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."
A
night of varied styles of Brazilian music. Holds
about 200 people and generally quite busy, it’s
an evening of mainly Brazilian music, just a little
English/American stuff (generally really big hits
like Outkast, that kind of thing). The audience
isn’t just Brazilians but probably 90%.
It’s fairly accessible if you’re not
familiar with Brazilian music and certainly friendly.
All music is DJd and there is a video screen showing
some music – especially axé which
if you haven’t seen it is an incredible
constantly changing almost line-dancing thing,
only a lottttt more complicated! Sadly for a Saturday
night it finishes a little early (1:30) as it
borders a residential area by Oxford Street.To
know more click here
Music: 90-95% Brazilian
Accessibility: Medium
-Capoeira
Sul da Bahia
Friday:
Sextaneja (Coliseum, Vauxhall)
This
is (almost certainly) London’s only weekly
Brazilian Country night. Even if you don’t
like Country & Western music this night
holds a certain fascination, especially for
those familiar with Brazilian music. The style
is mainly sertaneja/gaúcho music, but
some forró too. They have quite a bit
of live music between the DJs as well –
usually acoustic solo/duo to start with and
then later in the evening a whole band plus
a video screen showing clips and, of course,
a whole lot of dancing as usual, There are some
areas to go and chill out. Well attended, finishing
time a little vague but usually now around 3am.To
know more click here
Music: 100% Brazilian
Accessibility: Aficionados
-Forro Da
Baixaria
Tuesday:
Salsa (Charing Cross Road)
Everyone
goes to this Brazilian night not because it’s
a particularly great venue – it’s
very hard to get a drink when it’s busy
and it’s always packed to the rafters! Holds
about 500. This is probably the most accessible
Brazilian night though, not least because they
play some English chart stuff later in the evening,
but also ‘cos the crowd is the most varied
of any Brazilian night in London. Lots of styles,
especially axé (kind of Brazilian formation
carnival dancing). For some obscure reason the
night begins at 9 (it’s free before 9 incidentally)
but before it there is a salsa lesson –
salsa is of course not Brazilian. As a result
it fills up very quickly around that time and
not much before. Principally Brazilians but a
lot of others too – maybe 20%.
Music 80% Brazilian
Accessibility: Easy
