"Uma santa que abranda as trovoadas": Devoção a Santa Barbara no município de Santa Inês/Ba.

Abstract

This research work focused on the study of the Saint Barbara Prayers that take place in the municipality of Santa Inês, a town in the interior of Bahia, aiming to understand the Afro-religious elements present in this devotion. The offering of caruru, musical instruments and their rhythms, dance, and the perceived spiritual trance experienced by some devotees ultimately anchor this study within the framework of Black Catholicism, a topic gaining increasing attention in the study of African influence on Brazilian Catholicism. The analysis of this theme was conducted through research of written sources and, primarily. through oral interviews with individuals from the town, including devotees themselves, but I also sought out local religious leaders to enrich the discussion with diverse perspectives. The significance of this research occurs in its contribution to further expanding the study of devotion to Saint Barbara, while also safeguarding the memory of devoted, women who steadfastly keep alive this tradition of worship and ritual that distinguishes itself not only in the tradition of prayers, but in its entire religious composition.