Axé Ilê Obá: Garments of Candomblé

This article seeks to reflect on the clothes of the Queto Candomblé house, Axé Ilê Obá. The objective is to investigate the garments present since the foundation of the terreiro, throughout the succession of its three religious’ leaders: Father Caio of Xangô (1950–1985); Mother Sylvia of Oxalá (1986–2014); and Mother Paula of Iansã (2015-) and identify whether there are aesthetic changes in the clothing worn in the house during the tenure of each religious leader. For a comparative study of the attire in the three moments of the terreiro, photographs from the periods of Father Caio and Mother Sylvia were collected through researchers written by members of the terreiro (especially Mother Sylvia’s book, O perfil do Aché Ile Obá, 1980), as well as the photographic collection of Axé Ilê Obá, which was consulted. To analyze the current attire, in addition to field research conducted since 2017, interviews were also conducted with clothing manufacturers that produce garments for the terreiro, images were requested from the official photographers of the house, and an interview was conducted with Mother Paula. The importance of analyzing the changes in these moments is to verify the visual impact that the religious leaders in Candomblé promote in the attire of everyone, according to their personal taste, the divinity of this religious leader, and their personal relationships with the clothing producers. Thus, we understand how these leaders of a Candomblé act as dress code guide for the Candomblé house, impacting this market of Candomblé garments, the axós.