The
Brazilian citizens used to riot the Carnival until
it was accepted by the government as an expression
of culture. The modern Brazilian Carnival finds
its roots in Rio de Janeiro in the 1830s, when the
city’s bourgeoisie imported the practice of
holding balls and masquerade parties from Paris.
It originally mimicked the European form of the
festival, over time acquiring elements derived from
African and Amerindian cultures.
In
the late 19th century, the cordões
(literally laces in Portuguese) were introduced
in Rio de Janeiro. These were groups of people
who would parade through the streets playing
music and dancing. Today they are known as
blocos (blocks), consisting of a group of
people who dress in costumes according to
certain themes or to celebrate the Carnival
in specific ways. Blocos are generally associated
with particular neighbourhoods or suburbs
and include both a percussion
or music group and an entourage of revellers.
Ala do Alex na avenida
During
the Carnival, a fat man is elected to represent
the role of Rei Momo, the "king"
of Carnival.
Carnival
in Rio de Janeiro is known worldwide
for the elaborate parades staged by the city’s
major samba schools in the Sambadrome and
is one of the world’s major tourist
attractions.
Samba
schools are very large, well-financed organizations
that labor year round in preparation for Carnival.
Parading in the Sambadrome runs over four
entire nights and is part of an official competition,
divided into seven divisions, in which a single
samba school will be declared that year’s
winner. Blocos deriving from the samba schools
also hold street parties in their respective
suburbs, through which they parade along with
their followers.
Bahia There
are several major differences between Carnival
in the state of Bahia in Brazil's Northeast
Region and Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. The musical
styles are different at each carnival; in Bahia
there are many rhythms, including samba, samba-reggae,
axé, etc, while in Rio there is the multitude
of samba styles: the "samba-enredo",
the "samba de bloco", the "samba
de embalo", the "funk-samba",
as well as the famous "marchinhas"
played by the "bandas" in the streets.
In
the 1880s, the black population commemorated
the days of Carnival in its own way, highly
marked by Yoruba characteristics, dancing in
the streets playing instruments. This form was
thought of as "primitive" by the upper-class
white elite, and the groups were banned from
participating in the official Bahia Carnival,
dominated by the local conservative elite. The
groups defied the ban and continued to do their
dances.
By
the 1970s, four main types of carnival groups
developed in Bahia: Afoxês, Trios Elétricos,
"Indian" groups, and Blocos Afros.
Afoxês use the rhythms of the African
inspired religion, Candomblé. They also
worship the gods of Candomblé, called
orixás. An Electric Trio is characterized
by a truck equipped with giant speakers and
a platform where musicians play songs of local
genres such as axé. People follow the
trucks singing and dancing. The "Indian"
groups were inspired by Western movies from
the United States. The groups dress up as native
Americans and take on native American names.
Blocos Afros, or Afro groups, were influenced
by the Black Pride Movement in the United States,
independence movements in Africa, and reggae
music that denounced racism and oppression.
The groups inspired a renewed pride in African
heritage.
Pernambuco
A
typical carnival 'bloco' of PernambucoThe state
of Pernambuco, another Northeast Region state,
has a unique Carnival in its capital of Recife,
as well as in other cities like Olinda. Frevo,
a type of music from Pernambuco, is especially
popular. Unlike
the Carnivals in Salvador or Rio, Pernambuco's
festivities do not include competitions between
parade groups. Big groups in magnificent parades
dance side by side with improvised others. "Troças"
and "maracatus", mostly of African
influence,
begin
one week before Carnival and end on the Sunday
after Carnival up until Ash Wednesday. There
are well-known groups with funny names such
as: "Tell me you love me, damn it",
"The Midnight Man" (with a famous
giant dancing doll that leads the group), "Crazy
Lover", "Olinda's Underpants"
and "The Door."
