For example, Salvador's first Afro-Bloco Carnaval group is called Ilê Aiyê, which generally means "Black World." For the past 44 years, Ilê Aiyê has helped bring African traditions to the forefront of Carnaval celebrations to reclaim heritage and pride. By the 1970s, Carnaval in Salvador had become a predominately-white celebration. White Brazilians would dance around trio-electricos, which were corded off to prevent Black Brazilians and impoverished people from entering the space. Ilê Aiyê originated from a circle of over 100 Black Brazilian friends who came together to celebrate Salvador's carnaval in 1975 and "build self-esteem." The following year, the group picked a theme for Carnaval (the Tutsi people of Rwanda that year), and since then, Ilê Aiyê has honored 20+ African and Caribbean countries during their celebrations. Ilê Aiyê represents one of many Afro-Blocos in Salvador. These groups' music, dance, and fashion are integral to Salvador's Carnaval celebrations and have grown throughout the city and Brazil at large over the years. In fact, an Afro-Bloco called Olodum starred in Michael Jackson's music video "They Don't Care About Us" (okayafrica).
