Altamira Cecília dos Santos

Altamira Cecília dos Santos (1923 – 2019), also known as Mãe Tatá Oxum Tomilá, was the eighth mãe-de-santo, ialorixá or high priestess of the Casa Branca do Engenho Velho temple of Candomblé Ketu, the largest and most influential branch of the Candomblé religion practiced in Brazil.

With the death of Marieta Vitória Cardoso, the so-called Mãe Niquê, she succeeded her in 1985 as the eighth ialorixá of the Casa Branca do Engenho Velho temple or terreiro in the Brotas neighbourhood of Salvador, the oldest Candomblé temple in the city.

[1][2] Altamira is recognized as having been one of the greatest leaders of Candomblé in Bahia, being responsible for many reforms to her temple.

[1][2][3][4] In 2015 Altamira was diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease, but she continued to lead the terreiro, fulfilling her religious obligations.

She was buried in the municipal cemetery of Jardim da Saudade after a procession that passed through the streets of the neighbourhood in the company of a large crowd of hundreds of people all dressed in the traditional white for funerals.