"Vatapá" is probably derived from the term Yorubavata'pa.[1]
Origin
Vatapá is of African origin and arrived in Brazil through the Yoruba people with the name of ehba-tápa.
It is a typical dish of the northeastern cuisine and very traditional in the state of Bahia, where dendê (unrefined red palm oil) is a key ingredient and the dish is frequently served with caruru.
In popular culture
The 1957 song "Vatapá" by Brazilian songwriter Dorival Caymmi is named for the dish. The lyrics contain the recipe for the dish, listing the key ingredients and providing basic instructions for its preparation. The song was later covered by Gal Costa, appearing on her tribute album of Caymmi's songs, Gal Canta Caymmi (1976).
Vatapá is also mentioned in the 1941 song "Você Já Foi à Bahia?" (English: "Have You Been to Bahia?"), written by Dorival Caymmi, where it is named, alongside caruru and munguzá, as a specialty of Bahia. A partially-translated version of this song appeared in the 1944 live-action and animated film The Three Caballeros, produced by Walt Disney, in which it is sung by José Carioca in an attempt to convince Donald Duck to visit Bahia.