Tania's Acarajé
Tânia is 49 years old, but she has been observing her grandmother making acarajé with great curiosity since childhood. She comes from a lineage of “baianas de acarajé” (acarajé sellers), and since the age of 14, she has been handling and working at the acarajé stand, making cocadas, learning to fry the acarajé balls, and specifically, for the past 23 years, she has taken over a fixed spot as an acarajé vendor. The spot at Farol da Barra has gone through several positioning modifications in the same location. Customarily, the acarajé, within the Candomblé religion, is an offering made to Iansã. The practice of the offering, however, varies from vendor to vendor: some fry the first acarajé balls and throw them on the street near the stand, others set aside 7 acarajé balls inside the stall to offer to 7 children who show up, but this requires permission within the religion. Dona Tânia does not have this permission since she is not initiated in Candomblé, even though she comes from an “Axé” lineage (born within a terreiro, and her entire family practices Candomblé), she admits to knowing her religion but not being a regular participant. Today, the spot is shared with Tânia’s children: during the week, her children take turns on three days, while she takes four days, but she ends up working every day because she prepares the ingredients daily at home and also coordinates the sales at the location. In 2005, Tânia participated in the program “Acarajé 10,” which aimed to train these professionals regarding food safety because the delicacy worries consumers due to its lack of hygienic-sanitary quality, from the choice of raw materials to preparation and exposure in the stands. Tânia stood out and received the ISO 9001 seal for fully complying with the program’s standards. In addition to language, administration, and customer service courses, Tânia keeps herself up-to-date and ensures that her team also receives training. Tânia was chosen as the FIFA standard “baiana” (acarajé vendor) and worked at the 2014 FIFA World Cup events. “The secret is always to serve well, always with a smile. Many tourists are enchanted by the attire, and now many people from Salvador demand the traditional baiana attire.” Tânia buys the products weekly or once a month at Feira de São Joaquim, and she devotes about 4 to 5 hours daily to preparing the products. She works with three employees: the first and second handle the food to avoid direct contamination, and the third handles the money. “Those who handle the food cannot handle the money.” Besides her children, Tânia has a 6-year-old granddaughter, Sofia, and firmly believes that the little girl will be the next baiana in the family. When asked about the possibility of the girl not following in her footsteps, Tânia proudly says that her granddaughter is already a “baiana.” Sofia gives interviews, participates in events, and today there is no event in the city that does not want her presence.
Where and When?
Largo do Farol da Barra, 40140-650
Contact
Insta: @acarajedataniaa
Photos: Neto de Oliveira/ Text: Emerson Santos