Afoxé

The afoxé (also known as the cabaça or cabaca) is an Afro-Brazilian unpitched percussion instrument in the idiophone family. It is composed of a hollowed vessel wrapped in a net through which beads or seeds are threaded.

Afoxé is Afro-Brazilian music and culture that performs during the Carnival in Salvador, Bahia . The Afoxé is composed of percussion-based music with the use of religious symbols from the Afro-Brazilian religion called Candomblé which is derived from the Yoruba world view . As such, the Afoxé groups march through the streets of Salvador, Bahia during Brazilian Carnival and perform the Ijexá rhythmical pattern of music which is directly related to the sacred drumming traditions found within the Candomblé ceremonies .

While Afoxé is generally recognized within the context of the Carnival celebration, researchers are beginning to document its origins in Afro-Brazilian religion and as an important vehicle for the public expression of Afro-Brazilian identity . The procession format for Afoxé allows for the adaptation of traditional orisha (Candomblé spirits) rituals and costumes into formats suitable for public display . As one of the largest and most influential Afoxé groups, Filhos de Gandhy was formed in 1949 and has become a key element in defining the modern-day Afoxé procession .

Researchers have defined Afoxé as both an African music practice (ritualistic) and a cultural institution that provides an interface between the sacred ritualism of the Afro-Brazilian community and the secular festival atmosphere of Carnaval celebrations . Afoxé has provided a venue for increasing awareness of Afro-Brazilian religious traditions nationally and internationally through its involvement in Carnaval celebrations, and also provides a cultural platform for the community to express their identity .