world (yes, bigger than Rio!). We stopped and saw many of the 11 forts used to protect the city from the Dutch in the 1600. We also saw many of their beautiful beaches. The Farol da Barra lighthouse (from 1839) is at Fort Santo Antônio (see photo).

The Upper Town is connected to the Lower by an elevator (lacerda) in the photo (Largo do Pelurinho), a UNESCO listed Site for its architecture and monuments). We walked around to see the architecture from colonial times and to see the city center during the Portuguese colonial period. We stopped by a memorial to the Bahia Cathedral (1552) that the city demolished in 1933 to make space for a streetcar (bizarre). Sadly, this is the area known as the ”whipping post” since the slaves were tortured here.Read more