The Valongo Wharf as a religious stage: ritual, memory and heritage in an urban palimpsest

Since the Valongo archaeological site was opened to the public in July 2012, numerous artistic, festive, militant, ritual and religious performances have been held on the esplanade bordering the old wharf. This articles centres on the role of religions of African origin in this locality, focusing on the annual ritual of washing the stones of the old wharf where slaves disembarked. Ritual performances linked to the Candomblé of Yoruba tradition - despite an ancient and huge Bantu presence in this aera - have been invested with a central role and a singular legitimacy in the work of recovering memory, affirming identities and making socio-political demands. These popular, immaterial and ephemeral practices also participate in the heritagization process of the Valongo Wharf.

Keywords:
Ritual; Performance; Candomblé; Washing ceremony; Memory.