Mãe Nitinha de Oxum
Mãe Nitinha de Oxum | |
|---|---|
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| Born | September 12, 1925 |
| Died | February 4, 2008 (aged 82) |
| Occupation | Candomblé Mãe-de-santo |
Areonite da Conceição Chagas or Mãe Nitinha de Oxum (12 September 1925 to 4 February 2008) was a Brazilian Iaquequerê, Iatebexê, e Ojuodé of the Candomblé temple (in Portuguese, terreiro) Casa Branca do Engenho Velho in Salvador, Bahia, and later Ialorixá at the Terreiro de Nossa Senhora das Candeias in Miguel Couto, greater Rio de Janeiro.
Biography
Areonithe Conceição Chagas was born in Santo Amaro, Bahia on September 12, 1925. Her mother was a mãe-de-santo (Candomblé religious leader).[1]
Mãe Nitinha married “Seu Benzinho”, a man from neighboring Cachoeira, at age 14.[2][3][4]
After her marriage dissolved, Mãe Nitinha worked as a midwife and elementary teacher in Portão, Bahia.[2]
Mãe Nitinha founded her first Candomblé temple in 1960 in the community of Santo Amaro do Ipitanga in Pitangueiras, Bahia.[2]
In April 1972, Mãe Nitinha founded the Asè Iyá Nasso Oká Ilê Osum – Sociedade Nossa Senhora das Candeias in Nova Iguaçu Rio de Janeiro state.[2]
In 2000, the Brazilian government recognized Mãe Nitinha by granting her the right to draw from the state retirement program after working for fifty years as a Candomblé priestess. This was the first case where an Afro-Brazilian Pai-de-santo was granted the same retirement rights given to Catholic priests or Evangelical pastors.[5]
In 2005, the Brazilian government chose Mãe Nitinha as a representative of a multi-faith religious group sent to Rome to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II. Unfortunately, she was not able to attend because she arrived to the airport late and missed her flight.[3]
Mãe Nitinha died on February 4, 2008, in Brotas' Hospital Evangélico. She had been admitted for 12 days for a pulmonary infection. Mãe Nitinha was buried on February 5 in Salvador's Cemitério Jardim da Saudade, wearing the white and gold vestments of Oxúm.[6][1] Bahia's State Secretary for the Promotion of Equality, Luiz Alberto, attended, saying that he "represents the condolences of Bahia's governor (Jaques Wagner) and of Brazil's president (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva), who lament the death of this important representative of Candomblé." Additional rituals followed at the Casa Branca terreiro.[6]
References
- 1 2 "Folha de S.Paulo - Mãe Nitinha, vida nas rodas de Oxum - 11/02/2008". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
- 1 2 3 4 "Sobre Mãe Nitinha - Mãe Nitinha". Mãe Nitinha (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2014-01-03. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
- 1 2 "Perfil – Mãe Nitinha D'Oxun". Candomblé (in European Portuguese). 2012-03-01. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
- ↑ "Mãe Nitinha de Oxum (1933 – 2008) – Mulher 500 Anos Atrás dos Panos" (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2018-03-13. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
- ↑ Londrina, Folha de (2000-09-11). "Mãe-de-santo vai se aposentar como sacerdote religiosa". Folha de Londrina (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2026-06-05.
- 1 2 TARDE, A. (2008-02-05). "Comoção ritual na despedida de Mãe Nitinha de Oxum". A TARDE (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2026-06-05.