These figures are honored annually on May 13th, the anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery. In Afro-Brazilian ritual practices, they symbolize the enduring memory of slavery through their distinctive language patterns.

Artwork Credit: DALL·E/Laura Álvarez López

Representations of Preto Velho "Pretos Velhos" characters are typically portrayed as elderly speakers of African languages who later learned Portuguese. Their narratives and how they are represented provide deep insights into the experiences and linguistic traits of enslaved Africans in Brazil.

Read the full article and interview in Portuguese here