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In mid-May 2025, renowned Brazilian comic artist Hugo Canuto brought Afro-Brazilian mythology to life through creative workshops at three Bayreuth schools: Fachoberschule/Berufsoberschule (FOSBOS), Markgräfin-Wilhelmine-Gymnasium (MWG), and Altstadtschule. Organized in collaboration with the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence and the PLURA Project (Platform Learning and Research Africa), the sessions invited students from classes 6, 7, and 11 to explore identity, diversity, and storytelling through comic art and get practical advices.

Hugo Canuto, known for his Tales of Orixás - a series reimagining West African Yoruba deities in Brazil - was invited to Bayreuth for the Africa Multiple workshop From Oblivion to Memory: Transatlantic Memorial Echoes, as part of Ute Fendler’s team-project on “Black Atlantic Revisited”, linked to an exhibition at Iwalewahaus on May 15. His school workshops encouraged students to engage with African diasporic heritage through visual storytelling, at the same time breaking away from traditional classroom routines.

Canuto's work intertwines traditional Afro-Brazilian narratives with contemporary comic artistry, engaged the students in exploring the stories of the Orixás - goddesses from the West African Yoruba religion that have significantly influenced Brazilian culture. Through interactive sessions, students learned about the historical and cultural significance of these figures and how to represent them artistically.

The initiative reflected the aims of both Africa Multiple and PLURA: to promote transdisciplinary education and intercultural understanding. “It was amazing to learn about the Orixás and see how myth and art can tell stories that aren’t in our textbooks,” one student remarked. Teacher Katrin Wittenbeck commented: Our FOS students are currently just about to take their final exams in the subject "Practical Design," so it was incredibly encouraging for them to receive affirmation in their artistic work from Hugo. We also hosted an Erasmus exchange group from Turkey. These students also took part in the workshop and described Hugo's session as one of the highlights of their exchange experience.” Dr. Stefan Mayer from MWG affirmed how much Hugo had motivated and inspired the students from class level 6.

By weaving together mythology and comics, Canuto’s visit offered a powerful example of how arts-based learning can deepen global awareness in schools and highlight Africa’s enduring cultural presence across the Atlantic. Plans for future exchanges are already in the works.

Text: Doris Löhr