Not to be confused with Maria da Conceicao Silva.
| Maria Alta da Conceicao | |
| Birth: | 8 December 1878? Bahia, Brazil |
| Death: | 8 March 1996 Bahia, Brazil |
| Age: | 117 years, 91 days? |
| Country: |  BRA
|
| Longevity claimant | |
Maria Alta da Conceicao [Portueguese: Conceição] (8 December 1878? – 8 March 1996) was a Brazilian longevity claimant who, at the time of her death, claimed to be the oldest known living person in Brazil, as well as the second-oldest living person in the world, behind Jeanne Calment.
Biography[]
Maria Alta da Conceição claimed that she was born in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil on 8 December 1878. She was Candomblé yalorixá known as Maria do Xangô. Her terreiro was the "Ilê Oba Fé Kanfe Olorun", located in Baixa do Tubo, in the neighborhood of Cosme de Farias, in Salvador, Brazil.
She was born in slavery under the Free Belly Law. She started in Candomblé at the age of seven. She had nine sons, including daughters of saint, like Mother Zeze, daughter of xangô.
Maria de Xangô was from from Candomblé Queto, the Ketu nation and received a special gift from a special son: Gilberto Gil, who presented her with an African xangô.
In 1981, she was honored during the Meeting of Nations of Candomblé. Maria Alta da Conceição died in Bahia, Brazil on 8 March 1996 at the alleged age of 117 years, 91 days, although her age is not documented.
References[]
- Notícia da morte de Maria de Xangô
- Jornal da Bahia 03/12/77
- Nações-de-candomblé. In: Encontro de Nações de Candomblé. Salvador, Centro de Estudos Afro-Asiáticos da UFBA e Ianamá, 1984