The charming colonial town of Cachoeira lies 70 miles from Salvador. Set deep in the heart of some of the oldest farmland in Brazil, Cachoeira was once a thriving river port that provided a vital supply link with the farming hinterland and Salvador to the east. The region was the center of the sugar and tobacco booms, which played such an important role in the early wealth of the colony. The majestic saveiro, a gaff-rigged boat, traditionally transported this produce down the River Paraguassu to Salvador across the bay. These boats can still be seen on the river at Cachoeira.
The impressive colonial architecture, particularly its fine examples of Baroque and Rococo churches, is considered a WorldMonument by UNESCO and protected by the Brazilian National Monuments Commission. With the expansion of the road network, Cachoeira ceased to be the important link it was in the time when sail and steam ruled. The town stopped in its tracks and maintains its special charm for this reason.
As in Salvador, the Candomblé plays a very important role in the life of the town. It was because of the easy access by river from Salvador that many of the more traditional Candomblé temples moved to avoid repression. Every August, Cachoeira is the sight of one of the most important festivals in the Candomblé calendar in Bahia. The Sisterhood of the Boa Morte ( Good Death ) is a festival deeply syncretised with Catholicism. The Sisters, some of them of a very advanced age, all descendants of slaves, parade through the town with a statue of the Madonna which is symbolically buried to assume into the heavens on the following day. Behind this Catholic aspect lies a hidden side in which the African ancestral spirits are worshipped. This solemn part of the festival is followed by a street festival where the Sisters dance the samba de roda, a spinning samba danced in beautifully colored flared skirts, creating a kaleidoscope effect as the Sisters swirl and spin to the music. Cachoeria is seen as one of the most important centers for the study of African heritage and traditions in the Americas.
Cachoeira can best be enjoyed as a day trip from Salvador. See our Salvador Like A Native Tours for details. Also see African Heritage for information on The Boa Morte Festival in Cachoeira.
