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Religiões afro-brasileiras47:35

Religiões afro-brasileiras - Documentário09:39

História, mitos e verdades sobre a religião Umbanda12:03

7 DIFERENÇAS ENTRE UMBANDA E CANDOMBLÉ06:27

Current presence and social dimension

Candomblé and Umbanda are widely practised in states such as Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul. According to the IBGE Census (2022), there were almost 1.9 million adherents; studies suggest that up to a third of the Brazilian population participates in Afro-Brazilian centres, including occasional and syncretic practitioners.

2. Candomblé: origins, beliefs and cultural significance

Candomblé is an Afro-Brazilian religion with African roots, resulting from the preservation and reinterpretation of traditional cults brought from West Africa to Brazil between the 16th and 19th centuries, during the transatlantic slave trade. It is a complex religious system that combines beliefs, rituals, music, dance, language and community organisation.

Belief in a Supreme Being and in deities

In Candomblé, it is believed that there is a Supreme Being, whose name varies depending on the community:

• Olorum (or Olodumare), in traditions of Yoruba origin;
• Avievodun, among the Jeje groups;
• Nzambi, in the Bantu-derived dialects.

This Supreme Being is not worshipped directly in everyday religious life; the connection between the divine and the human world is mediated through the deities, understood as forces of nature that have become part of ancestral tradition.

These deities are given different names depending on the country:

• Orixás (mainly in nations of Yoruba origin, such as Ketu and Nagô);
• Voduns (in the Jeje traditions, of Jeje-Fon origin);
• Inquices (in regions of Bantu origin, such as Angola and the Congo).

The orixás, gods of the Yoruba-speaking African peoples, are understood as entities endowed with human personalities and emotions, such as jealousy, courage, anger, wisdom and vanity. Each orisha is associated with elements of nature (rivers, seas, winds, lightning, forests) and aspects of social life (justice, war, motherhood, fertility, work, communication, etc.).

Although more than 300 orixás are recognised in West Africa, Brazilian Candomblé systematically worships around 16 main deities, depending on the place of worship (terreiro) and its tradition.

Historical background and religious repression

Candomblé took root in Brazil against a backdrop of slavery, violence and cultural repression. The Portuguese colonisers and the Catholic Church classified practices of African origin as witchcraft or superstition, which led to persecution, imprisonment, the destruction of terreiros and the criminalisation of religious leaders.

To ensure the survival of their practices and to preserve, albeit in a veiled form, their deities and rituals, the followers turned to religious syncretism. The Orixás came to be associated with Catholic saints, allowing the cult to be practised under the guise of Christian devotion. Some examples are:

• Iemanjá, associated with Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception;
• Iansã, associated with Saint Barbara;
• Oxóssi, associated with Saint Sebastian;
• Xangô, associated with Saint Jerome or Saint John, depending on the region.

This syncretism served as a strategy of cultural resistance, enabling African traditions to be preserved and adapted to the Brazilian context.

Rituals, language and music in Candomblé

Candomblé ceremonies take place in religious temples known as terreiros or casas de santo. These are sacred spaces where the following take place:

• religious rites and obligations;
• public festivals in honour of the orixás;
• spiritual counselling for the community.

The preparation of rituals is largely reserved for initiates and may involve the ritual sacrifice of small animals, a practice understood as an offering of axé (vital energy) to the deities. These procedures follow strict rules regarding ritualisation, care, respect for the animal, and a specific religious purpose.

The ceremonies are characterised by the use of African liturgical languages (such as ritualised Yoruba and Jeje-Bantu variants) and by intense musical and physical expression. The atabaques (drums) play a central role, as each beat and rhythm is associated with a specific orisha, summoning their presence and energy during the ritual. Singing, dancing and drumming are fundamental elements of the religious experience in Candomblé.

Candomblé, Afro-Brazilian identity and culture

Until the mid-20th century, Candomblé and other African-based religions served as true institutions of cultural resistance, first for enslaved Africans, and later for their descendants.

Against a backdrop of racism, marginalisation and repression, the terreiros served as spaces for the preservation of languages, memories, cosmologies, cuisine, music, community values and forms of social organisation.

Over time, “much has changed, transforming these religions into religious organisations free from the constraints of ethnicity, race, geography and social class”. Whereas they were once attended almost exclusively by Black people, today Candomblé also welcomes followers from different social and racial backgrounds, broadening its reach and public recognition.

The cultural elements that make up Candomblé — such as rhythms, chants, ritual cuisine, the mythology of the orixás, popular festivals and religious symbols — have become an integral part of Brazilian cultural heritage and what is known as national folklore.

Expressions such as the Iemanjá festivals, votive foods, the beating of the atabaque drums and mythological narratives influence popular music, literature, the visual arts and everyday religious life in Brazil.

Differences between Candomblé and other Afro-Brazilian religions

It is important to note that Candomblé should not be confused with Umbanda or with other Afro-Brazilian and Afro-American religions of similar origin. Although they share African roots and historical processes of syncretism, each tradition has its own doctrine, rituals, pantheon and organisation.

Among the Afro-Brazilian and Afro-American religions that developed independently of Candomblé, the following may be mentioned:

• Umbanda, Tambor de Mina, Omolokô, Pernambuco Xangô and Batuque (in Brazil);
• Haitian Voodoo (Haiti);
• Santería (Cuba);
• Obeah e Kumina (Jamaica);
• Winti (Suriname)

Many of these traditions are virtually unknown to the general public in Brazil, despite sharing with Candomblé a connection to the African diaspora and to historical processes of religious and cultural resistance.

3. Umbanda: origins, doctrinal principles and significance in Brazilian religion

Umbanda is a Brazilian spiritualist religion that took root in the early 20th century in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is characterised by a blend of elements from African religions, Catholicism, Kardecist Spiritism, indigenous traditions and European magical practices. Today, it is recognised as one of the main expressions of Brazilian religiosity.

The historical origins of Umbanda

The founding of Umbanda is traditionally associated with 15 November 1908, in the city of Niterói (RJ). On that date, the medium Zélio Fernandino de Moraes is said to have received guidance from a spiritual entity who introduced himself as Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas, marking the beginning of the systematisation of the new religion.

Although it is often said that Umbanda emerged in the 1920s, the symbolic milestone marking its origins is 1908. From that period onwards, Zélio and other mediums organised practices, rituals and doctrinal principles that distinguished Umbanda from Candomblé and other Afro-Brazilian sects and cults existing at the time.

National Umbanda Day is celebrated on 15 November, a date that commemorates the origins of the religion. This day is important both for the internal celebrations of Umbanda practitioners and for promoting Umbanda as a genuinely Brazilian religious tradition.

Religious roots and influences of Umbanda

The roots of Umbanda lie in various religious and cultural traditions:

• African religions: particularly Cabula (of Bantu origin) and Candomblé of the Nago people, which form the basis for the worship of spirits and the use of atabaques and possession rituals;
• Catholicism: responsible for the syncretism between orixás and Catholic saints, facilitating the social acceptance of the religion within a context of strong Christian hegemony;
• Kardecist Spiritism: promotes the idea of the survival of the spirit after death, of spiritual evolution through multiple incarnations, and of communication between the living and the dead;
• Indigenous traditions: evident in the figure of the caboclos, in the use of plants, in the burning of incense, and in certain chants and rituals;
• European magical practices: incorporated into certain rites of protection, purification and energy work.

In this way, Umbanda emerges as a syncretic religion that engages with the diversity of Brazilian religious culture.

The doctrinal principles of Umbanda

Umbanda is often described as a spiritualist doctrine. Like Kardecist Spiritism, it believes in:

• Immortality of the soul and the survival of the spirit after the death of the physical body;
• Reincarnation as a process of learning and moral and spiritual evolution;
• Communication with the spiritual realm through mediumship, enabling contact with entities that assist in providing guidance and acts of charity;
• The law of cause and effect, whereby human actions influence one’s spiritual journey.

However, Umbanda differs from Spiritism in its strong emphasis on ritual, the use of symbols, chants, dances, offerings and atabaques, and the presence of spiritual lineages organised according to the types of entities involved.

Spiritual entities and guides in Umbanda

In Umbanda, the universe is believed to be inhabited by spiritual entities known as guides. These entities manifest themselves through possession of trained mediums and aim to assist with healing, counselling and spiritual guidance for those seeking their advice.

Among the main entities worshipped in Umbanda, the following stand out:

• Caboclos: spirits associated with indigenous peoples or warrior figures linked to nature, courage, strength and ancestral wisdom;
• Pretos-velhos: spirits who present themselves as former enslaved Africans or people of African descent, symbolising humility, patience, experience and the ability to offer guidance;
• Pombagiras: entities associated with the feminine realm, sensuality, protection and balance in matters of the heart and emotions;
• Exus: spirits responsible for communication, for channelling requests, for protection and for dispelling negative energies; they are often the subject of prejudice and misinterpretation.

These entities are not ‘demons’ or evil forces, but spiritual beings at different stages of evolution, dedicated to helping, transforming and guiding those who seek Umbanda.

Rituals, chants and atmosphere in Umbanda shrines

Umbanda rituals take place in sacred spaces known as terreiros or tendas. In these settings, giras (sessions) are held during which mediums channel entities to provide spiritual guidance.

Some notable features of Umbanda rituals include:

• Songs in Portuguese, usually in the form of sung verses that invoke or pay homage to deities;
• Musical accompaniment provided by atabaques and other percussion instruments, which set the rhythm of the giras and aid in establishing a mediumistic connection;
• Smudging the room with herbs and resins, with the aim of purifying the space and harmonising the energies;
• The participation of men and women as mediums, ogãs (musicians) and those responsible for organising rituals;
• The use of symbolic elements such as candles, herbs, images of saints, dotted patterns (ritualistic designs) and specific offerings.

These elements reinforce the communal, spiritual and therapeutic nature of Umbanda, which is guided by charity, hospitality and the pursuit of physical, emotional and spiritual balance.

Umbanda, national identity and social recognition

Umbanda is a fundamental expression of Brazilian religiosity, as it stems from the convergence of African, Indigenous and European traditions. Throughout the 20th century, it faced prejudice, criminalisation and persecution, often being accused of witchcraft or superstition.

Nowadays, however, Umbanda is gaining greater social and academic recognition, and is being studied as a religious, cultural and identity-defining phenomenon. Its rituals, chants, symbols and entities form part of the popular imagination and Brazil’s cultural heritage.

4. Divisions and development of Afro-descendant religions in Brazil

Afro-Brazilian religions, such as Umbanda and Candomblé, form a fundamental part of the cultural, spiritual and identity development of the Brazilian people.

However, until the mid-20th century, these religious traditions were subjected to intense persecution, criminalisation and prejudice, both racial and religious.

The following section outlines the key historical milestones, resistance movements and internal developments that led to the current diversity of practices and divisions.

1. Historical persecution of Afro-Brazilian religions

Until the 1940s, Afro-Brazilian religions, such as Candomblé and Umbanda, were severely persecuted by the police and political authorities. Religious practices that claimed to be of African origin, or which bore similarities to these cults, were frequently subjected to repression, including:

• closure of centres, shrines and stalls;
• seizure of sacred objects (atabaques, statues, vestments, ritual implements);
• the arrest and intimidation of priests and priestesses, mediums and spiritual leaders.

This repression was underpinned by deep-seated racial and religious prejudice. Practices associated with people of African descent were labelled as “sorcery”, “witchcraft” or “black magic”, both during the colonial period, under the influence of the Catholic Church, and during the republican period, through discriminatory criminal codes and policing practices.

2. Legal developments and the role of José Álvares Pessoa

The situation began to change in 1945, thanks to the efforts of José Álvares Pessoa, a medium and leader of one of the seven Umbanda temples in existence at the time, founded under the guidance of Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas. His political and institutional efforts were decisive in:

• the campaign for the legalisation of Umbanda practices;
• the quest for official recognition of Umbanda by the Brazilian state;
• a reduction in police harassment and the guarantee of greater freedom of religious practice.

As a result of this process, Umbanda began to be viewed with greater legitimacy, paving the way for other Afro-Brazilian religions to assert their rights to worship and organise.

3. Diversification, adaptations and fragmentation of Umbanda

Due to intense police repression, many religious groups of African origin, which did not strictly follow the rules laid down by the founder of the Umbanda doctrine, began to call themselves Umbanda practitioners as a means of protection.

This move was intended to bring their religious practices under the umbrella of a religion that was on the verge of official recognition, in order to avoid marginalisation.

This process resulted in:

• significant changes to the essence and original ritual practices;
• greater intermingling with other religious systems and magical practices;
• differences in thought and interpretation within Umbanda, giving rise to multiple Umbanda “lines”, “branches” and “tendencies”.

Umbanda has thus become a religion characterised by great internal diversity. Whilst this diversity has enriched its practice in many ways, it has also posed challenges to the preservation of a more cohesive doctrinal identity and to the recognition of an ‘original’ or ‘traditional’ Umbanda.

1. Mesa Branca and its engagement with Spiritism

Throughout its history, Umbanda has suffered, and continues to suffer, prejudice, persecution and violence, including attacks on terreiros and religious discrimination. In response to this situation, many Umbanda groups have sought ways to reduce the social stigma associated with African-based religions.

One such strategy was to embrace Kardecist Spiritism, which, having been relatively more widely accepted in sections of Catholic society and the urban middle class, served as a sort of “escape route” for some terreiros. Thus:

• various Umbanda groups began to describe themselves as “Spiritists” or “White Table adherents”;
• some houses have toned down their African elements, placing greater emphasis on the Spiritist doctrine codified by Allan Kardec;
• certain practices relating to spirit possession and spiritual counselling were reorganised in accordance with a language more closely aligned with Spiritism.

This trend has contributed to the fact that, even today, many people confuse Umbanda practitioners with followers of the Spiritist doctrine and, in some cases, even with Candomblé practitioners, highlighting the complexity of Brazilian religious syncretism.

2. The resilience of the African people and the emergence of Afro-Brazilian religions

To understand Afro-descendant religions, we must remember the history of resistance by the African people who were brought to Brazil as slaves.

These men and women arrived on Brazilian soil with no rights and were subjected to inhumane conditions, yet they kept their culture, their knowledge and their religious practices alive.

In their homelands, diversity was already vast: different peoples, languages, cosmologies, deities, rituals and symbolic systems. In Brazil, this diversity had to:

• adapt to a completely different reality;
• to assimilate into new habits, values, languages and colonial norms;
• to resist the imposition of Catholicism as the official religion.

Under oppression, enslaved Africans were unable to maintain their religious practices in isolation. Each ‘tribe’ or nation had its own specific ways of understanding God, the orixás, the ancestors, the cults, the rites and the symbols. In order to survive, they turned to religious syncretism, combining:

• Orixás and Catholic saints;
• rituals associated with Christian festivals and practices;
• African elements and popular devotions.

From this process of resistance and adaptation emerged religions such as Candomblé and, later, Umbanda. Both also incorporated:

• indigenous rites and cosmologies;
• magical and symbolic practices of European origin.

Despite this, African polytheism and Afro-Brazilian religious culture are still often treated superficially or stigmatised in the public imagination, which reinforces prejudice and misinformation.

4. Dogmas and doctrinal principles of Umbanda

According to the Brazilian Umbanda Federation, the religion is organised around a number of fundamental principles, which underpin its worldview and spiritual practice.

The Creative Principle and spiritual entities

Umbanda affirms the existence of a Creative Principle, understood as:

• God, Almighty and Inconceivable, the source and sustainer of all creation;
• to be supreme, not limited to physical form or material representation.

The religion also recognises the existence of spiritual entities, messengers of the vibrations of the Orixás, who are still in the process of evolution, seeking their own self-improvement. These entities act as:

• spiritual guides and mentors;
• intermediaries between the material and spiritual realms;
• healing, counselling and energy balancing.

Reincarnation, Karma and Mediumship

Among the main tenets of Umbanda, the following stand out:

• Belief in reincarnation: the soul goes through several lives on Earth as a means of learning and evolving;
• The Law of Karma: actions (thoughts, words and deeds) generate consequences that influence an individual’s spiritual journey;
• The practice of mediumship: in its various forms, mediumship is understood as a means of working, practising charity and serving others.

Love expressed as charity — in words, gestures and concrete actions — is one of the central ethical pillars of Umbanda.

A vibrational view of the human being

Umbanda views the human being as existing within a vibrational field, the human being itself being that field in constant interaction with its environment. Thus:

• the individual lives in a universe of energies, frequencies and vibrations;
• his free will is reflected in the way he organises, attracts or transforms these vibrations;
• Human beings are understood in terms of the principle of the triune nature: spirit, soul and body, integrated within a single evolutionary process.

5. Differences between Umbanda and Candomblé

Although Umbanda and Candomblé share African roots and are both part of the Afro-Brazilian religions, they differ significantly in terms of their origins, practices and ritual structure.

Origins and influences

• Umbanda: emerged in the early 20th century, in Rio de Janeiro, strongly influenced by Kardecist Spiritism, Catholicism, indigenous rituals, European magical practices and African traditions (particularly Cabula and Candomblé). It is a syncretic religion, focused on communicating with spirits through mediumship.
• Candomblé: is the older of the two, with direct roots in traditional African religions (the Nago/Yoruba, Bantu and Jeje peoples). It was brought over by enslaved Africans and preserves rituals, myths, languages and forms of worship of the deities (orixás, voduns and inquices) with less influence from other religions.

Entities and deities

• Umbanda: primarily worships spiritual entities such as caboclos, pretos-velhos, children (erês), pombagiras and exus. The orixás are also revered, often in syncretism with Catholic saints.
• Candomblé: focuses exclusively on the worship of African deities — orixás, voduns and inquices —, understood as forces of nature and deified ancestors. Each deity has its own specific rituals, colours, foods, rhythms and chants. Syncretism with saints is not mandatory and, in many communities, is being abandoned.

Rituals and practices

• Umbanda: rituals are mainly conducted in Portuguese and involve chants, incense burning, prayers and the incorporation of entities. The sessions (giras) are generally open to the public and focused on spiritual guidance, offering advice, healing rituals and guidance.
• Candomblé: performs complex rituals in African languages (such as Yoruba and Fon) and follows a strict calendar of festivals, offerings and sacrifices dedicated to the orixás. These rituals, known as toques or obrigações, include dances, chants and offerings; they are carefully planned and, at certain stages, restricted to initiates only.

Philosophy and spiritual vision

• Umbanda: believes in spiritual evolution through successive reincarnations and in constant communication with the spirit world. Its practice is guided by charity, with a strong emphasis on helping others and on the development of its followers’ mediumistic abilities.
• Candomblé: focuses on balance and a direct relationship with the orixás, seeking to please these deities in order to attain health, protection and prosperity. Its philosophy is based on respect for ancestral traditions and strict observance of rituals in accordance with the religion’s precepts.

Structure and organisation of the temples

• Umbanda: its temples are known as terreiros or centres, led by pais or mães de santo, also known as spiritual leaders. The internal organisation tends to be more flexible and adaptable.
• Candomblé: has a more rigid hierarchical structure, with temples also known as terreiros, led by a babalorixá (pai de santo) or ialorixá (mãe de santo). Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, and the initiation process is long, gradual and complex.

Summary

In short, although both religions share African roots and a belief in spirits and deities, Umbanda is more open, syncretic and oriented towards spiritual communication, whilst Candomblé preserves its African traditions and rituals more strictly, with a more specific focus on the worship of the orixás and their respective liturgies.

6. The contemporary significance of Afro-descendant religions in Brazil

In the contemporary context, Afro-descendant religions – particularly Umbanda and Candomblé – play a central role in affirming Black identity, in celebrating Afro-Brazilian culture and in promoting religious diversity in the country.

Even in the face of legal progress, these traditions still face:

• religious intolerance, often fuelled by misinformation and prejudice;
• structural racism, which associates Afro-Brazilian practices with negative or stigmatised images;
• attacks on religious sites, the destruction of sacred objects, and symbolic and physical violence against worshippers.

On the other hand, there has been a rise in the academic and institutional recognition of these religions, with:

• university research into the history, theology, music, cosmology and social organisation of the terreiros;
• policies on cultural heritage aimed at protecting Afro-Brazilian sacred sites;
• public debates on religious freedom and combating intolerance.

In this context, Umbanda and Candomblé are not merely belief systems, but also spaces of resistance, refuge and the restoration of dignity for historically marginalised communities.

7. Challenges and prospects for the future

In the 21st century, Afro-Brazilian religions face a range of challenges, but also opportunities for strengthening and renewal:

Challenges

• Misinformation and prejudice: there is still a significant lack of understanding of its principles, rituals and values, which encourages negative stereotypes;
• Religious intolerance: attacks on places of worship, hate speech and persecution motivated by religious fundamentalism;
• Loss of oral traditions: the transmission of knowledge from the pai/mãe de santo to the filhos de santo requires continuity and dedication, which can be undermined by urbanisation and generational change;
• Decontextualised cultural appropriation: the use of symbols, chants and ritual elements without an understanding of their religious and historical significance.

Outlook

• Strengthening of identity: a growing appreciation of Afro-Brazilian culture, particularly among young Black people;
• Visibility in the media and online: the production of educational content, channels, blogs and social media accounts that explain and champion Afro-descendant religions;
• Recognition as cultural heritage: initiatives to register festivals, ritual sites and practices as intangible cultural heritage;
• Interfaith dialogue: the participation of Umbanda and Candomblé leaders in forums for debate on religious freedom and human rights.

These perspectives suggest that, despite the obstacles, Umbanda and Candomblé are increasingly establishing themselves as legitimate and indispensable components of Brazil’s religious diversity.

8. Conclusion: diversity and recognition of religions of African descent

Religions of African descent, such as Umbanda and Candomblé, emerged in contexts of violence, slavery and repression, but established themselves as expressions of resistance, creativity and spirituality. Historical persecution, the quest for legal recognition, syncretism and internal pluralisation have shaped a complex religious landscape, characterised by:

• diversity of practices and interpretations (particularly within Umbanda);
• preservation of ancestral traditions (in a more rigid form in Candomblé);
• a strong sense of community and hospitality among the faithful;
• celebration of African heritage and Afro-Brazilian culture.

Understanding the differences between Umbanda and Candomblé, as well as their principles and histories, is essential to combating religious racism and promoting a culture of respect for diversity in Brazil.

The study and promotion of these religions help to foster a more pluralistic, democratic society that is mindful of its historical roots.