Caetano Veloso Depois Que O Ilê Passar (1987)
If you’ve spent any time listening to Brazilian music, chances are you’ve heard the words “Ilê Aiyê.” They come from the Yoruba language: ilé means “home,” and ayé means “life.” Together, the wording can be understood as “earth.” In our case it refers to Brazil’s oldest Afro-Brazilian bloco at Carnival, founded 1974 by activists and Carnival legends Antônio Carlos “Vovô” and Apolônio de Jesus in Salvador de Bahia’s Curuzu neighborhood.
At the time, forming a Carnival group that glorified Blackness and included only Black people was not only controversial, it was considered dangerous, as the military dictatorship actively suppressed any attempts by Black Brazilians to organize themselves.
But Ilê Aiyê didn’t back down, and in 1975 they stepped into the parade for the first time, walking through Salvador to the song “Que Bloco é Esse?,” literally asking “What is this bloco?” and themselves providing the resounding and proud response. From that moment, the legend of the Afro-bloco was born. Each year since, Ilê Aiyê has dedicated its parade to celebrating a different African or Caribbean nation, honoring the roots that shaped Brazil’s and especially Bahia’s own history.
For those unfamiliar with said history: Bahia was one of the main entry points for Africans forcibly brought to Brazil during the transatlantic slave trade, especially from West and Central Africa. Their descendants carried forward languages, rhythms and spiritual traditions that shaped local music, dance and very importantly: Candomblé. Ilê Aiyê draws from this heritage with intention: the drums, the call-and-response vocals, the choreography all echo the Afro-Brazilian memory.
Enter our song of the day. Caetano Veloso’s “Depois Que O Ilê Passar” (engl. “After Ilê Passes”). In it, the Bossa Nova legend and lifelong cultural activist captures the feeling after Ilê Aiyê leaves the street. When the drums fade and the colors dissolve, the celebration may end, but something bittersweet stays with you, echoing long after the bloco has passed.
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