Enjoy the dances of the Black Diaspora in Brazil

Hear the sounds of Africa while celebrating carnival in Bahia, Brazil, with Shaya Partners!

Bahia, is a place where the majority of the African slaves were shipped. They arrived from the western coast of Africa to work in the large sugarcane fields that once helped Portugal become one of the richest empires in history. Brazil was the last nation in the Americas to outlaw the slave trade, which brought nearly 1.7 million enslaved Africans. More than 75 percent of Bahia’s 15 million residents can trace their ancestry to the other side of the Atlantic, making it the state with the highest African population in Brazil today. Brazil’s Black Diaspora was formed by Africans and their descendants through the history of slavery, abolition, marginalization, and the fight for social inclusion. In reality, Bahia is Brazil’s most Brazilian state because so many of the nation’s global achievements, like its Carnival and Capoeira, were first developed by Africans, and their descendants are still flourishing today. Through carefully chosen experiences that foster a sense of community and build lifelong connections, we connect you with the spirit of the Black diaspora in Brazil on this trip.

One of the biggest Black Carnivals in the world is held in Bahia just before Lent.  People worldwide come to Brazil during this time to unwind and take part in a unique appreciation of history, art, entertainment, and pleasure. You will enjoy an incredible Carnival and some prominent locations in Bahia with us!