What is Samba?

Samba is a general term for various cultural manifestations that take place in Brazil. It’s a fruit of the African Diaspora and the interplay between different cultures within Brazil. It originated in Bahia, in the Reconcavo region, and became one of the most important symbols of Brazilian Culture.

Disclaimer: This article does not propose to speak of all forms of Samba and their history- There is just so much. We’ll cover the history and origins of the main variants though.

Tinho Pequeno – Samba Master

This article is dedicated to the ‘Masters’, the oral teachers who were to Brazil what Griots were to West Africa. They were responsible for maintaining traditions, teaching new generations, and preserving oral history.

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Agô Samba!

Agô is a Yoruban word used in Brazil.

In Brazil, Agô is a humble ask for passage, license to enter, realize rituals, or speak of spiritual and ancestral themes and places.

To speak of the History of traditional Samba music within Brazil is not a small feat. The continental proportions, geographical and ethnic diversity created several unique cultural expressions.

Let’s backtrack and settle some basic facts. To understand what is Samba, we first need to understand the social and ethnic make-up of Brazil.

Pindorama

The pre-colonial name of the land now known as Brazil was Pindorama. The name is in Tupi, one of the most widespread languages in Native Indigenous People from Brazil, as used by the Tupi-Guarani people

Ethno-Historic Map of Brazil and outlying regions, by Curt Nimuendaju

HD Source

It’s estimated that there were over 400 different ethnicities in 15th century Brazil. More than three million indigenous people lived in the territory that became Brazil.

Indigenous culture has contributed to all aspects of Brazilian Culture. In culinary, art, medicine, customs, traditional indigenous knowledge became part of Brazilian life.

Unfortunately, as in the Andine countries and the USA, the indigenous people in Brazil suffered genocide. At least 70% of the Native people from Brazil suffered decimation from European contact. The present population is below 900,000 indigenous citizens, which is a far cry from the pre-colonial three million

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Bahia – Samba’s Home

The first town in Brazil founded by the European Invasion forces was Cabrália, in present southern Bahia. The first Capital of the Colony was Salvador, now the capital of the state of Bahia, which is where the Brazilian Diaspora first set its feet. It’s the seed of Brazil.

This first region of the colony was named Bahia, which is the Portuguese word for Bay.

Salvador was the original Brazilian capital, the first effort to organize the exploitation of the Colony. It became an important port for the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

One of the most expressive examples of the African Exodus, Diaspora molded the city as is today. It’s known to be the blackest city out of Africa, where African Culture and Religion are still worshiped, such as the cult of Orixás, Voduns, and Nkissis.

Source: Nick Potts, Getty Images

Brazil alone stood for 40% to 45% of all Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

Even after being the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery, illegal slavery and corruption rolled on for decades.

From 1826 to 1850, 1.662 enslaved Africans disembarked in the United States.

In Brazil, there were 1.099.018 disembarkments in the same period.

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It’s evident why Brazil has the most African descendant population in the Americas, as well as to why it has the second largest Black population on the world, after Nigeria.

Salvador and the outlying regions of the State of Bahia were the African melting pot of the 19th Century. African Cultures encountered in Diaspora, from the Muslim West-African people to Occidental Africans.

These African brought their spirituality, and in Brazil, they made Candomblé. This new religion was based on old roots, the major being: Yoruba, Bantu, Gêge, and Fon people.

A rich cultural mix was present, nurturing cultural expressions and rhythms present in Brazil, such as capoeira and Samba de Roda.

Samba de Roda

Samba de Roda, which could be freely translated as Samba of Circle (of People) is recognized as the first form of Samba. Its origins are in the middle 1800s in the region of ‘Recôncavo’. It is home to the Historical cities founded within close reach of Salvador.

You can learn more, with in-depth information about Brazilian Rhythms in our Guide to Brazilian Rhythms!
Brazilian Rhythms Guide

‘Recôncavo‘ was all coastal and interior regions of the ‘Bahia de Todos os Santos’, which can be translated as All Saints Bay.

Bahia de Todos os Santos – All Saints bay

When asking what is Samba, it is important to understand that there were many other traditional cultural expressions on its side. It was part of a group that also contained Barravento, Capoeira, Congo de Ouro, all united within the Afro-Brazilian Communities.

The rhythms were also permeated by the symbols, chants, and culture that originated in Candomblé houses, the ‘Terreiros’.

The cultural background of these traditional cultures living side by side is pictured in a movie called ‘Barravento’. Portraying the relationship between these cultural manifestations and Candomblé. The film passes within a fishing community in a Bahian village:

Samba-de-Roda scene in Barravento.

Spiritual Samba

Samba de Roda is ever-present in Candomblé and other Afro-Brazilian religions. The rhythm is especially played to the spiritual entities from Brazilian ground. The ‘Caboclos’, ‘Marujos’ and ‘Boiaderos’ are examples of spiritual entities understood to be native of Brazil. They are believed to be of mixed indigenous and African ethnicity. They embody what is the native Brazilian spirits, called ‘Encantados’ which translates to ‘enchanted’.

For the African spiritual entities, there are traditional rhythms that differ between affiliations, such as Ijexá and Opanije. While played differently in each ‘Terreiro’, these rhythms share common rhythmic properties. Meanwhile, for the native entities, Samba was used commonly, rhythmically very even. The use of Samba in ‘Terreiros’ created a specific kind of rhythm, closely tied to Samba de Roda, the Samba de Caboclo.

Cabloclos are spiritual entities in Brazil, born from a mixture of Native Indigenous and African people.

Samba was introduced to traditional festivities in Salvador via the ‘Terreiros’. These places of Afro-Religion worship, who through their traditions made safe havens for Afro-Brazilian cultural expressions. These expressions ranged from Candomblé, Samba and Capoeira, and many others.

Terreiros in Brazil have traditionally African names. One convention is that most names start with ‘Ilê Axé’, which can be translated as ‘house of power’, or ‘house of vital energy‘, Ilê meaning House, and Axé the latter.

“Pai Adauto” Candomblé Master

Source: Opanije.com Archive

The exterior of the ‘Terreiro’ pictured is Ilê Axé Oya Ominidê. It is situated within the Federação neighborhood in Salvador.

Traditional Samba

Traditional Samba is composed in many forms, such as:

Played either with string instruments, forming one of the original expressions, Samba Chula.
In Capoeira it is often played with ‘berimbau’, ‘pandeiro’ and ‘Atabaques’.
In religious centers, its tradition to be only with ‘Agôgo’ and ‘Atabaques’, symbols of Samba de Caboclo.

The central piece that unified ‘Samba de Roda’ was the short musical chants, accompanied by a chorus and palms. Often a knife and a plate, which became a traditional Samba instrument, giving the name of Plate for their players, such as by ‘Dona Edith do Prato’

And Dona Aurinda do Prato, who is also a Chief Priestess in Candomblé, in the ‘Vera Cruz Isle’, a mere hour Ferry boat trip from Salvador:

Photo by: @juliarodr.gues

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Malandro

Afro-Brazilian women in Salvador, especially those from Candomblé, bought the freedom of many enslaved Africans and Afro-Brazilians. The sisterhood “Irmandade da Boa Morte” was one of these groups. For their religious affiliations, they were persecuted by the police force in Salvador, and some fled to Cachoeira, at the heart of Bahian Tradition, and one to Rio de Janeiro.

Tia Ciata was the name of the sister from the “Irmandade da Boa Morte” who arrived in Rio. She is accounted as being one of the key figures in fostering Samba in Rio, bringing the traditional Samba de Roda from Salvador to Rio. This was the seed of many different expressions in the new forms of Samba that originated in Rio.

The urban adaptations of Samba, in Rio, were heavily influenced by the influx of African and Afro-Brazilian population from Bahia, and newly arrived Africans. One of the first urban changes to Samba was the influence of European harmony, and acoustic guitar that reformed Samba. This influenced early urban Samba in Bahia as well, in recordings and expressions.

The traditional forms of Samba were not pictured in media, because of prejudice and association with African cults. They were, however, kept strong by the oral ‘masters’, and the traditional communities and traditional forms such as Samba de Roda remain popular to this day.

Brazilian’s Radio first Recording was in Bahia, and it opened possibilities for Samba singers such as ‘Batatinha’ and ‘Panela’, and ‘Riachão’. They represented a form of Samba that was being influenced by both Samba de Roda, as well as the recordings from Sambists from Rio. These recordings were starting to reach and influence Salvador, introducing new instruments. The instrumentation changed, with Spanish guitar and other harmonics being introduced.

Samba traveled far and wide in Brazil, but it was in Bahia that Samba was Born because Brazil was born in Bahia. This is told by ‘Riachão’ an important cultural figure born in Salvador. Riachão was a self-titled malandro, a sly figure, who lived sagely, knowing well how to navigate the diverse and adverse situations found in life.

Riachão’ was one of the oral memory keepers of Salvador, composing several classical Sambas. His Samba’s were re-recorded and reproduced by other artists countless times. His songs were portraits of Bahian society, life in the city, traditions, and affections. In the Brazilian military regimen, some of his songs were censored, when he spoke out on hunger, poverty, and other inequalities. Reflecting on Salvador, the habits, and cultural memory of the people from Bahia, he sang about the happenings and places of the city, as a malandro.

‘Humanenochum Organization: Women in the first place!’

Album

Irreverence was one of the characteristic aspects of the ‘Malandro’ lifestyle. Alternating between melancholic and love songs, happy songs, and real-life history, it was a resistance effort. Sambists from early periods in Bahia had normal jobs, and made Samba for the love of music. ‘Riachão’ was an errand man in a bank, and he tells that everywhere he went bringing documents, people asked him to sing a bit, and so he led his life, joyful as always.

A matchbox is also an important traditional instrument for this new Samba instrumentation.

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Festa de São João and Samba duro

One of the most Traditional festivities in Brazil is the ‘Festa de São João’, or more commonly as ‘Festa Junina’, translated literally as June’s Festivities. The Christian celebrations of Saint John, developed in Brazil a whole set of cultural and musical expressions. In Salvador Samba Duro is the traditional Rhythm for this event, which is a direct descendant of the Samba de Roda. The players of the Samba-Duro drew upon the Afro-Religions. Much of the rhythm that is present in modern Bahian Samba is derived from this relationship.

In Rio, the organization of Samba schools was fueled by government nationalistic endeavors. Meanwhile, in Salvador, Samba of all forms resisted in community associations. These associations were mainly based on the religious communities, following tradition. Samba, as well as capoeira, and anywhere else were dance, music, drink, and food were together were the main entertainment to the people of Salvador.

Samba-Duro was a strong cultural movement in the second half of the 20th century in Salvador. It gave birth to many famous groups, usually each one from a determined neighborhood. Such as the Traditional ‘Samba-Fama’, Samba-Scorpions’, ‘Samba-Peão Doido’ and many others. They paraded the streets of the communities, through ‘favelas’ and the city, parading and interacting with the city.

Timbal, surdo, and repique were the instruments used in the ‘Samba-Junino’ movement. These were the groups that were responsible for influencing the next generation of Bahian Music. The characteristic rhythmic solo, drew on the Afro-Religions improvising on the Samba cadency.

“Candoblé is a source of Rhythm”

Tinho Pequeno – Lead instrumentist in Samba-Fama

Source: Opanije archive

Album

BLOCO AFRO

The groups of Samba-Duro had a different organization compared to Rio’s Samba-Schools. The first Samba-Schools founded in Salvador was ‘Ilê Aiye’. The group decided that instead of Samba-School naming, they would become the first Bloco Afro (Afro Block). Their Afro-Samba, mixing elements of Candomblé with various traditional Samba rhythms, turned classic.

Ilê Aiyê Candomblé’s head, ‘Mãe Hilda Jitolu’

Giving Blessing for Ilê Aiyê Carnival celebrations, in 1987.

Source

BLOCO AFRO was the name given to Samba-Schools founded in Salvador. Continuing from Ilê Aiye, came Araketu, Malê Debalê, Muzenza, Cortejo Afro, and many more. This cultural movement had a profound influence on the development of Samba in Salvador, including Carnaval. This represented the growing representation of traditional Afro-Brazilian rhythms in Carnival celebrations.

Tinho Pequeno is considered by many to be one of the ‘Masters’ of percussion in Salvador. He was a member of the Samba-Duro group ‘Samba-Fama’. He recalled in a documentary by Opanije.com, how Carlinhos Brown and Tony Mola came to ‘Samba-Fama’ to photograph them playing. Brown invited Tinho to become part of ‘Timbalada’, who became soloist and regent for Timbalada. The group revolutionized mainstream Brazilian Samba, introducing back many traditional rhythms.

TINHO PEQUENO, JUNIOR PAI DE SANTO AND TIMBALADA BAND

Source: Opanije Archive

Timbalada introduced new African and Caribbean percussive influences. The hits played in the Carnival, are performed to this day by countless musicians and bands. As Timbalada and other ‘Blocos-Afro’ became known in Brazil, percussion became an even stronger force in Brazilian Music. The Bahian rhythms took over Brazil through Carnival, fueled by the traditional rhythms. Drinking from the cultural well of Afro-Brazilian Religions rhythms, what is Samba in Brazil was again enlarged.

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Samba drank now from urban movements, Samba-Afro from Ilê Aiyê, Timbalada’s various rhythms and the Samba-Reggae. Mixing reggae and Samba, Samba-Reggae was popularized by Olodum. Neguinho do Samba, who hailed from the first Bloco Afro of Salvador, ‘Ilê Aiyê’, is accredited with creating and popularizing it. Olodum became worldwide a reference for percussion, Samba-Reggae becoming a key element in Salvador’s Carnival.

Pelourinho

Paul Simon was one of the artists that came to Brazil and had contact with Olodum, inspiring himself in Bahian music. After making a recording in Pelourinho, he brought ‘Olodum’ percussionists to perform with him in Central Park in NYC. In the tour that followed, the percussionists met Spike Lee, who wrote the script for a music clip that placed Brazil in the spotlight.

Michael Jackson with Olodum in Pelourinho

Clip

Olodum gained worldwide fame when Michael Jackson came to Salvador and recorded ‘They don’t Care about us’. The recording, of ‘Olodum’ on the Historic Center of Salvador, ‘Pelourinho’, became an icon for Brazilian music.

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