“In Resistance”. This is how Clarindo Silva, 80, responds when asked how she is doing. Always dressed in white and dressed in casual clothes, he has reigned supreme for 51 years at Cantina da Lua, located in Praça Terreiro de Jesus, in Pelourinho, Salvador. The space is a symbol of the persistence of the entrepreneur who started out as a waiter and became the owner of the space. He is one of the few and oldest black entrepreneurs in the historic center of Salvador and was an activist for the revitalization of the architectural complex in the 90s.
“Seu Clarindo”, as he is known, organizes soirees and is the writer of the books “Memories of the Cantina da Lua” and “Conversa de Buzu”, which are for sale at his space. He himself welcomes customers with a characteristic smile and kindness. In 2021, when he completed 50 years ahead of the space in Pelourinho, he launched the Cantina da Lua Memorial, which houses a wide collection of photographs, reports and documents that contemplate his history in front of the restaurant.
Cantina da Lua serves typical foods such as moqueca, carne de sol and an award-winning caipirinha, in addition to live music and the only 24-hour ATM in Pelourinho. The place is a meeting point, stage for meetings of Bahian militants and a cultural center that promotes the values of Afro-Baianity.
With 68 years working in Pelourinho, when asked where he lives, the businessman answers jokingly “here”, since he spends 16 hours in the establishment, but remembers that he “sleeps” in the neighborhood of Pernambués, where he has a house with Dona Boneca, as call the wife. Of the four children, he sees the eldest Cleodo Mercio, who is a lawyer, as the one who will continue the activities of the canteen.
Clarindo also called “mestre Calá” was born in Conceição do Almeida, in the Recôncavo Baiano, moved to Salvador where he was also a police reporter in the newspapers A Tarde, Jornal da Bahia and Tribuna da Bahia. In Cantina da Lua, he saw the decline of the historic center with the departure of state and municipal agencies that still had their headquarters there and fought for the revitalization of the place. It is today one of the great icons of the Historic Center of Salvador. “Preserving Pelô is a gesture of love”, he always emphasizes.
King Momo
In 2008 he was elected King Momo of Salvador’s Carnival. At the time, the election of a thin man as Rei Momo by the Federation of Carnival Entities, the City Hall of Salvador, the Municipal Tourism Company (Emtursa) and the Municipal Council of Carnival caused the Public Ministry of Bahia to file a Civil Action. Public against choice. Clarindo was almost deposed from office, but he remained in the post. The crown and clothes were even stolen with some objects in 2020, but they were later recovered. The crown was custom-made by a Bahian artist, contains semi-precious stones by jeweler LasBonfim and should be worth around R$10,000.
Clarindo received the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the Université Libre des Sciences de L’Homme in Paris and the Commendation of Culture and Arts from the University of the Americas. The act of wearing white every day is in gratitude to Our Lady. “My wife, Boneca (she faced a risky pregnancy. I was desperate. I love my doll very much. She and my son Mércio could die in childbirth. I, who am a man of faith, knelt at Our Lady’s feet and asked for help . I asked fervently. And I got the grace”, he told journalist Wanda Chase, who recalled that the promise was to wear white for seven Fridays, but he liked it so much, he felt so light, that he made white his uniform Wanda describes him as “guardian of Pelourinho.” And, we at Guia Negro, agree, recognize his majesty and reinforce his title of “King of Pelô”.
