In Salvador, religion is a major contact point between European and African influences. Salvador was the seat of the first bishopric in colonial Brazil (established 1551), and the first bishop, Pero Fernandes Sardinha, arrived already in 1552. The Jesuits, led by the Manuel da Nobrega, also arrived in the 16th century and worked in converting the Indigenous peoples of the region to Roman Catholicism.
Most enslaved Africans in Bahia were brought from Sub-Saharian Africa, especially the Yoruba-speaking nation (Iorubá or Nagô in Portuguese) from present-day Nigeria. The enslaved were forced to convert to Roman Catholicism, but their original religion, Candomblé, has survived in spite of prohibitions and persecutions. The enslaved Africans managed to preserve their religion by attributing the names and characteristics of their Candomblé deities to Catholic saints with similar qualities.
Hence, as former pagan Christians once associated Pagan deities with the saints, enslaved Africans in Bahia transformed their faiths into a syncretic form of religion that still attempts to please both their own roots and the faith imposed by their masters and those caught in between both traditions. Thus, up to today, even nominal Catholics take part in Candomblé rituals in the terreiros or "centros". Candomblé is based on the cult of the Orishas (Orixás), like Obatala (Oxalá), father of humankind; Ogoun (Ogum), god of the war and iron; Yemanja (Iemanjá), goddess of the sea, rivers and lakes.
Religious syncretism is defined as the combination of two or more creeds. In Brazil, especially in Bahia, it came up as a solution for the slaves who were prohibited of practicing their religion, so they pretended to be worshiping catholic saints while in reality they were venerating their own deities. Hence, associating an orixá (Candomblé deity) to a catholic was a strategy used by black people to maintain their beliefs and rituals alive, while they fooled their masters, making them believe that their devotion was to the catholic saints.

Capoeira is a unique mix of dance and martial art of Afro-Brazilian origin, combining agile dance moves with unarmed combat techniques. Its origins go back to the times of slavery, and Salvador is considered the centre of origin of the modern Capoeira branches. The initial purpose of Capoeira's emergence was to boost the slaves’ morale, remind them of their homeland through music and to defend themselves against aggression from their owners. Swinging hips, arm stands, head butts and sweeping feet movements uniquely identify the art of Capoeira. The art required a good level of agility and core strength. In the first half of the 20th century, Salvador-born masters Mestre Bimba and Mestre Pastinha founded Capoeira schools and helped standardize and popularize the art in Brazil and the world. The practice of Capoeira was banned in 1892, though in 1937 it was made legal.
Capoeira practices are accompanied by special music and songs. Musical instruments used in Capoeira music include the caxixi, atabaque and berimbau, percussion instruments of African origin. Capoeira has moved from the senzalas and quilombos of Brazil to New York, Berlin, Australia, and just about every place in between.