Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a three part pancocojams series on the history of Afro-Brazilians in Lagos, Nigeria.
This post provides three online excerpts about the history of Afro-Brazilians in Lagos, Nigeria.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-history-of-african-brazilian-careta.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II provides an excerpt of a 2007 pdf by Alaba Simpson (Covenant University, Ogun State, Nigeria) on the history of the Careta (Fanti) Carnival in Lagos, Nigeria.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/04/2017-youtube-video-about-afro.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. Part III showcases a YouTube video entitled "CNN Inside Africa: Afro Brazilians From Slaves to Returnees-July 2017". Selected comments from this video's discussion thread are also included in that post.
The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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I was motivated to publish this pancocojams post after watching Nigerian singer Davido's video "1 Milli". That video features elements of traditional Yoruba orisha/Afro-Brazilian culture.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/04/youtube-discussion-thread-comments.html for Part II of a pancocojams series about Davido's "1 Milli" song/video. That pancocojams post is entitled "YouTube Discussion Thread Comments About Orishas & Afro-Brazilians Influences In The Official Video Of Nigerian Singer Davido's Song "1 Milli" ".
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THREE ONLINE EXCERPTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF AFRO-BRAZILIANS IN LAGOS, NIGERIA
These articles are presented in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
Excerpt #1:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilians_in_Nigeria
"Brazilians in Nigeria, Amaros or Agudas consist of the descendants of freed Afro-Brazilian slaves who left Brazil and settled in Nigeria. The term Brazilians in Nigeria can also otherwise refer to first generation expatriates from Brazil.
Starting from the 1830s, many emancipated Africans who had been through forced labour and discrimination in Brazil began moving back to Lagos, bringing along with them some cultural and social sensibilities adapted from their sojourn in Latin America. These emancipated Africans were often called "Aguda" or "Amaro", and also included returnees from Cuba.
[...]
Culture
Returnees from Brazil and their present-day descendants were and are more commonly called "Agudas" (from agudão, a non-standard Portuguese word for cotton properly rendered as algodão[10]) or "Amaro". Most were Catholics, but some worshiped African Orishas which they brought from Brazil. Some of the Agudas are also Muslims. Most of them still have Portuguese names. Some common Portuguese family names in Nigeria include Da Silveira, De Silva, De Souza, and Moreira. In the 1800s, the major distinguishing set of classification was by birth, Agudas taken captive from West Africa who emigrated back to Lagos were called Papae or Mamae and those who were born in Brazil and then returned were called Yaya or Yayo.
The British annexation of Lagos in 1861 and the promotion of trade benefited the Brazilian community. Along with the Saros, they became a rising bourgeois. They utilized a western style of dressing, owned race horses and organized waltzes, square dances and musical soirees where Molière was performed.[11] However, with time many began to embrace their heritage and when the children of the returnees were grown, they came to embrace Lagos as their home. The annexation of Lagos that led to the rise of this wealthy class also came with the realisation that the colonists were not leaving soon and any hope of forming a political class was dim. The Brazilians began to cultivate relationships with the traditional authorities in Lagos, while some renewed relationships with Africans in the hinterland by supplying them with weapons. Agudas supplied weapons to the Ijeshas in the war against Ibadan. Beginning in the 1880s, many began to change their names to African ones while the Aurora relief Society was formed to research their culture. Agudas' cuisine in the early 1920s included food considered African in Bahia but considered different from those eaten by indigenes on the Island. They ate pirão de caranguejo during holidays and prepared mungunzá, mingau (porridge) and feijão-de-leite (coconut milk beans) as food staples.[8] In agriculture, the returnees also popularized the use of Cassava as a food crop.[12]
Agudas celebrated Easter with the coming out of Caretas or masked figures,[13] burrinha at Epiphany[13] and Nosso Senhor do Bonfim (Our Lord of the Good End) associated with Obatala was celebrated during yuletide.
Popo Aguda was a close-knit community and residents were known for their thriftiness and a strong work ethic.[14]
Religion
A majority of the Agudas were Catholics, but the community had a significant number of Muslim families and those who still adhered to the traditional religion. Religious differences were not as important nor divisive as they were to indigenous Africans, and they were comfortable marrying from any of the three religions.[5] Prior to the construction of a pro-cathedral, mass was performed in a bamboo building on Broad St, the plot of land where St Mary Convent was later built on. The first priest was Padre Anthonio, he was in charge of the Catholic church before the coming of French missionaries. The practice of baptism was important to the local community and it was also a way to enter the Aguda community.[5]
[...]
Trade
Trade between Lagos and Brazil rose in the 1860s and in 1869, Brazil was the third largest exporter to Lagos, very much behind Britain but ahead of France.[16] Returnees in Lagos dominated the trade with Brazil and sold cotton, traditional artifacts and kola-nuts to Africans in Bahia. However, this Transatlantic trade gradually declined and by the beginning of the Twentieth century it was virtually non existent.[16] They had pioneered trade with Brazil in the mid nineteenth century but by the 1880s, ruinous competitors and an economic downturn had forced many to abandon the export trade. Agriculture soon became an avenue to supplement shortfalls in economic activity. Before the downturn, many traders had acquired wealth and became prominent families within the community in Lagos.... In Bahia, Afro-Brazilians formed the bulk of skilled labor, Aguda returnees brought along trade skills mastered in Bahia and preferred to teach their children a trade or handicraft such as masonry, carpentry or tailoring. Some worked as clerks for the European trading companies”...
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Excerpt #2
From https://www.pulse.ng/gist/brazilians-in-nigeria-interesting-facts-about-the-returnee-slaves/elthecz
"Interesting facts about the returnee slaves by AYOMIDE O. TAYO, 11/07/2017
“Lagos Brazilians were very much a part of the growth and development of Lagos.
In the 1830s, slaves in Brazil started coming back to Lagos.
This happened because they had regained their freedom and were tired of the racism in Brazil. Also, a heavy tax was placed on these freed slaves. Instead of living in such harsh conditions they decided to go back to their roots. These returnees also came from the island nation of Cuba.
Called 'Aguda' or 'Maro', these Afro-Brazilians landed in Lagos for the first 1835 but it wasn't of their own accord. Many of them had been deported after a Yoruba and Hausa rebellion had happened in the city known as Salvador.
After this happened, other former slaves took the hint and travelled back home to start a new life. Thirty years later, the Brazilian returnees made up of 9% of the Lagos population. By 1920, Afro-Brazilians stopped migrating to Lagos.
Many of the returnees settled in Lagos for commerce reasons and also because there were wars going on in the Yoruba hinterland. The Brazilians were received warmly by the locals.
A place in the Eastern part of Lagos Popo Aguda was reserved for the returnees. These areas were soon known as the Brazilian Quarters and you can still find some of their homes till today.
[...]
The legacy of these Lagos Brazilians can be found on Lagos Island. The homes of some of the returnees still stand today. The Fanti Carnival is a remnant of the Brazilian culture.”...
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Excerpt #3
From https://www.cnn.com/2017/07/19/architecture/nigeria-afro-brazilian-architecture/index.html
"(CNN)The slave route out of Badagry near Lagos, Nigeria has a sign that reads "The point of no return." It's a disturbing plaque; a cruel legacy of Nigeria's past and a reminder of the treacherous journey -- and lives -- thousands were led on into slavery.
While many Nigerians forced into that journey never made it back, there were a number who did. Saros -- freed slaves from countries including Brazil -- began to return to their home country in the early 19th century. The Brazilian returnees, often known as "agudas," brought back aspects of their culture: the flare, the tastes, the Catholic religion, as well as familiar Latin names. Don't be surprised to find a Da Souza, Andre and Valentine in Campos, Lagos' Brazilian quarter.
[...]
This rich Brazilian heritage is kept alive by the descendants of returnees. Afro-Brazilians celebrate their ancestors in song and dance at the Fanti Carnival -- reminiscent of Rio de Janeiro, much smaller in size, but huge in spirit.
Every year the Fanti Carnival bedecks Lagos with Latin American color and rhythm. But the heritage of Lagos' Afro-Brazilian culture is under threat
[...]
The Da Rocha family matriarch Angelica Yewanje Oyediran, who inherited a part of the house, describes her grandfather, a returnee: "When Nigerian Brazilians returned they were the greatest citizens."
Many of the returnees were artisans and became influential people. "They were sort of the elites of the local society at that time, and they were entrusted in moving Lagos forward," Fatuyi explains.”...
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This concludes Part I of this three part pancocojams series on Afro-Brazilians in Lagos, Nigeria.
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