Tia Ciata

Tia Ciata, born Hilária Batista de Almeida (1854–1924) was a Brazilian mãe-de-santo of Candomblé, and an influential figure in the development of samba. Ciata's yard became a trendsetting cultural hub, where new samba composers and songs could find popularity before the existence of radio in Brazil. The first samba recording, Pelo Telefone, a composition by Donga (Ernesto Joaquim Maria dos Santos) and Mauro de Almeida, was recorded in the residence in 1916.

Legacy A biography about her was written by author Jarid Arraes as part of her 2015 cordel collection and book Heroínas Negras Brasileiras em 15 cordéis. In 2007, the Casa da Tia Ciata cultural centre was founded by some of her descendants to celebrate in her memory and promote Afro-descendant culture and its key place in the history of Rio's samba culture.