ABSTRACT
Umbanda, a mixture of the various religious strains already discussed, is said to have first appeared in the opening decade of the twentieth century. According to Brown ([1986] 1994:37ff), Umbanda was part of an intentional effort by a unique and farsighted group of middle-class Brazilians, who happened to be Kardecists, seeking to create a distinct, unifying belief system that would bring together the peoples of different national, racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds. These were the citizens of the new Brazilian nation.
