The legitimization of the religion and its universal values were
characteristic of the work of honorable priestesses and priests such
as Mother Aninha, Iyalorixa Oba biyhi, Mother Senhora, Iyalorixa Osun
Muiwa, Martiniano do Bonfim, Oje L'Ade, among many others.

In 1980, Master Didi, operating out of his African heritage and his
diverse initiations, founded the Ile Asipa, a Terreiro community that
honors Egum ancestors, and where the Asipa lineage and African
ancestors are cared for.

The work of Master Didi is not restricted to his studio, nor to the
publication of books or to his sacred or communal activities. His work
is expanded to the founding of institutions for thought, reflection,
and dissemination significant to the African-Brazilian cultural
patrimony. He participates in national and international conferences
and seminars. He founded and actively participates in several
institutions, such as the Society for the Study of Black Culture in
Brasil-SECNEB, the National Institute of African-Brazilian Culture and
Tradition-INTECAB, and the World Congress of Orixa Traditions-COMTOC,
and travels internationally to Africa, Europe and the USA.

The Society for the Study of Black Culture in Brasil, founded in 1974,
through its diverse actions, such as organizing seminars, conferences
and meetings, production of films, television programs, theater
productions, book publication, etc., makes a profound effect on
society, decolonizing hidden concepts, creating new ways of
elaborating, perceiving, and advancing a new epistomology.

COMTAC - World Conference of the Orisha Tradition and Culture-
international forums that brought together priests and priestesses,
major scientists, and innovative academics, took place in Ile Ife
Nigeria (1981), Salvador (1983) and New York (1986), and were
historical turning points and events of exchange and understanding of
the values of African diaspora.

The reflections of the Oba-Biyi Mini-Community (1976-1986) created a
multi-cultural education curriculum. This was based in a new pedagogy,
opened to the language and to the values of the tradition, creating an
educational environment able to promote the engagement of the children
of the community in the learning process.

Master Didi embodies the continuity of Brazil-Africa through the
background of his own Asipa family, recovered after five generations
in Ketu. His family in Brazil was already acknowledged as one of the
oldest and most significant lineages of the Nago tradition in terms of
the social, cultural, and religious expansion of the terreiro
community in Bahia.

The culmination of this recovery happened when, in Ketu Palace, after
reconnecting with Alaketu, King of Ketu, Master Didi was presented to
Asipa relatives and invited to meet Ojuba Ode.

In other trips to Africa, Master Didi, the Alapini, Supreme priest of
the Egungun sect, the oldest descendent of the Asipas in Brazil,
accepted the title of Bale Kango in Oyo Palace in Nigeria. The king of
Ketu gave Master Didi the title of Baba Mogba Oga Oni Xango in his
palace in the city of Ketu in the Republic of Benin, Ex-Daome.

The acknowledgement of the value and significance of Master Didi to
the preservation and strengthening of the African-Brasilian community
goes beyond community titles, since all of Brazilian society honors
him. He received the Olodum Cultural Group Ujaama award for his work
in promoting the Black community. He was honored with the
distinguished Tome de Souza medal in acknowledgement of the importance
of his work for the cultural expansion of the city of Salvador.

The terreiros (sacred spaces) were and still are centers for the
organization of cultural preservation, elaboration, and transmission.
They form the core of a whole complex symbolic system.

The worship of the orixas and important ancestors continues and is
renewed in these spaces.

The terriero community develops intense artistic activities. The
clothes and costumes, both those used in daily tasks and the more
sophisticated articles used for the initiated in festivals and
ceremonies and the garments used to represent the orixa as channeled
by priestesses, reveal fancy work in combining textiles and
structures, blouses and shirts ritually embroidered with distinctive
patterns, and covered with ornaments, shells, and beads, leather, and
fibers, holding emblems, and combining colors specific to each ritual
context.

The emblems in ritual objects used by priestesses give work to
craftspeople, giving several handicrafts unique meaning.

- translated by Tatiana Pedreira and Arnold Aprill