The African Race and its Customs in Bahia

Abstract Published in 1916, Querino’s text is one of the earliest studies to focus on Afro-Brazilian visual and material culture, whilst also denouncing the marginalisation of Brazilian people of African origin. After drawing attention to the lack of knowledge of African traditions in Brazil, he provides information on customs in West and Central Africa (Querino refers to those areas as Niger and Congo), the slave trade, and slavery in Brazil. The second part of the text focuses on the Candomblé religion, providing information on its deities, symbolism, rituals, ritualistic spaces, garments, and objects. Querino connects sculptural objects with the idea of fine art. He concludes his text with a section on the Afro-Brazilian revolt of 1835.