from the West Coast of AFrika were brought to Brazil by the Portuguese. Some were Yoruba, some were Kikongo, some were Mbundu, some were Akan, etc. However the largest concentration of Afrikans in Brazil came from Central West Coast Afrika because of the Portuguese foothold there. Til this day the country of Angola is the only AFrikan country whose official language is Portuguese.

The spiritual system of the yoruba is VERY complex and VERY ritualized and many of the central west coast Afrikan spiritual systems are not as highly structured. Besides ancestor veneration, the spiritual system is often pretty simple (i.e. noTHINGS to "worship"). Amongst one kikongo group word for the Supreme something to the effect of "wonderful universe." Therefore as the various AFrikan groups mixed to form new rituals and a new identity, some concepts were kept and some weren't. It seems that the orishas is one that stayed throughout much of the Americas altogether.