Have a good death: notes on the Brotherhood of the Good Death

The Brotherhood of Our Lady of Good Death was founded approximately in the middle of the eighteenth century, in the city of Salvador, Brazil. Over nearly three centuries, it has preserved, albeit reworked and reinterpreted, African values, as an institution that brings inside characteristic traits of resignified mortuary experiences in Brazil. This brotherhood becomes singular by the exclusive admittance of women, by dealing with mortuary issues and, finally, by belonging to Candomble and Catholicism, core brands that make it unique. Moreover, it creates a space for female political engagement. In this sense, this article discusses the meaning of the Brazilian burial rites, out of the conceptions of life and death of the Good Death members, their relationship with the fear of death and, finally, seeks to understand how religious transit contributed for the group to keep their most relevant identity features.