City of Women and Candomble

City of Women

Women and Candomble in Cidade das Mulhares

Cidade das Mulhares (City of Women) is a 2005 documentary by Lazaro Faria that aims to provide insight into the religious practices in Axe de Bahia, Brazil. The documentary focuses on an ethnographic study conducted by Ruth Landes in 1947, which was also titled City of Women. In the book, Landes recorded the experiences she had while living among various religious cults in Brazil during her nearly yearlong stay. In Cidade das Mulhares, Faria provides insight into cultural continuity and the role of women within the Candomble religion in Axe de Bahia.

Cidade das Mulhares introduces a multitude of women who are leaders of Candomble, a syncretic religion that dates back to the slave trade in Brazil. As a syncretic religion, Candomble incorporates aspects of traditional African religious practices that slaves brought with them to Brazil and Christianity, which was forced upon them by their Christian captors and traders. The synthesis of African religion and Christianity into Candomble is a prime example of cultural continuation, which is a resistance to cultural change in order to ensure that one's culture survives. Because many of the early practitioners of Candomble were violently and suddenly ripped away from their homes and culture, it was important for them to hold on any aspect of their former lives. These slaves' attempts to retain the religious beliefs of their respective homes and tribes lead to the foundation of Candomble as it is practiced today.

Unlike traditional Christian religions, Candomble leaders are predominantly women, who are not only charged with leading religious services, but are also responsible for training future priestesses, who will then train the next generation of Candomble priestesses. The documentary emphasizes the importance of women by highlighting their role and functions within the community. In the Candomble religion, it is considered natural for women to be religious leaders, which can be attributed to the role they play in religious services. Women who are leaders within the Candomble community are often referred to as "mothers of the holy one," a role they fulfill during their religious ceremonies when they allow gods to inhabit their bodies, using them as vessels, to communicate with practitioners of the Candomble religion. It is through rituals such as these that anthropologists can see parallels to Christianity in Candomble.

Rachel Harding, an anthropologist and author, contends that Candomble communities provide women with privilege, which is seen in their social ranking and the power they hold within the community. In Candomble, women are considered to be religious leaders, as well as individuals who maintain the history of their culture and their past. This is demonstrated in the documentary through the leadership roles women hold and the power they exercise. Within the Camdomble religion, women are charged with making any and all decisions that affect their temples. Their power within the community is also seen through their competitive nature as they try to have their temple be recognized as the most authentic in the community. This power struggle within the Camdomble community further illustrates the power structure of the religion and the role women play.