Tourist guide offers itineraries linked to Afro-Brazilian culture
Initiative conducts a diagnostic study on Afro-tourism in all regions of the country.
Luciano Nascimento, from Agência Brasil - The Guide to Afro-Brazilian Tourism – Itineraries and Experiences of Afro-Brazilian Culture, launched this week by the Ministry of Tourism, provides a diagnosis of Afro-Brazilian tourism, mapping experiences and tourism services led by Black people, as well as identifying national and international best practices and supporting public policies aimed at the sector.
The initiative aims to recognize this contribution, valuing spaces of memory and resistance, and is also a way to reconnect with the past, rescue one's ancestry, strengthen the present, and project a future that values Black culture.
The guide organizes experiences by macro-region and type of activity, offering options ranging from visits to quilombos and terreiros to gastronomic tours, museums, and cultural fairs.
The material reflects the diversity of Afro-Brazilian culture, highlighting the potential of tourism as an instrument for generating income, strengthening cultural identity and valuing tangible and intangible historical heritage.
One example is the experience of visiting the Quilombo dos Palmares Memorial Park, in Serra da Barriga, Alagoas. There, visitors will learn about the history of one of the most important quilombos in the country. Or even the Quilombo Cultural, in São Luís, the capital of Maranhão, an experience in the largest urban quilombo in Latin America.
On the tour, visitors will be able to discover various cultural manifestations, such as reggae, cacuriá, tambor de crioula, bumba meu boi, Afro and traditional blocks, as well as African religiosity.
Another example of an Afro-tourism itinerary is that of the Alarokê Candomblé Terreiro, in the city of São Cristóvão, Sergipe, the fourth oldest city in Brazil. Between conversation circles, Afro dance and percussion workshops, the flavors of traditional cuisine, and artistic presentations of music, theater, and dance, tourists immerse themselves in the knowledge and spirituality of the Afro-Brazilian religious communities.
In Salvador, Bahia, you can visit Terreiro do Gantois, one of the most respected Candomblé temples in Brazil, and the Memorial Mãe Menininha do Gantois and Centro Comunitário Mãe Carmen, the latter a space for cultural and social strengthening, where tradition and commitment to the community go hand in hand.
Still in Bahia, another destination is Quilombo Kaonge, in the city of Cachoeira. Among the shared knowledge and skills, highlights include the artisanal production of palm oil and flour in a mortar, the preparation of syrups with medicinal herbs, and an enriching discussion about the local currency, the Sururu.
In the capital of Amapá, it is possible to explore the Barracões Route in Marabaixo, where tourists immerse themselves in the living history of Macapá, told by residents descended from the families who participated in the construction of the imposing São José Fortress and who, to this day, maintain the Afro-Amazonian culture.
In the Central-West, in the region that encompasses the cities of Monte Alegre de Goiás, Teresina de Goiás and Cavalcante, in Goiás, it is possible to discover the Kalunga territory, with lush trails and waterfalls, such as Santa Bárbara.
Among other experiences, the guide includes several itineraries such as the Circuito da Memória Negra, in Petrópolis, in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, and Pequena África, in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
The guide also takes tourists on the Manguebeat route in Recife, exploring the trajectory of Chico Science and the Afro-Brazilian influences such as coco de roda, ciranda, and maracatu that shaped the movement. He also suggests a visit to the underground gold gallery of the Mina Du Veloso, part of a large archaeological site in Ouro Petro, Minas Gerais, with structures reminiscent of eighteenth-century gold mining.
Preparation of the Guide
According to the Ministry of Tourism, a public form was opened to prepare the Guide, in which “black entrepreneurs, traditional communities and managers could indicate experiences in their territories,” the ministry reported.
“The curation resulted in the selection of 43 Afro-centric initiatives, with criteria such as: presence on the Brazilian Tourism Map, participation of Afro-entrepreneurs and regularity in Cadastur,” he added.
In total, the Northeast and Southeast regions have 16 routes each, followed by the North, with five; the Central-West, with four; and the South, with two routes.
According to the ministry, the Afro-tourism segment is one of the priorities of the current administration, through the Black Routes Program, which "aims to promote Afro-tourism, strengthen black communities and position Afro-Brazilian culture on the national and international tourism scene."