This weekend, the School of Visual Arts at Parque Lage becomes a space of memory and ritual with “The Voice of the Ancestor: origin, the terreiro and the city.” The free itinerant performance offers an immersive experience that connects Afro-Brazilian heritage, spirituality, and Rio de Janeiro’s urban landscape.
Taking place on Saturday (6) and Sunday (7) at 3 p.m., the presentation marks the final chapter of a two-month journey across key historical sites in the city. At Parque Lage, the narrative reaches its closing moment surrounded by the Atlantic Forest.
A journey across symbolic sites
The project has moved through locations deeply tied to Afro-Brazilian history, including Cais do Valongo, Praça XV, Praça Mauá, and the Museu da República. Each stop introduced a different narrative, reflecting stages of cultural formation and resistance.
These performances explored themes ranging from origins and diaspora to the creation of cultural and religious spaces that remain active in the city’s identity today.
The myth at the center
At Parque Lage, the performance draws from the myth “What the Leaves Sing,” inspired by the work of Yalorixá Mãe Stella de Oxóssi. The story follows the Orisha Ossaiyn, a central figure in Nagô culture associated with forests and the sacred knowledge of leaves.
Set within a natural environment, the narrative emphasizes the role of nature as a source of knowledge, healing, and spiritual connection, reinforcing its central place in ancestral practices.
Nature is presented not merely as a backdrop but as both origin and return point, shaping ways of living, thinking, and preserving memory.
Terreiros as spaces of renewal
The performance also reflects on the emergence of Candomblé terreiros as spaces of reconstruction after the Black diaspora. These sites are portrayed as centers of resistance, cultural reinvention, and community rebuilding.
Through the presence of the initiated body and the symbolic Voice of the Ancestor, the narrative weaves together spirituality, history, and urban experience, showing how Afro-Brazilian culture continues to evolve within the city.
The final presentation at Parque Lage completes this narrative arc, linking mythic origins, religious development, and contemporary urban life.
An iconic cultural venue
The School of Visual Arts at Parque Lage is one of Brazil’s leading art institutions, known for training artists and fostering contemporary practices. With more than 50 courses, it plays a key role in shaping creative production in Latin America.
After celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, the institution continues to host projects that connect art, history, and social reflection, such as this performance.
Event Info
- “The Voice of the Ancestor: origin, the terreiro and the city”
- Saturday (6) and Sunday (7)
- 3 p.m.
- Free admission
- EAV Parque Lage – Rua Jardim Botânico, 414 – Jardim Botânico
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