Margareth Menezes (born October 13, 1962) is a Brazilian singer from Salvad… Read Full Bio ↴Margareth Menezes (born October 13, 1962) is a Brazilian singer from Salvador, Bahia.

Her style is considered axé but her music also steers into samba and MPB territory, also drawing on African rhythms and reggae at times. Menezes is best known in Brazil for her song "Me Abraça e Me Beija", a major hit in 1990. She also scored another hit with "Dandalunda", a song which became the unofficial anthem of the 2003 Salvador carnival.

Uma História de Ifá
Margareth Menezes Lyrics

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Elegibo, cidade encantada
Elegibo, sua majestade real
Araketu ritual do camdomblé
Exalta as cidades de guetho e sapé
Ferido ficou-se o homem
Utilizando seus poderes
Passaram-se anos difíceis
Sofreram muitos seres

Os vassalos ficaram sem pasto,
A fauna e a flora não brotavam mais
As mulheres ficaram estéreis
A flor do seu sexo não se abrirá jamais,
Ele, ele

Ele, ele, elegibo
Elegibo, elegibo ele, ele
Ele, ele, elegibo
Elegibo, elegibo
Cidade florescente (elegibo)
Cidade reluzente (elegibo)

Os guerreiros lutaram entre si
Com golpes de vara, era o ritual
Durante várias horas
Travou-se batalhas entre o bem e o mal
Depois retornaram com o rei
Para a floresta sagrada
Onde comeram a massa
De inhame bem passada
Onde será comida por todos os seus
Negros homens em comunhão com deus
Ele, ele

Ele, ele, elegibo
Elegibo, elegibo ele, ele
Ele, ele, elegibo
Elegibo, elegibo
Cidade florescente (elegibo)
Cidade reluzente (elegibo)

Elegibo, cidade encantada
Elegibo, sua majestade real
Araketu ritual do camdomblé
Exalta as cidades de guetho e sapé
Ferido ficou-se o homem
Utilizando seus poderes
Passaram-se anos difíceis
Sofreram muitos seres
Os vassalos ficaram sem pasto,
A fauna e a flora não brotavam mais
As mulheres ficaram estéreis
A flor do seu sexo não se abrirá jamais,
Ele, ele

Ele, ele, elegibo
Elegibo, elegibo ele, ele
Ele, ele, elegibo
Elegibo, elegibo

Cidade florescente (elegibo)
Cidade reluzente (elegibo)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Margareth Menezes's song "Ellegibo Uma Historia de Ifa - Ejigbo" celebrate the sacred city of Ejigbo, a place of great importance to the Afro-Brazilian religion of Candomblé. The opening verses describe the city as both enchanting and majestic, highlighting its importance and significance to the people who cherish it. The lyrics then reflect on a difficult period in which the people of Ejigbo suffered from the ill effects of a wounded man using his powers for harm. This caused the land to become infertile, and the people to suffer.

The lyrics then describe a series of events in which the people of Ejigbo engaged in a ceremonial battle between good and evil. After the battle, they returned to their sacred forest and shared a meal of yam cake, which was believed to bring them closer to their gods. This meal was an act of communion between the people and their gods, and was seen as a way to restore the balance that had been lost. Throughout the lyrics, the importance of this sacred city and the rituals surrounding it are celebrated and honored.

Line by Line Meaning

Elegibo, cidade encantada
Elegibo, a city of enchantment

Elegibo, sua majestade real
Elegibo, its majestic royalty

Araketu ritual do camdomblé
Araketu, a ritual of Candomblé

Exalta as cidades de guetho e sapé
Exalts the cities of ghetto and sedge

Ferido ficou-se o homem
Man was left wounded

Utilizando seus poderes
Using its powers

Passaram-se anos difíceis
Difficult years passed

Sofreram muitos seres
Many beings suffered

Os vassalos ficaram sem pasto
The vassals were left without pasture

A fauna e a flora não brotavam mais
The fauna and flora no longer bloomed

As mulheres ficaram estéreis
The women became sterile