An Evening with Senior Candomblé Priestess, Valnizia de Ayrá

On September 28, the campus of Spelman College welcomes Iyalorixá Valnizia de Ayrá for an extended informal conversation about the Afro-Brazilian ritual tradition Candomblé, the divine feminine, Afro-Brazilian healing practices and women’s spiritual leadership in resistance to oppression.

Candomblé is an artistically-rich, poetic and healing-centered ritual practice with roots in the ancient lifeways of West and Central Africa that were re-elaborated in northeastern Brazil by people resisting the dehumanizations of slavery.  The religion continues to be an important source of inspiration in the contemporary struggle for Afro-Brazilian human rights.  Iyalorixá Valnizia (Mãe Val) is the senior priestess of the Terreiro do Cobre, one of the most prominent and active Candomble temple communities in the state of  Bahia, Brazil.  The spiritual mother of the temple community, Mae Val is a specialist in the culinary, ritual and pharmacoepic wisdom at the heart of Candomblé.   She will be accompanied by her daughter, Vandrea Amaral, who is also an initiate in the tradition.

The conversation will be introduced and translated by Dr. Rachel E. Harding, ebômi (ritual elder) of the Terreiro do Cobre Candomblé community.  Dr. Harding is a historian of Afro-Atlantic Religions who teaches at the University of Colorado Denver, and is co-director of the Veterans of Hope Project.

The program is co-sponsored by the Spelman College Department of Religion, The Veterans of Hope Project and The Ceremony: Events and Music.

Time:  5pm 

Location:  Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Academic Center Auditorium, Spelman College, Atlanta, GA

For more information, please contact Ms. Euneika Rogers-Sipp, sippcreative@gmail.com