NYC-based photographer Taiye Godbody found his home from home in Bahia
Home to the largest population of people of African descent outside of Africa, I was drawn to Brazil to immerse myself in this potent pocket of the diaspora. In Bahia’a capital city of Salvador, I found myself surrounded by deeply grounding signifiers of spirituality and spice that spoke to my Beninian heritage.
One day, I was standing in awe on the street when a local approached me and articulated what I was feeling: “Somos uma família. A única coisa diferente é a língua.” (“We’re family. The only thing that’s different is the language.”) That simple truth resonated with me. There is a warmth, flavour and flair that emanates from the people – whether it’s in the subtle flick of a wrist, in a drop of a hip, or in the grandeur of a carnival costume.
There is rarely a quiet moment in the city. Music fills every silence – drum bands performing in the streets, children tapping out rhythms, samba songs floating through open windows. Music fuels life in Bahia, something the people breathe naturally.
“Somos uma família. A única coisa diferente é a língua"
