Malê Revolt in Salvador, Bahia

Background. Slavery in Brazil began long before the first Portuguese settlement, with African importation starting midway through the 16th century. By 1835, Salvador was a center of Afro-Brazilian culture. The Malê Revolt was part of a series of slave revolts in Bahia between 1807 and 1835, characterized by unprecedented violence. The revolt was planned by an African-born Muslim ethnic group of slaves, the Malês, aiming to free all slaves in Bahia.

Participants. The rebellion involved enslaved African Muslims and freedmen. In Bahia, Muslims were called 'malê,' derived from the Yoruba 'imale.' However, by 1835, most Malês were Nagôs. Brazilian-born slaves and ex-slaves represented 40% of Bahia's population but did not participate in the 1835 revolt, consistent with their absence in previous revolts. Tensions between Africans and Afro-Brazilians, fostered by slaveowners, prevented a unified rebellion effort.

Aftermath. The Malê Revolt was Brazil's largest slave revolt. It contributed to the idea of the abolition of slavery, which took until 1888. The slave trade was abolished in Brazil, due in part to the 1835 rebellion. Deportees, consisting of freed and enslaved Africans, were sent in stages to the Bight of Benin starting in 1835, specifically to the existing Lusophone colony in Dahomey.