the the big ones of his court, of his ingenuous and terrible Olympos. Like Xangô, the god of storms, lightning and thunder. A curious and ambivalent (macho and female) wears trouses under his skirt. Demanding in what he eats, he is served only sheep, rooster, turtle and omalá, a special caruru.
His insignia: a hammer with wings. Colours: white and red. Oxôsse is the god of hunting, represented in the shrines by the image of São Jorge. His feast is on the day of Corpus Cristi. Vain the the way he dresses, uses vivid blue, green and red pieces, a long robe over his shoulders and sometimes a leather hat. Ogum, the god of war, is identified also as Santo Antônio, who in Bahia is the captain of National Army, and always appears with a sword, duelling when dancing. The patron of martial arts, he wears dark blue. Olòlu is the god of smallpox and the doctor of the blacks, very popular among the believers. With his feast on 16th August, when he comes down he obliges some to use a long hood of straw over their shoulders. Irôko, "a black gameleira-tree", which is pretty difficult to appear, is at once recognized by the way it dances: on the knees and is covered by straw; identified (not always) with S. Francisco de Assis. Oxunmarê, "the rainbow" is S. Bartolomeu for the blacks, with feast on 24th August. Raised by Xangô, he takes the form a serpent for the believers. His clothes are white with gold seashells carrying a trident in his hand.
The feminine orixás are known as viabás. Nanã, Senhora de Santana, is the oldest of water-mothers and dances always as though having a child in her arms, with sky-blue and white clothing; has a feast on 26th July. Yemanjá, the more popular, in her compete the african, european and amerindian cults. She uses blue and red clothes with decoration of sea-beads, a sword and fan (abébé) with a cut-out mermaid in the center. Yansã is the women of Xangô, restless, enterprising, adored among women. Her symbols: a copper sword and an ox's tail; has the feast on 4th December. Oxúm, an adolescent god, resembles Senhora das Candeias, sucks on sugar-cane and her seat is always full of toys. Her feast is on the 2nd February (already had samba) and appears also as Oxún-Apará, with a fan and a sword, being also considered an Oxun that lives on the road accompanied by Ogún. Wears in any occasion golden gold. Ossãe, the lady of the leaves, was nationalized and fused herself with brazilian Caipora. Her clothes are of cotton with pink and green colours, smokes, drinks honey and cachaça. Obá, a warrior, has a remote resemblance with Joan of Arc. She is missing one of her ears, that she cooked to conquer Xangô's love. It is not known if it gave a result. She carries a sword and a shield and commonly hides with it the cut off left ear.
rum, rumpi, lê with a word
When the iaôs return to the shrine, dressed in proper clothes and shaking the symbols of orixás, everything becomes as earlier. The gods dance among the people, some greet the ones present. One sees a child in mother's lap. He expends the hands, grabs her. Looks deeply in the little face which shows no fear. Gives her back to the mother, who says thanks, relieved. There are some who smile, being condescending to the saints. And there are some who jump from their benches to start dancing. Like a girl who is sitting close to us. Throws her into the storm, into the loud noise, to the shouts, eyes inside-out. Like iaôs. Later calms down on the floor. Palms folded.
The rhythm calms down. Without people even noticing. Songs that are more dragged. Handclap styles that have more spacing. The shrine dampens. Becomes a hut again. The daughters of saint restore themselves, exhausted, dripping with sweat. As if they were waking up. The atabaques stammer, their voices die in rough throats. The orixás are permitting the candomblé to end. And it ends. The crowd leaves. Some still stay after the babalorixá and are invited to participate in the meal that is seasoned with the blood of the sacrificed animals, vatapá, caruru, chicken ragout. Or have access to peji, the sanctuary of candomblé, to pray at the feet of the gods' statues. The babalorixá smokes her cigar. Eyes full of smoke. In the end, stays alone. Everybody retires and we too, in a file to the hot night.
[continues]