Africanities in the brazilian landscape

Abstract

Since the colonial period, the landscapes of Bahia have been marked by various foreign characteristics, among which plants of African and Asian origin stand out. The present study deals with the evidence of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) in the outskirts of São Salvador da Bahia. As an integral component of the Brazilians’ diet since the XVI century, it “africanized” the Bahian landscape, although its subsequent expansion on the national territory occurred due to various internal factors, including its “Brazilianization”. Nevertheless, still in the XIX century, the view of the European travelers distinguished the exotic elements of the Brazilian landscape, such as bananas, mangos and watermelons, despite their “naturalization” on the area and on the perception of the Brazilians in relation to the landscape.