History of the Park

The Pirajá Municipal Park, also known as the Saint Bartholomew Park, is a wooded area of about 1500 hectares on the outskirts of the city of Salvador, Bahia. It is part of the Mata Atlantica (a forested eco-system along the edge of the Atlantic ocean), and is distinguished by great bio-diversity, including extraordinarily beautiful waterfalls. It is also a place of historical significance. In the 16th century, Tupinambá Indians lived in the area and the first Jesuit mission villages were established there. During slavery, fugitive slaves created quilombos (maroon communities) on these lands; and in the 19th century, Pirajá was also the site of decisive battles for Brazilian independence from Portugal. More recently the park has been a sacred site utilized by devotees of Afro-Brazilian religions who – especially in the middle years of the 20th century – harvested ritual plants and conducted ceremonies of baptism and initiation within its boundaries.

The neighborhoods surrounding the park are strongly affected by the petrochemical and railroad industries in the area which have polluted the ground and water. Also, new settlements (invasões) have developed in some formerly uninhabited areas of the park where the city’s most economically marginalized people construct makeshift houses that often lack electricity and running water. Furthermore, in recent years, problems of violence and drugs have beset the communities surrounding the park, adding to the overall lack of environmental “wellness”.