File number: brqg0014

© South American Pictures/ Bill Leimbach

Brazil: Ceará state. Forms of the Afro religion Candomblé are practised in many parts of Brazil especially along the coast where most of the original slaves settled after they gained their freedom. Their belief in spirits - orixás has permeated into many communities and here in the northeast of Brasil an Umbanda group make offerings to lemanjá the Goddess of the Sea. Umbanda has elements of Candomblé, Catholicism and other religions.