Court's ruling allows for courtship of Iemanjá following Grande BH city hall's rejection of alvará
Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais, is set to host the "Celebration of Waters and Afro-Brazilian Culture", also known as the "1st Iemanjá Parade of Lagoa Santa", this Saturday, August 2, 2025. The event, scheduled to take place from 3:00 PM to 12:00 AM on Avenida Getúlio Vargas, between Expedicionários and Senator Modestino Gonçalves streets, has faced some challenges but has been given the green light by the courts.
The Justice of Minas Gerais ruled in favour of the Afro-Brazilian cultural organization Cabana Pedra Branca, authorizing the holding of the Iemanjá Parade in Lagoa Santa. The municipality of Lagoa Santa and its mayor were ordered to refrain from preventing, hindering, or restricting the event at the authorized location and time.
The Iemanjá Parade is a celebration of the 'Queen of Waters', a figure revered by Umbanda. Historically linked to the Virgin Mary due to Catholic syncretism, the parade features the participation of members from 16 terreiros in Lagoa Santa and the surrounding area.
The parade portion of the Iemanjá Parade will start at 5:00 PM. The event will also include shows by bands Afoxé Ilê Odara and Samba do Lajedo from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
The municipality of Lagoa Santa initially blocked the event, citing 'environmental issues'. However, the denial of the permit lacked detailed technical information on how the event would compromise environmental recovery actions.
The state has the duty to protect expressions of popular, indigenous, and Afro-Brazilian cultures. The Iemanjá Parade, being a celebration of Afro-Brazilian culture, is protected by this duty.
Erlon Câmara, a priest from Cabana Pedra Branca, stated that the Iemanjá Parade is about ancestry, the cult of the "Queen of Waters".
As of now, the report is awaiting a response from Lagoa Santa City Hall regarding the judicial order to comply with the holding of the Iemanjá Parade. For more information, contact Samara at 31 92000-1858 or Dandara at 31 98961-7028.
[1] Searches for information regarding Lagoa Santa City Hall's stance on the preliminary injunction granted for the "Celebration of the Afro-Brazilian Waters and Culture" event in Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais, have not yielded any relevant results. If you have access to local news sources or official communications from Lagoa Santa City Hall, checking those could provide a direct statement on their stance.
[1] The judicial order mandates the municipality of Lagoa Santa and its mayor to allow the 'Celebration of the Afro-Brazilian Waters and Culture', more specifically the 'Iemanjá Parade', to take place as planned, without prevention, hindrance, or restriction.
[2] The 'Iemanjá Parade' scheduled in Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais, isn't just a cultural event — it's a celebration of lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, and home-and-garden, as it showcases the unique traditions, music, and art associated with the Afro-Brazilian community in this region.
