Casa das Minas (House of Mines), or Querebentã de Zomadônu, located at 857/857a Rua São Pantaleão, today Rua Senador Costa Rodrigues, in the neighbourhood of Madre de Deus in São Luís, is the oldest Afro-Brazilian religious house in Maranhão and one of the oldest in Brazil.

Despite the controversies about the place of birth of the Indian Antonio Felipe Camarão, it is established that he was born in Pernambuco, in 1600 or 1601.

Preparing the dead for burial is a very important ceremony because the body houses the soul, and for that reason must be kept very clean. The cemetery, in turn, is called Beit Almin, which means ‘House of the World’ or ‘House of Eternity’ in Hebrew.

This preparation is done for 40 days, starting on Ash Wednesday and ending on Palm Sunday, when the Holy Week starts. It is a time for thinking, penitence and spiritual conversation; time and preparation for the mystery of Easter.

Associated with the festivals of devotion to Catholic saints, Marabaixo, a cultural manifestation that brings together dance, music and song, is presently related to the social identity of Amapá state.