Rita Maria

A daughter of freed parents, Rita Maria lived in Florianópolis. She was a black woman of small stature who lived by the beach and was much sought after for her prayers, teas and blessings. Her culinary gifts were also famous, and she cooked for seamen across the whole island and supported herself with her cooking. It was also said that she owned a “house of tolerance,” or brothel. With so many facets, Rita Maria became a legendary figure. Today a neighborhood is named after her, and in 1982 her name was also given to the local Bus Terminal. In that same year, two monuments were erected: one, made of scrap iron, is a stylized representation of Rita Maria, and the other, in reinforced concrete, is a depiction of her open hand.