Little Africa Walking Tour

Considered the cradle of samba and one of the most important symbols of Afro-Brazilian cultural resistance. An ancient meeting point for stewardesses, musicians and community leaders, the venue is also sacred to African-based religions and represents ancestry, identity and living memory.

The tour begins at Largo de San Francisco da Prainha, one of the oldest areas in the port area of Rio de Janeiro. Since the colonial period, the plain has been an important space for the movement of enslaved, freed Africans and port workers, concentrating a fundamental part of the city's social and economic life. In the open, we visit the Church of San Francisco da Prainha, built in the 17th century. The temple is one of the oldest in Rio and silently witnesses the black presence, slavery and urban transformations of the region over the centuries.

We follow the Olympic Boulevard, where we observe the iconic Mural of the Ethnies, by the artist Eduardo Kobra. The work represents five indigenous and traditional peoples, symbolizing the continents : Mursi (Africa – Ethiopia) Kayapó (Americas – Brazil) Kayin (Asia – Myanmar) Huli (Oceania – Papua New Guinea) Supi (Europe – Siberia, Russia) The mural connects urban art, human diversity and the multicultural history of the port territory.

Cais do Valongo, the main port of entry for enslaved Africans in the Americas. Millions of people landed here between the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the pier is a place of memory, reflection and recognition of the African diaspora.

We visited the Institute for Research and Memory of New Negroes (IPN), located on an ancient cemetery where newly arrived Africans who did not survive the Atlantic crossing were buried. The space preserves archaeological vestiges and promotes research and educational actions fundamental to understanding slavery in Brazil.