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São Luís: Jesus' Hometown
How reggae, a French king and a home-made drink that's more popular than Coca-Cola made São Luís such a unique place, full of history and natural beauty
Words: Gabriel Silvestre & Mizael Vieira
featured on JungleDrums issue 47 July 2007
I’d seen the name on billboards across the city, but I didn’t pay it much attention, thinking that it must be an advert for some religious event. Then when I least expected it, I stepped into a bar and there was Jesus: ice-cold. And pink.
Before you ask, the proximity to the equator hadn’t made me hallucinate; Jesus is the name of the most popular fizzy drink in the state of Maranhão, a symbol of local pride and according to many, a best-selling beverage. This sweet guarana-based drink with a hint of cloves and cinammon was dreamt up by pharmacist Jesus Norberto Gomes in the `20s. After a few frustrated attempts at creating new medicines, Gomes – a self-confessed atheist – decided to create a drink for his grandchildren. He mixed together 12 ingredients, including a few “souvenirs” from his journeys to the Amazon, and very soon his take on guarana became a big hit with the locals. That’s why no one was surprised when soft drinks giant Coca-Cola bought the rights to the fizzy pink pop in 2001, after years of wrangling. Strange facts like this are just part of the city’s rich and varied folklore.
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