The day Africa and Christianity have the same party
Written by: Deryk Almeida
Brazil with S. Yes, I suppose there are things in this large and heterogeneous territory that we don’t know well the origin and the way in which they were started. Religious celebrations are the greatest example of this, especially when they are inserted so naturally in popular culture that we don’t even realize where they come from and what they actually represent. These celebrations say much more about our Brazilianness than the things that the acclaimed Eurocentric theorists propose about our national spirit.
One of these celebrations is Saints Cosmas and Damian Day (pt-BR: São Cosme e Damião), a religious celebration made for children around the country. In Christianity, Cosmas and Damian were two Arab physicians reputedly twin brothers and early Christian martyrs. In Afro-Brazilian religions, they are Ibeji, the twins’ orisha “jejê-nagô” (yoruba). The association of these entities in different religions occurs because of syncretism, an important factor and religious miscegenation that contributed strongly to the construction of Brazilian culture.
On this day, elements of African and Afro-Brazilian culture mix with elements of Western Christian culture for the children and erés celebration. In the case of Christians, children are offered candies in the streets, houses and churches. In the African religions, in addition to candies for children and erés, foods such vatapá and caruru are offered and Ibeji parties take place in the terreiros (an ancestral space and religious temple that recalls its adherents and regulars to the chilombo). In a universal way, cakes, soft drinks and snacks are also offered to children.
I believe that one of the problems of this celebration is the safety of children who take to the streets for parties. Perhaps, because it is a religious festival, and mainly because its main origin is Afro-Brazilian, there is no measure or attitude from the authorities responsible for security that benefits this population that celebrates that day — especially in the suburbs and peripheries. Another problem is people’s ignorance regarding this day, which is so important for us Brazilians. Part of the population, for religious and socio-cultural reasons, devalues this celebration and its meaning. But, there’s so much reasons to be proud of Ibeji/Saints Cosmas and Damian Day. It is a day when children take center stage in practices, and all we do is give them the best — I believe that every day should be like this, because children are our future and our hope for better days. Along with this, this date is a way for us to celebrate our identity and value our own culture and influences.
For me, an Afro-Brazilian, that day has enormous meaning. In addition to celebrating the heritage left by my ancestors, this day activates my affective memory of the times when I was a child.
