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4d ago

Bahia Bids Farewell to Mãe Carmen With Salvador Burial for Gantois Leader

Bahia has declared three days of mourning to honor the matriarch who safeguarded Gantois traditions for more than two decades.

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Overview

  • Mãe Carmen (Carmen Oliveira da Silva) died early Friday in Salvador after roughly two weeks hospitalized at Hospital Português with complications from a strong flu.
  • Her body was carried in a fire department cortege and buried Saturday at Jardim da Saudade cemetery after a public wake at the Terreiro do Gantois and ritual farewells.
  • Governor Jerônimo Rodrigues decreed three days of official mourning, while President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the culture minister, the mayor of Salvador and major artists issued tributes.
  • Leading Ilé Ìyá Omi Àṣẹ Ìyámase since 2002, she was the fifth ialorixá in the house’s matriarchal line, expanding social and cultural programs that preserved candomblé memory.
  • Her legacy garnered the UNESCO Medal of the Five Continents in 2010 and Salvador’s Comenda Maria Quitéria in 2023; outlets reported her age inconsistently, with most citing 98.