Olympic torch visits indigenous tribes, Capoeira dancers

The Olympic torch relay completed another week of its vibrant tour through Brazil, where it will be carried by some 12,000 people in 335 cities up until the August 5 Opening Ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.

In Porto Seguro, Bahia, the torch was carried by Raoni Cerqueira of the indigenous Pataxo tribe, one of the largest groups of Brazil’s 900,000-strong indigenous population, among which a total of 274 languages are spoken.

The flame was also welcomed by a group performing capoeira, a mix between martial-arts and dance created by Afro-Brazilians during the time of slavery, and named a UNESCO cultural heritage in 2014.

Further down the coast in the city of Vitoria, the flame was carried by visually impaired surfer, Derek Souza.

“I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to represent all Olympic athletes by carrying the torch on the sand close to the sea, because I think there is no better place for me to carry the torch than the place I love,”

By foot, hot-air balloon and now on a donkey, the torch will cross a total of 20,000 kilometers of Brazilian territory.