Yoruba Roots in Brazil: The Forgotten Story of the Magi People

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    By Victor Olubiye

The term "Nago" or "Anago" refers to Yoruba-speaking individuals, particularly from the ancient kingdom of Ketu, as identified by Fon-speaking communities. During the transatlantic slave trade, this label followed the Yoruba people to Brazil, where they became a pivotal force in shaping Afro-Brazilian culture.


By the 1880s, as the slave trade neared its end, the Nagos were the largest African group transported to Brazil. Alongside other Yoruba people, they played vital roles in:


- Shaping Afro-Brazilian culture

- Influencing religious practices, such as Candomblé

- Fueling resistance movements



The above image is A rare 1869 portrait of a Nago albino black slave in Pernambuco, Brazil, offers a poignant glimpse into their lives. Captured by German-born photographer Alberto Henschel, this image is part of a collection documenting Africa's presence in Brazil, serving as a powerful reminder of the slave trade's enduring legacy in the Americas.



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