Btn 337 - Festivals and Cultural Events by Brasil Travel News

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Popular Festivals: a snapshot of the Brazilian soul

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ravel News Group is delighted to publish this special supplement on Brazilian Popular Festivals.

Paulo Roberto Miranda Presidente do Grupo Travel News www.brasiltravelnews.com.br 4 Brazilian Popular Festivals

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We invite all our readers to learn more about these important events that happen in Brazil. This publication, whose aim is to help publicize this immeasurable wealth, has extremely rich editorial and graphic content, with facts about these festivals that bring tourists to the country from various parts of the world, thus allowing for a true cultural exchange, while at the same time raising the self-esteem and strengthening the historic roots of local residents. Carnival, Oktoberfest, Círio de Nazaré, Christ’s Passion, Bumba Meu Boi, the Festival of St. John... there are more than sixty festivals a year, in which creativity and the Brazilian soul are present as something that differentiates Brazilian festivities from others that occur in the rest of the world. This Special Supplement is part of the portfolio of the Travel News Group, which has been in the market for 33 years. It offers in its pages articles of the very highest quality, with details of destinations and itineraries in both Brazil and abroad. We invite you to enjoy this delicious feast of reading. Start planning which Brazilian festival you’re going to visit next month, or next year... Have a good trip and have fun!

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Brazil. The joy of the people is always the same. But the weather is your choice, because there are parties all year round.

Come visit and have fun. We wait for you here.

President of Embratur

Brazil warmly welcomes visitors

Vinicius Lummertz President of Embratur

6 Brazilian Popular Festivals

series of international events placed Brazil firmly in the international spotlight between 2007, when the Pan American Games took place, and the 2016 Olympic Games, including along the way Rio + 20, Catholic World Youth Day and FIFA’s Confederations Cup and Soccer World Cup, a sequence of major attractions that led to Rio and the country becoming highly visible on the world stage. As a result, Embratur (Brazilian Tourist Board) has made it its mission to strengthen and keep Brazil on the world’s agenda and to increase the flow of international tourists. American tourists, in particular, have been present in all these actions and have brightened up our festivities. Of the 6.6 million foreigners who visited Brazil last year, the 570,000 visitors who came from the United States were only exceeded by the 2.3 million tourists who came from Argentina. Entry visa facilitation for US tourists to travel throughout Brazil during the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics and variety of destinations besides the host city were on Embratur’s institutional agenda. The Board publicly defended the visa waiver for US, Canadian, Australian and Japanese tourists in the year of the Olympics. These countries were considered important sources of inbound tourists, because they showed great interest in visiting Brazil and because they are all countries with strong Olympic traditions. According to a survey by the Ministry of Tourism, the visa exemption was used by 74.7% of the international tourists from the beneficiary countries who were heard in the survey. More relevant is the fact that 8 out of 10 tourists (82.2%) said that the exemption would facilitate their return to Brazil; between July 28 and August 15, the beneficiary countries sent more than 53,000 tourists to Brazil, while some US$ 48.5 million were injected into the Brazilian economy in the period. According to Ministry calculations, if the measure is maintained on

a permanent basis the impact on the national economy will reach US$ 175.2 million per year thanks to a 20% increase in the flow of visitors from the four beneficiary countries. Since the United States is one of Embratur’s priority countries, it is present in the Board’s actions and Brazil takes part in events promoted by that country. The Board invested a total of R$ 9 million in the US market in 2016, when it attended international tourism trade shows, promoted publicity campaigns and press trips and was involved with public relations exercises with the local press, in addition to having Brazilian Tourism offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Seven new flights are planned connecting Brazilian cities to cities in the United States. Between May and December 2017, international airports in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Recife should be receiving flights from Orlando, Dallas and New York, thus adding more than 25 new airline routes to Brazil. The data come from the International Airline Network Analysis that is undertaken by Embratur’s Competitive Intelligence and Tourism Promotion Board and is prepared on a monthly basis from information provided by the Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC). LATAM, Avianca, Azul, American Airlines and Delta cover these new routes, which are making it easier for US tourists to come to Brazil. Another facility for those wishing to visit Brazil is that from the end of this year the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan will be using electronic visas for getting to know Brazilian tourist destinations. All these factors encourage visitors to come to Brazil. We want foreign tourists to have more and more means and ways of getting to our country. We also want tourism to represent development, with the entry of foreign exchange into Brazil and the generation of employment and income. Vinicius Lummertz President of Embratur

FOTO: PRES EMBRATUR

from the United states a

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Brazilian

Popular Festivals

The whole world already knows that Brazilians are a people who love a party; but what few know is that in Brazil there are parties all year long. New Year’s Eve and Carnival are undoubtedly the most famous festivities, but regional celebrations take place from January to December, from the north to the south of the country. Folklore and Brazilian popular festivals are registered trademarks of our culture, with dances, dishes and typical costumes that celebrate the richness and the country’s “green and yellow” [a reference to the colors of the flag] diversity.

RORAIMA

AMAPÁ AMAPÁ

AMAZONAS PARÁ

ACRE RONDÔNIA

nORTHERn REGIOn • Acre • Amapá • Amazonas • Pará • Rondônia • Roraima • Tocantins

TOCANTINS

CÍRIO DE nAZARÉ

CÍRIO DE nAZARÉ WHEN: SECOND SUNDAY IN OCTOBER WHERE: BELÉM DO PARÁ

10 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

he Candle of Nazareth is one of the biggest and most beautiful Catholic processions in the world. This grandiose spectacle, which honors Our Lady of Nazareth, one of the titles given to Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been held in Belém do Pará for more than two centuries. Every year the procession brings together some two million pilgrims who walk for 3.6 kilometers through the streets of the state capital. It leaves from Belém Cathedral and moves to the Praça Santuário de Nazaré [Nazareth Sanctuary Square], where the image of the Virgin is displayed for the faithful to venerate for 15 days.

CÍRIO DE nAZARÉ According to tradition, the original image was carved by St. Joseph in Nazareth, in Galilee, and subsequently painted by St. Luke. Later, the image was taken to the monastery of Cauliniana, in Spain. In the 6th century, more precisely in the year 711, it was removed to Portugal where it was hidden for centuries on the Peak of St. Bartholomew until it was found in 1119. Since then it has been venerated and many miracles have been attributed to the saint. In 1700, caboclo [of mixed, white and Indian origin] Plácido José de Souza found a small image of the Lady of Nazareth on the banks of the Murutucú River (where today the Basilica Sanctuary stands). Legend has it that after finding the image Placido took it to his hut and that the next day it had disappeared. He ran to the place where he had found it and there was “the little saint.” The fact was repeated several times until finally the image was sent to the Government Palace of the State of Pará. Plácido built a small chapel at the place where he found the image of the saint. Years later, in 1792, the Vatican authorized a procession to be held in Belém, the capital of Pará, in honor of the Virgin of Nazareth. Organized by the president of the Province of Pará, Commander Francisco de Souza Coutinho, the first Círio [procession carrying a large lit candle] took place on September 8, 1793. In the beginning, there was no fixed date for the procession, which could take place in September, October or November. But from 1901, by determination of Bishop Francisco do Rêgo Maia, the pilgrimage started being organized to occur on the second Sunday in October. During the procession, the glass-sided carriage carrying the image of the Virgin of Nazareth is followed by pilgrims from Belém, from the interior of the state, from various regions of the country and even from abroad. Along the whole of the route of the procession, the faithful manifest their faith, and decorate streets and houses in honor of the saint. Because of its greatness, in September 2004 the Círio de Belém procession was nominated by the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN) as an Intangible Nature Cultural Heritage event. In addition to the Sunday procession, the Círio includes various other manifestations of devotion, such as the transfer, the river pilgrimage and other pilgrimages and events that take place in Nazareth Square. 12 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

History

CÍRIO DE nAZARÉ

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

The Cathedral Located in the Nazaré neighborhood, Belém Cathedral was built by Barnabite priests at the beginning of the 20th century, with the help of the people of Pará. Inspired in St. Paul’s Basilica in Rome, it stands 20 meters high, is 24 meters wide and 62 meters long. Its interior is clad entirely in marble, and it has a beautiful wooden ceiling that was decorated by artists from Pará. The stained-glass windows are particularly beautiful and refer to moments from the Bible and the history of the devotion to the Virgin of Nazareth. A mosaic panel on the façade shows the Virgin of Nazareth as the Queen of the Amazon, in a regional setting where Indians, blacks, Jesuits and Capuchins are represented, as are the figures of Pedro Álvares Cabral, Castelo Branco (founder of the city of Belém), Dom Bartolomeu (the first bishop of Belém), caboclo Placido, Dionísio Ausier Bentes (governor at the time of the inauguration) and a family of workers, among other characters. In the center of the cathedral where all the architectural lines converge is the Gloria altar, where the authentic image of Our Lady of Nazareth is displayed. The foundation stone of the cathedral was laid in 1909 by Dom Santino Coutinho, Archbishop of Pará. Fourteen years later the church was given the title of ‘basilica’ by Rome. In 1992, the church was considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings listed by the Historical Heritage Agency of the State of Pará, and was raised to the status of sanctuary on May 31, 2006. The Basilica Sanctuary has the oldest and most complete set of bells in Brazil, and which were also the first to be electrified in the country in 1966. The bells are able to perform concerts, such as the sacred songs Ave Maria de Lourdes, Hail Mary of Fatima, Madonna Marne, Christ Wins, Shout Joyously, Devout People, Let us Help the Faithful, Silent Night, Sing Hosanna, Hallelujah and Come, Christians, Join to Sing. Círio Sunday begins with a mass in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Belém, the mother church, at 5:30 am. When the mass ends at 6:30 am the procession begins and travels along the streets to the Nazareth Sanctuary Square. Each year the Círio de Nazaré attracts an increasingly larger number of pilgrims. CURIOUS FACT: The word ‘Círio’ has its origins in the Latin word, “cereus” (wax), and means ‘large wax candle’.

FEsTIVAL OF PARInTIns

FEsTIVAL OF

PARInTIns WHEN: JUNE 28 - 30 WHERE: PARINTINS, 420 KM FROM MANAUS

16 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTOS: DIVULGAÇÃO

arintins is located on the river island of Tupinambara, on the banks of the Amazon River, 420 km from Manaus, the capital of the State of Amazonas. The city is famous for the folk festival it promotes every year in the month of June. Held in the Amazonino Mendes Cultural and Sports Center (popularly known as the Bumbódromo), the festival is divided into two stages: in the first ten days various folk groups perform representations of legends to the sound of chanting and Indian songs, theatrical presentations of rituals, costumes, and amusing and curious figures from the region’s

folklore. The second stage takes place in the last weekend with the presentation of the great attractions of the festival, the oxen known as Garantido and Caprichoso. Preparations for the Festival of the Ox, as it is called by local inhabitants, begin in April, with rehearsals and the production of the allegorical figures and costumes of the Garantido and Caprichoso blocks. After everything is ready, the bumbódromo, a kind of stylized, ox-head shaped stadium with capacity for 35,000 people, becomes the stage for a majestic spectacle, the plot of which is similar to that of the bumba-meu-boi, or boi-bumba, of other Brazilian states. It incorporates, however, indigenous characters and is inspired by legends of pajelanças [magic curing rituals] from various Amazonian tribes and also by various regional uses and customs of the caboclos, in a ritual that resurrects myths and traditions from Amazonian culture. The result of a rich process of interbreeding between whites, blacks, Indians and caboclos, the plot of the Festival tells the saga of Father Francisco, a black slave whose wife, Catirina, is pregnant and has a desire to eat ox tongue, heart and liver. To prevent

the child from being born with any deformities, the black man kills the farmer’s favorite ox and then runs away. Considered a criminal he is pursued and caught by cowboys. Meanwhile, the master, in an attempt to save the animal, asks for help from the vet, the Medicine Man and the Cachaça doctor (the indigenous pajé, a sorcerer). The animal revives and, as he did not die, there is no crime. So Father Francisco is forgiven. Everyone rejoices and celebrates, because once again the ox overcomes death, so ensuring the immortality and perpetuity of this festival, which is one of the most important and popular in Brazil. In Parintins the cast of this plot, which has been so much revived with different verses and in different versions, gains unique characteristics. The protagonists are two oxen, which are represented by the folkloric blocks, Caprichoso, in blue, and Garantido, in red. The oxen are made of cloth and cover the actors, who play in the arena to the great delight of the galera [those in the cheaper seats], as their fans are called in the city. With their creative allegories and sophisticated special effects, the two groups perform in the bumbódromo on floats designed by local

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

FEsTIVAL OF PARInTIns

20 Brazilian Popular Festivals

Caprichoso in 1925. Garantido is known as the ox of ordinary people, while Caprichoso is considered the ox of the elite. The two groups perform on all three nights of the Festival. The decision on which one will appear first is taken by draw. After the parades, each of which lasts two and a half hours, the jury chooses the year’s winner. At this moment Parintins is dyed blue or red, according to the winner, and explodes with joy and excitement. The celebration only ends when people run out of steam. You can get to the city by both air and river. Flights leave Manaus or Santarém, in the State of Pará, and take approximately one hour. DANCES: marujada, carimbó, boi-bumbá, ciranda TRADITIONAL DISHES: Açai, Caruru [stewed okra], Tucunaré [fish] stew, Chibé [cassava flour and water], Maniçoba [stewed cassava leaves], Tacacá, Tapioca, Pato no Tucupi [duck in a wild cassava root sauce] and regional flavor ice-creams HANDICRAFTS: Marajoara pottery, Indian masks, and articles made from straw, bamboo, coconut husk, cotton and other natural elements.

* * *

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

artists. The blocks, which are each 3,500-members strong, tell local legends that represent the history of man in the Amazon. To the sound of toadas (the sound track of the boi-bumbá) the show, which mixes popular art, religion and folklore, passes before the gaze, infecting both the ‘brincantes’ (members of the blocks) and the crowd in the stands. Each year the Caprichoso and Garantido blocks release a new CD, each containing 16 songs. The Parintins festival began in its current format in 1964, but the rivalry between the fans is very much older. It was born almost a century ago, when Caprichoso and Garantido began representing the history of the boi-bumbá in the streets of the city. From then on the dispute between them became fierce, but always cordial; the fans simply call their adversaries “the opponent”, and when one of them is appearing in the bumbódromo the other galera remains silent, in a sign of total respect for the competitor. Founded in 1913 by Lindolfo Monteverde and symbolized by the red heart, Boi Garantido was the first group to represent the history of the boi-bumbá in Parintins. Nine years later Boi Galante appeared, symbolized by the blue star and renamed

CEARÁ

MARANHÃO

PIAUÍ

RIO GRANDE DO NORTE PARAÍBA

PERNAMBUCO ALAGOAS SERGIPE

BAHIA

nORTHEAsTERn REGIOn • Alagoas • Bahia • Ceará • Maranhão • Paraíba • Pernambuco • Piauí • Rio Grande do Norte • Sergipe

Brazilian Popular Festivals 21

BOM JEsUs DOs nAVEGAnTEs

BOM JEsUs DOs

nAVEGAnTEs

22 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTOS: DIVULGAÇÃO

WHEN: JANUARY WHERE: SALVADOR - BA

eld in Salvador on the first day of the year, the maritime procession of Bom Jesus dos Navegantes [Good Jesus of the Navigators] is a tradition that originated in the 18th century. Every year since then, the image of Jesus, accompanied by priests and representatives of the Catholic Church crosses the Bay of All Saints in a richly decorated boat to ask for protection from Christ for the coming year. The event always takes place at the turn of the year, when Bahians continue their New Year celebrations. The maritime procession leaves from Boa Viagem Beach. The boat with the image of Jesus goes ahead and is accompanied by hundreds of other vessels filled with the faithful, in one of the most beautiful and moving manifestations of Brazilian peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faith. Brazilian Popular Festivals 23

24 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTO: AGECOM

CARnIVAL salvador

CARnIVAL salvador WHEN: 47 DAYS BEFORE EASTER WHERE: SALVADOR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BA

Brazilian Popular Festivals 25

ith the annual participation of millions of people, both Bahians and tourists, Salvador Carnival is considered to be the largest popular manifestation in the world. Many people understood the carnival spirit when composer Caetano Veloso sang “The only ones who don’t follow behind the electric trio are those who are dead ...”. And there is no shortage of famous artists to command the “Trio Elétrico”. It all started with Dodô and Osmar, who went into the street in an old, 1929 Ford ‘Bigode’. Temístocles Aragão later joined them in 1951 and then it became a national craze. Today the crowds get carried away by the music of Daniela Mercury, Olodum, Ivete Sangalo, Claudia Leite, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and many others. Along the streets and avenues of Salvador they sing the hits of

26 Brazilian Popular Festivals

the past and present, mixed with a musical synchronism. The carnival explodes with such joy that the revelers, like corn popping in a pan, don’t stop dancing for a minute. Regardless of which circuits you choose: Barra-Ondina, the Historical Center, or Campo Grande, it doesn’t matter; the excitement is always the same. This is a time for flirting, fooling around and brazenly openmouthed kissing; and opportunities to do so abound, since people from all over the world are meeting up. It’s very difficult to go to the party and not leave with someone, and all tastes and sizes are catered for. It’s also suitable for all pockets; the lucky ones can stay in the VIP boxes and rub shoulders with and dance alongside the big stars. All you need do is buy an “abadá” [large distinctive t-shirt]. The less financially well-off have fun in the “popcorn” block. The city is also famous for its black blocks, like Olodum and Ileyaê, and the street and Afoxé Filhos de Gandhy blocks.

FOTO: MARCOS COSTA – SECOM

CARnIVAL salvador

Slawomir Fajer/Shutter Stock André Stefano

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CARnIVAL salvador

The meaning of terms associated with the Trio Elétrico [Electric Trio] a T-shirt that identifies *theABADÁ members of the trio; only those wearing an abadá can remain inside the ropes that surround the block.

route taken by the trios elétricos. During Carnival these are rented out to revelers who watch the passing of the trios from this vantage point. security people hired *toCORDEIRO hold the ropes that surround the members of the block and trio.

*PIPOCA [POPCORN] a reveler who does

not have an abadá and, therefore, has to follow the trios from outside the ropes. 28 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTOS: ANGELO PONTES – SECOM / ARTHUR GARCIA – AGECOM

BOX the name given *toALTERNATIVE apartments located along the

CARnIVAL In OLInDA

CARnIVAL In OLInDA WHEN: 47 DAYS BEFORE EASTER WHERE: OLINDA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PE

30 Brazilian Popular Festivals

Brazilian Popular Festivals 31

FOT0: THIAGO BUNZENâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; PREFEITURA DE OLINDA

he Olinda carnival started at the beginning of the 20th century and continues to preserve the traditions of Pernambuco and Northeastern revels. Its main characteristic is the parade of hundreds of giant dolls, made of wood, paper and fabric, that pass along the streets and hills of the city enlivening the revelers. These dolls represent important politicians, musicians, athletes and famous artists from Brazil and around the world, and every year new characters appear. The dolls, which originated in the European processions of the 15th century, are the most anticipated attraction of the Olinda carnival. On Shrove Tuesday they gather between the Guadalupe and Varadouro Largos, to the delight of children and adults alike. It’s a great show. The revels in Olinda are a mixture of white, black and Indian

32 Brazilian Popular Festivals

cultures, and all these cultural manifestations are represented by the frevo [type of music] clubs, troças, blocks, maracatus [dances], caboclinhos [children] and afoxés. During Momo’s revelry, Olinda welcomes more than one million people, who have fun and who delight in the magic of the city. In addition to the carnival, Olinda has other attractions: baroque churches of singular beauty, such as the Basilica of St. Benedict, the Convent of St. Francis and the Cathedral Church. As you walk through the city pay attention to the peculiar sound of the maracatu and coconut drums, and the melodies of the serenade groups; from Alto da Sé, we have a panoramic view and stalls selling delicious tapioca pancakes made on a charcoal fire. It’s no wonder that Olinda was elected a UNESCO World Heritage Center.

FOTOS: SUMAIA VILLELA / ARQUIMEDES SANTOS – PREFEITURA DE OLINDA

CARnIVAL In OLInDA

Brazilian Popular Festivals 33

CARnIVAL recife

GALO DA

MADRUGADA

he carnival in Recife begins with the parade of the largest carnival block in the world, the Galo da Madrugada [Cock of the Dawn]. The traditional block presents itself on Saturday morning, accompanied by a crowd, which from early on waits for the start of the Momo party.

34 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

WHEN: 47 DAYS BEFORE EASTER WHERE: RECIFE - PE

Brazilian Popular Festivals 35

Irreverence, joy, color and brilliance are the trademarks of the block, which was founded in 1978 by a group of friends from the São José neighborhood, under the command of Enéas Freire. The group had no great pretensions, its only objective being to revive the street carnival, which started being held in the clubs and street venues. But what began without any great pretensions ended up becoming a world phenomenon, which has been registered by the Guinness Book of Records. Another exciting event of the Recife Carnival is the “Night of the Silent Drums”, which takes place as Sunday turns to Monday on the Pátio do Terço, in Old Recife. The ritual pays a tribute to slaves and mixes candomblé with the maracatus. The lights 36 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO / PREFEITURA DO RECIFE

CARnIVAL recife

are switched off and a babalorixá presides over the ritual with prayers and chants to xango, accompanied by drum beats, dancers and religious figures. Carnival in Recife has several facets: on the quays on Alfândega Street, on the banks of the Capibaribe River, the unusual Rec Beat Festival is held, which for more than ten years has been promoting an encounter of traditional music with new trends, besides bringing together irreverent blocks. The relaxed atmosphere, which seems more like a circus, is also enlivened by the colorful costumes worn by the young revelers. The combination of tradition, joy, spontaneity and irreverence of Recife’s carnival is attracting increasing numbers of revelers from all over the world. 38 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO / PREFEITURA DO RECIFE

CARnIVAL recife

sEnHOR DO BOnFIM

sEnHOR DO

BOnFIM T

he Bonfim or Washing of Bonfim Festival is a religious celebration that takes place in Salvador, Bahia. It happens on the second Thursday after Three King’s Day in January. The event begins in the morning with the departure of the traditional procession of baianas [women dressed in typical local costumes] from the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Praia, who walk to the top of Bonfim to wash the atrium and steps leading to the Church of Our Lord of Bonfim with brooms and scented water. All of them dress in white, the color of the orixá, and walk in procession for eight kilometers

40 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTO: ROSILDA CRUZ

WHEN: JANUARY WHERE: SALVADOR - BA

Brazilian Popular Festivals 41

from the Largo da Conceição to the Largo do Bonfim. The high point of the festival occurs when the church steps are washed by some 200 Bahian women, in typical dress, who pour water from their small pitchers – the vessels they carry on their shoulders - onto the steps and the atrium floor, to the sound of clapping, drumming and songs of an African origin. When the religious part has ended, the festival continues on the Largo do Bonfim with drumming, dancing and stalls selling drinks and typical foods. 42 Brazilian Popular Festivals

The procession gathers thousands of faithful every year who come in search of the protection of the perfumed water to cleanse their bodies and souls. This festival is very important for Bahians, because it shows the faith they have in the Lord of Bonfim. Followers of Catholicism, umbanda and candomblé [African religions] take part, since according to Bahia’s religious syncretism, the Lord of Bonfim corresponds to Oxalá [the creator of the world and mankind according to umbanda].

FOTOS: ROSILDA CRUZ

sEnHOR DO BOnFIM

History Teodรณsio Rodrigues de Farias, an officer of the Portuguese Armada, brought an image of Christ from Lisbon, which, in 1745, was carried with great pomp and ceremony by a large contingent of people to the Penha Church in Itapagipe. In July 1754, the image was transferred in procession to its own church on the Sacred Hill, where the miraculous powers attributed to it made the Lord of Bonfim an object of popular devotion and a center of mystical and syncretic pilgrimage. Profane and superstitious motifs were then introduced into the cult. Brazilian Popular Festivals 43

FOTO: SECULT – ROSILDA CRUZ

IEMAnJÁ

44 Brazilian Popular Festivals

IEMAnJÁ WHEN: FEBRUARY 2 WHERE: SALVADOR - BA

Brazilian Popular Festivals 45

IEMAnJÁ

46 Brazilian Popular Festivals

Brazilian beaches, where candles and flowers are offered up to her and thrown into the sea on small handmade boats. The Water Goddess is commonly depicted in her Latinized form of a mermaid with long loose hair. She is also called Dona Janaína, or the Queen of the Sea.

History Iemanjá, Yemanjá, Yemaya, Iemoja or Yemoja is an African orixá, whose name derives from the Yoruba expression, “Yeye Omo Ejá”, which means “mother whose children are fish”. She is identified in the merindilogun game, one of the divinatory methods that is used by the Babalorixás, which uses 16 conch shells, and by the odu ejiogbe and ossa.

FOTOS: ROSILDA CRUZ

he Iemanjá Festival, which takes place every year on February 2, is one of the most popular in Brazil. Just on Rio Vermelho Beach in Salvador, the capital of the State of Bahia, the meeting attracts a multitude of the faithful and admirers. Iemanjá enjoys great popularity among the followers of Afro-Brazilian religions, and even with members of different religions. The celebration in Salvador involves thousands of people dressed in white, who walk in procession to the main temple that is located near the mouth of the Vermelho River, where they deposit a variety of offerings, such as mirrors, costume jewelry, perfume, food and all sorts of other gifts. Iemanjá is also worshiped on several other

In Yoruba mythology the lady of the sea is Olokun, the mother of Iemanjá, and both are of Egbá origin. Iemanjá, the orixá of the sea, who is greeted as Odô (river) Tyá (mother) by the Egba people because of her connection with Olokun (male in Benin and female in Ifé), is often referred to as the queen of the sea in other countries. Pierre Verger, in his book Dieux D’Afrique [African Gods], recorded: “Iemanjá is the orixá of Egbá, a Yoruba nation once established in the region between Ife and Ibadan, where the Yemoja River still exists. Wars between Yoruba nations forced the Egba to emigrate westward to Abeokuta in the early 19th century. They were unable to take the river with them, but they carried with them sacred objects and the deity’s axé [type of music] supports. From then on the Ogun River that crosses the region became Iemanjá’s new dwelling place. This Ogun River, however, should not be confused with Ogun, the orixá of iron and blacksmiths. In Umbanda she is considered to be the deity of the sea, as well as being the patron goddess of castaways, the mother of all human heads. Besides the great diversity of the African names by which Iemanjá is known, the Portuguese form, Janaína, is also used, although rarely. The nickname for her, which was created during slavery, was the mildest form of syncretism encountered by blacks to perpetuate their traditional cults, without the intervention of their masters, who regarded such pagan manifestations as unacceptable on their estates. Although this invocation has fallen into disuse, several compositions by popular composers still greet “Janaína of the Sea”. Brazilian Popular Festivals 47

JUnE FEsTIVALs

JUnE FEsTIVALs WHEN: JUNE WHERE: ALAGOAS, BAHIA, CEARÁ, MARANHÃO, PARAÍBA, PERNAMBUCO, PIAUÍ, RIO GRANDE DO NORTE AND SERGIPE

48 Brazilian Popular Festivals

hen the annual calendar marks the month of June, the states of Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte and Sergipe are transformed. After all, this is the time to pay homage to St Anthony, St. John and St. Peter, with popular festivals that are always long-awaited by everyone in the northeast of Brazil. Synonymous with forró [dance music], tables laden with food and lots of excitement, the June saints are celebrated in these states with variations occurring according to the region. While the small towns of the arid backlands still preserve the old traditions and the simplicity of gathering family and friends around the arraial [place set aside for the party] that is organized in the main square, the Northeastern state capitals promote huge openair dances, with streets adorned with flags, bonfires, mulled wine, typical dishes, musical shows, games like the greasy pole and Guerra de Espadas [fighting with fireworks], and even donkey races. Although most visitors are Brazilian, it is increasingly common to find European, Asian and North American tourists who come to Brazil for a closer look at these festivities. DANCES: frevo, bumba-meuboi, maracatu, baião, capoeira, caboclinhos, bambolê, congada, carvalhada and cirandas. TYPICAL FOOD: Pamonha [dish made with sweet corn flour], cural [meat and manioc flour], cooked corn, canjica [sweetcorn porridge], couscous, popcorn, corn-flour cake, rice pudding, peanut cake, pine-nut cake, coconut cakes, corn bread, coconut and treacle candies, peanut brittle and sweet potatoes TYPICAL DRINKS: spiced hot cachaça, mulled wine.

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

Brazilian Popular Festivals 49

FEsTIVAL OF sT. JOHn

where:

Campina Grande â&#x20AC;&#x201C;PB 50 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTOS: DIVULGAÇÃO

he June Festival in Campina Grande is one of the most traditional in the country. In the arraial called the Biggest St John Party in the World, a typical celebration in the Northeast region, there is a lot of pé-de-serra forró [dance music], electronic forró, many improvisation singers to liven up the revels and lots of food to recharge the energies. The strong point of the menu is the selection of regional foods: couscous, canjica, goat stew, bone marrow broth, green corn, white corn porridge, peanut brittle, curau and sweet corn cakes. According to the Brazilian Institute of Tourism (Embratur), about 100,000 people attend the event each year in Campina Grande. Since its first edition, the Festival has been held in the People’s Park, an area of 42,500 meters where there are more than 500 attractions during the month of June. In addition to concerts with singers and bands, there are also mule races, boyfriend races, horse-cart racing, a cycling tour, a greasy pole and a cavalcade. The People’s Park is the main point of the June

festival, but the program also extends to the Catolé de Boa Vista, São José da Mata and Galante districts. Accommodation is not a problem, since the city of Campina Grande guarantees that there is sufficient for everyone. In addition to the hotel network, alternative lodging options are available. More than 100 city residents who have been previously registered have offered their homes to be used to accommodate those who arrive at the last minute. All the residences are inspected by the Health Surveillance authority and meet the basic requirements of comfort and hygiene. To find out which properties are available, the tourist must get in touch with the help center, although the Municipality Tourism Coordination service does not negotiate between the interested tourists and the owner of the house; it merely indicates the accommodation that has been registered. Practically the whole of the hotel network is occupied by tourists in June, and every year is the same. Those who normally take part in the arraial know how it works. The event is so big that even neighboring cities accommodate tourists for the St John festival in Campina Grande. Brazilian Popular Festivals 51

FEsTIVAL OF sT. JOHn

where:

Teresina-PI where:

são João do Piauí–PI 52 Brazilian Popular Festivals

In the state’s southeast region, on the banks of the Piauí River, approximately 450 km from Teresina, one of the its most famous traditional dance parties takes place; the arraial of São João do Piauí. The city has very thematic scenery, which helps to provide a special party atmosphere for both local residents and visitors alike. The main square in the city is decorated with flags and serves as the stage for performances by the many square dance groups, who parade there animated by the contagious music of the regional bands. In addition to square dancing, other attractions, such as cowboy dances and mule races, also attract the attention of visitors. The festivities attract a large number of tourists.

FOTOS: DIVULGAÇÃO / RAFAEL PASSOS

Although the June tradition of St. Anthony, St. John and St. Peter is much stronger in the interior, Teresina also celebrates the June saints. The partying, which usually begins in the second half of June, only ends on June 30. In the capital of Piauí, the main avenues are cordoned off and serve as the stage for the lively square dancing groups and stalls selling handmade goods from various cities in the state.

Caruaru, known as the Princess of the Wildlands, which is located 130 kilometers from Recife, the state capital, is painstakingly prepared to welcome the large contingent of the public that appears to enjoy the June celebrations. Caruaru received the title of the Biggest St John Festival in the World from the Guinness Book of Records in the category outdoor Country Party (regional, countryside). The joyous and entertaining program includes musical performances in a variety of styles, divided between bacamarteiros (characters perpetuated by the art of Master Vitalino), flute bands, square dance groups and mamulengos [large puppets], not to mention shows by famous artists who brighten up the city’s nights with their contagious music. Those who visit Caruaru enjoy places that show the culture of the city, from good dances to the region’s famous food, and spend the day experiencing a St John festival in its most concrete form. The St John festival in Caruaru generates thousands of jobs in several sectors during the 30 days of festivities, since it attracts thousands of tourists from Brazil and abroad.

where:

Caruaru –PE

where:

Mossoró–Rn

Mossoró holds one of the liveliest June festivals, with its famous square dance and accordion-playing contests. And that’s not all. Close to the area where the Goat Fair is held, a picturesque attraction brings together thousands of admirers and those who are just curious to witness a fun competition: the Mule Formula 1 race featuring the animal that is the symbol of the arid Northeastern backlands, which takes place in the Jegódromo [track used for mule races]. But the arraial of this small municipality in Rio Grande do Norte also has the Forrocicleta, which, as its name suggests, is a cheerful bicycle-driven forró event. For those who like theater, the show “Bullet Rain in the Country of Mossoró” is a good option. Staged in the Church of St Vincent, the play tells the story of the resistance of the people of Mossoró to the onslaughts of Lampião and his band of cangaceiros [country bandits]. After all, what there are plenty of in Mossoró are ‘male goats’ [macho men], yes indeed! Brazilian Popular Festivals 53

BUMBA-MEU-BOI

BUMBAMEU-BOI WHEN: JUNE WHERE: SÃO LUÍS DO MARANHÃO

FOTO: SECTURMA

Brazilian Popular Festivals 55

BUMBA-MEU-BOI

56 Brazilian Popular Festivals

BUMBA-MEU-BOI

FOTOS: SECTURMA

nstead of square dancing and forró music, the historic capital of Maranhão celebrates the June saints with Bumba-Meu-Boi. This is a manifestation of Brazilian popular folklore, which unites the indigenous, black and Portuguese cultures around a theatrical presentation. With costumed characters and infectious music, the plot tells the story of a slave called Father Francisco: to satisfy the cravings of his pregnant wife, who was in the mood to eat ox tongue, he killed his master’s favorite bull calf. When the deed is discovered, the black man runs away with his wife and is caught, but sorcerers manage to bring the ox back to life and Father Francisco is released. The performance marks the beginning of the June Festivities in São Luís. In the early days of the month the population begins to take part in dances and games during the rehearsals of the more than one hundred Bumba-MeuBoi groups in the city. Each group has its own distinctive style and characteristic rhythm, known as

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its “accent”. The rhythms are played by orchestras, left over from the European colonization; the rattle, which refers to Indian rituals, and the zabumba [drum], which comes from African traditions. The rehearsals run until the eve of St. John’s day, June 23, when the groups are baptized in a traditional ritual. Then they spread out to all corners of the city where they amuse and enliven the June Parties in São Luís. On June 29, to honor St. Peter, all the groups go to the Largo de São Pedro, where until the early hours of the morning of the following day they liven up the party with their tribute to Christ’s apostle who was a fisherman. At the same time as BumbaMeu-Boi,, other attractions in São Luís delight the tourists. These are the Tambor de Crioula groups and the Coconut, Caroço, Lelê and Cacuriá dances. Responsible for preserving these rich regional manifestations, these anonymous artists are one of the most precious treasures of the culture of Maranhão. 58 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTOS: DIVULGAÇÃO

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FOTO: GILBERTOFIRMINO

FEsTIVAL OFofsT. Pilgrimage nossa JOHnsenhora da Penha

60 Brazilian Popular Festivals

Pilgrimage of

nossa senhora

da Penha WHEN: JOÃ&#x192;O PESSOA/PB WHERE: LAST SUNDAY IN NOVEMBER

Brazilian Popular Festivals 61

FEsTIVAL OFofsT. Pilgrimage nossa JOHnsenhora da Penha

Walk of Faith The traditional pilgrimage of Our Lady of Penha in João Pessoa, Paraíba, always takes place on the last Sunday of November. The 14km walk leaves from Our Lady of Lourdes Church, in the center of the city, and goes to the Shrine of Our Lady of Penha, on Penha Beach. The main purpose of the procession is to pay a promise and thank her for the grace that has been received. During the procession the faithful carry photos and objects that will be left in the church’s ex-votos room after celebration of the mass.

A centuries-old celebration The celebration of the saint, which has been taking place for more than 250 years, brings together thousands of pilgrims from every corner of Brazil, as well as foreign tourists who are visiting Paraíba. The Penha Sanctuary is 62 Brazilian Popular Festivals

part of the historic and tourist itinerary of João Pessoa and has been listed by the Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute of the State of Paraíba. In 2013 the Penha Pilgrimage was recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of João Pessoa.

How it all began In 1763, Portuguese commander, Silvio Siqueira, faced a violent storm at sea close to Paraíba. Faced with the storm he appealed to Our Lady of Penha and promised to build a chapel in honor of the saint if the crew was able to anchor safe and sound. His appeal was granted and he fulfilled his promise. The sanctuary was built on the then Aratú Beach, now called the Penha Beach. It was the third chapel erected for Our Lady of Penha in Brazil, the first being in Vila Velha, in Espírito Santo, and the second in Rio de Janeiro.

A safe demonstration Safety along the course of the procession is guaranteed by the Municipal Guard, the Military Police, the Fire Department and SAMU [ambulance service]. TO KNOW MORE: www.turismo.joaopessoa.pb.gov.br

FOTOS: DIVULGAÇÃO / RAFAEL PASSOS

he image of Our Lady of the Penha is carried in motorcade to the church of Our Lady of Lourdes and from there it is taken by the pilgrims to the Shrine.

FEsTIVAL OF Mermaids of sT. Penha JOHn

Mermaids of Penha By nadya Milano

ncome generation, social inclusion and increased self-esteem through a single project

The art of the sereias de Penha Talent, skill and dedication are the main characteristics of the craftswomen of the Sereias da Penha [Mermaids of Penha] project. The project is relatively recent, having started in 2013 with funding from the ParaĂba Federal Institute of Education, the City Administration of JoĂŁo Pessoa and Sebrae-PB. Training workshops were set up for women from the Penha Beach community, who until then had been housewives and had never imagined they would ever become very successful. Brazilian Popular Festivals 63

FEsTIVAL OF Mermaids of sT. Penha JOHn

A revolutionary project

From the beach to the catwalk Sebrae made it possible to hire Ronaldo Fraga, who gave the participants advice during the course on how to make bio-jewelry from fish scales. The stylist not only added value, but helped give the program a degree of visibility when he took 64 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTOS: DIVULGAĂ&#x2021;Ă&#x192;O / RAFAEL PASSOS

The great differential of the Sereias da Penha project was the method used to professionalize the first groups, comprising the wives of fishermen. It started with the reality of those taking part, who were familiar with the raw material coming from the sea. They learned how to make handmade items using fishing line, fish scales, copper, and stainless steel, gold and silver wire.

necklaces and embroidered items made using fish scales, and crochet pieces made with fishing line and strips of biodegradable fabric to the catwalks of the SĂŁo Paulo Fashion Week.

Economic and social transformation The importance of a project such as the Sereias de Penha goes beyond income generation; it provides cultural appropriation and raises the selfesteem of the craftswomen involved. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;mermaidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; became entrepreneurs, opened a shop in Penha and are still launching new collections. The project is of benefit not only to the craftswomen involved, but also to their families, who found in it the encouragement they needed to enter the labor market and a form of financial and social advancement. TO KNOW MORE: sereiasdapenha. wordpress.com Brazilian Popular Festivals 65

PAssIOn OF CHRIsT

CHRIsT WHEN: MARCH/APRIL WHERE: NOVA JERUSALÉM - PE

66 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

PAssIOn OF

uring the rituals of Holy Week, the Brazilian northeast becomes a moving manifestation of faith and religiosity. One of the most famous theatrical productions about the life and death of the Man of Nazareth takes place in a village in the interior of Pernambuco, New Jerusalem, which is considered to be the largest outdoor theater in the world. The area covers 100,000 square meters, the equivalent of one third of the area of â&#x20AC;&#x2039;â&#x20AC;&#x2039;the original Jerusalem, and is surrounded by a stone wall 4 meters high and by 70 towers, each 7 meters high. Nine scenes reproduce the natural settings and palaces, in addition to the Temple of Jerusalem, and are equipped with the latest technological resources of sound, lighting and special effects.

Everything there refers back to Judea in the year 33 AD. The staging involves hundreds of actors, professionals and extras, including the audience itself that is unable to remain indifferent. The spectators take part in the scenes, since they become transformed into extras too. For example, in the scene where Jesus carries the cross to Calvary and falls several times during the journey, people get excited and do everything they can to help him up. The audience participation is intense, which helps confer a degree of realism and beauty to the staging. However, in Nova JerusalĂŠm the drama experienced by Christ in his last days on earth does not end in suffering. Instead of sorrow at the loss of the Master, the spectacle ends with the splendorous resurrection of Jesus. He ascends into heaven, triumphant, in an elevator that is

Brazilian Popular Festivals 67

camouflaged by the effects of white clouds, a lot of light, music and fireworks, in an unforgettable spectacle that thrills everyone. In the town’s main church and the other churches, the altars and saints are covered with purple cloths and, as a sign of mourning, there are no flowers. The procession involving the meeting between the image of Jesus Christ, with the cross on his back, and the image of Our Lady takes place in the afternoon. On Friday is the procession of the dead Lord, who is shown in the churches for the faithful to worship. At noon on Saturday, what was sadness becomes a revelry: it’s time to beat Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus. Then the Hallelujah Mass is celebrated and the altars are stripped of their purple cloths. On Easter Sunday, after Holy Mass, comes the Procession of the Resurrection. 68 Brazilian Popular Festivals

The Christian celebration of Holy Week follows the liturgical calendar and takes place 40 days after the end of Carnival. Its peak is Easter Sunday, which closes the end of Lent, the period before Holy Week, and the ordeal of Jesus Christ. During this period, people participate in church-organized religious ceremonies and relive intensely all the episodes involving the death and resurrection of the Son of God. The extensive program begins on Palm Sunday, when coconut palm or other palm leaves are blessed by the priest during mass and distributed to the faithful. The branches symbolize the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. Until recently, this was the date on which Catholics gave up eating meat, adorning themselves and even sweeping the house, all of which were penances made as a sign of respect for

FOTOS: DIVULGAÇÃO

PAssIOn OF CHRIsT

Christ, who died on the cross to save mankind from its sins. The sacrifices continued until Easter Sunday, when the resurrection of Jesus is commemorated. The tradition still lives on, especially in the small towns in the northeastern backlands. The faithful also perform these rituals in the state capitals, except they usually begin on Holy Thursday, the day when Jesus was arrested by Roman soldiers on Calvary after he had had supper with his apostles. Known worldwide for its Carnival, its maracatu drumming and its creative frevo dancers, Pernambuco changes scenery after Ash Wednesday. The whole state becomes the stage of religious manifestations during Lent. From the coast to the sertão, masses, novenas [prayers] and plays are performed, recalling the last days of Jesus on Earth. The Passion of Christ in Nova Jerusalém has

projected the name of Pernambuco far beyond its borders; the show attracts millions of spectators from other states and abroad, who become emotional with the magnificent staging of the drama of the Passion; audio equipment is currently available to the public with versions of the play in English, French and Spanish.

Location Nova Jerusalém is located in the spa town of Fazenda Nova, in the Brejo da Madre de Deus district, 180 kilometers from Recife, in the middle of the Pernambuco backlands. It has been staging the Passion of Christ for more than half a century, since 1951. Every year since then, for eight consecutive days the saga of Jesus is revived in a spectacle that lasts for two and a half hours. Brazilian Popular Festivals 69

THE DIVInE HOLY sPIRIT

THE DIVInE

HOLY sPIRIT WHEN: MAY WHERE: MARANHÃ&#x192;O

70 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTOS: CHARLLES EDUARDO

Held in May, the feast of the Divine Holy Spirit of Maranhão has its own characteristics, which distinguishes it from other forms of worship existing in Brazil: there are women in this State who sing and play drums, known as caixas [boxes]. Normally they are black women, over fifty years old, who live in the outlying districts of major cities in Maranhão. These are the Caixeiras do Divino [God’s Drummers], who ritually lead the festival. By way of their singing these women preserve and orally transmit knowledge of the celebration of the Divine in Maranhão. With its different stages, the Maranhão festivities can last up to 15 days, from the opening of the tribuna, the search for and raising a flagstaff, the visit of the empires, a mass and the ceremony of the empires, overthrowing the flagstaff, the transfer of real possessions until the closing of the tribuna and dance of the drummers. Children dressed as nobles represent the empire, or the kingdom, which is inhabited by other characters, among them butlers, the emperor and the empress. At the end of the festival the kings pass their crowns to the butlers who will occupy their positions the following year, starting the cycle again. Here, the date is celebrated mainly by people of African descent and, habitually, celebrated on the terreiros [religious patios] of the Tambor de Mina, Candomblé and Umbanda. In São Luís, the state capital, the Fanti Ashanti house has been practicing the popular religious ritual since 1960. Always coordinated by a royal drummer and a chief drummer, the Festa do Divino [Festival of the Divine] brings together

hundreds of people, who are served with food and drink. Organized in accordance with the order of the protective orixá of the house, the celebration is a mixture of the sacred and the profane; while worshipping African deities, it also celebrates the Catholic religiousness of the Holy Spirit. Like so many other Brazilian festivals, the celebration of the Divine is the fruit of the religious syncretism that united a faith in the orixás of the black Africans with devotion to the Holy Spirit, a Catholic cult that arrived in Maranhão with the Azoreans. In the 18th century they settled in Alcântara and spread to other regions in the state, and their beliefs became popular with different social classes, especially among the poorest, including the slaves.

The meanings of terms linked to the Festival of the Divine Holy spirit CAIXEIRAS devote ladies who sing and play drums and accompany all stages in the ceremony. They are generally black women and some are filhas de santo [devotee of African religions] and play as part of their obligation to some “devote” spiritual entity of the Divine; others attend the terreiros only at festival time and play out of devotion to the Holy Spirit. TRIBUNA the place that reproduces the decoration of the royal palace. TAMBOR DE MINA Afro-Brazilian religion, founded in the mid-19th century. FANTI ASHANTI HOUSE a house of candomblé, of the JejeNagô nation, located in the Cruzeiro do Anil district.

* * *

Brazilian Popular Festivals 71

FATHER CÍCERO

FATHER

CÍCERO WHEN: 20TH DAY OF EVERY MONTH WHERE: JUAZEIRO DO NORTE - CE

72 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

here is no one in Brazil’s northeast who has not heard of Father Ciço, or the Saint of Juazeiro, as the late priest, Cícero Romão Batista, is known in the region, especially in Ceará, where the religious man spent much of his life – he was born in the former Vila Real de Crato in 1844 and died in Juazeiro do Norte on July 20, 1934. Although high in the sky the sun once mercilessly punished the arid landscape of the state’s hinterland, that particular day dawned black in the hearts of more than 80,000 people. In tears and with deep sadness, they carried the priest’s body to the Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, where he is buried at the foot of the altar. Many years after his death this is still the same church, which was built in 1908 and continues to welcome thousands of the faithful to the daily masses that are celebrated in memory of this man of God. The culmination of the devotion dedicated to Father Cicero, however, occurs on the 20th of every month, when the old church barely manages to house the legion of pilgrims who appear there. On these days, in a sign of mourning and to honor the man they consider to be a saint, the faithful who come from the most distant parts of the country, especially the Northeast, dress in black. After mass, they walk to the statue of Father Cícero, which was sculpted by the northeastern artist, Armando Lacerda in 1969. The 27-meter-high statue, located on top of the Serra do Catolé is the object of intense popular devotion, and pilgrims pray in silence at its feet. As a child Cicero liked religion and listening to stories of saints. When he was still young, he went to study in Cajazeiras, in Paraíba. He was then 16 years old and had no possessions, except his faith in God. He entered the seminary of Fortaleza in 1865 and was ordained a priest in 1870. A year later he was appointed vicar of Juazeiro do Norte and celebrated his first mass. His fame as a miracle worker arose after 18 years of extreme dedication to the suffering of the people of the arid backlands. It all began on March 6, 1889, when the blessed Maria de Araujo was unable to swallow the communion wafer because it had been transformed into blood. The fact was repeated many other

times. On July 7, the rector of the Crato seminary organized a pilgrimage to Juazeiro. Before three thousand faithful who formed part of the initiative, the wafer again turned into blood. Physicians, engineers, politicians, experts, the curious and many other people went to check the truth of the phenomenon for themselves. By then the fact was already being considered a miracle by the people of the region. The news of the feat, which was attributed to Father Cícero, had already gone beyond the boundaries of the small municipality in Ceará and had spread worldwide. So Juazeiro do Norte became a center of pilgrimage and devotion. The church, however, did not like the version at all and summoned the priest to attend the episcopate in Fortaleza to explain what had happened. In 1891, a commission was set up to investigate the subject, which op ted finally to prohibit the cult of the blood-stained cloths. Father Cicero was accused of heresy and obliged to retract publicly in 1894. As he never denied the inexplicable facts, he was suspended from religious orders by the ecclesiastical authorities in 1897. He appealed to the Roman Curia, but never again celebrated mass. Despite this, he never ceased to be the spiritual guide of thousands of sertanejos [people from the backlands], who left from every corner of the Northeast for Juazeiro. At the same time, he was dictating the political rules of the region. In 1911, Father Cicero became the first mayor of Juazeiro, a position he held twice. In 1914 he was appointed deputy governor of Ceará and in 1926, he was elected a federal deputy. But he himself never liked power – they say it was his advisors who ruled the state. Father Cicero died at the age of 90, the victim of kidney problems. When he died, he was almost blind and deaf, but totally lucid. Even though he was weak and debilitated, he never failed to meet with the pilgrims. Rejected by the church but venerated by the people, most of whom were humble and long-suffering, and who unquestionably considered Father Cicero to be a saint. Despite persisting with the harsh life of the sertão, often going hungry, thirsty and even living in poverty, in the simplicity of their hearts the pilgrims harbor faith, hope and, above all, the certainty of having their prayers answered by Padim Ciço, the most powerful popular myth of the Northeast who never let his devotees down.

Brazilian Popular Festivals 73

COWBOY MAss

COWBOY

MAss T

he Cowboy Mass is held in the municipality of Serrita, in Pernambuco, 535 kilometers from Recife. This is the largest religious event in the backlands of Pernambuco, which brings together cowboys from all over Brazil. The festival, in honor of legendary cowboy, Raimundo Jacó, begins with a procession on horseback by approximately one thousand cowboys, who take their offerings: a leather hat, whips, harnesses, instruments used when grazing cattle and cow horns for blowing into and summoning the animals. Raimundo Jacó, a very courageous cowboy in the Northeastern backlands, was assassinated in the caatingas [shrublands] of Sítio das Lages, a district of Serrita. The first mass in memory of Raimundo Jacó was organized by the great singer and composer from Pernambuco, Luiz Gonzaga, whose nickname was the King of the Baião [dance], and who was a cousin of the cowboy. The mass is always celebrated on the third Sunday of July, in the open air, at the place where a rustic stone altar was built in the shape of a horseshoe. On this particular day cowboys from various states in the North and Northeast,

74 Brazilian Popular Festivals

come together around the Christian faith. The mass resembles Catholic rituals, although it has some peculiarities of its own; for example, in place of the wafer the cowboys commune with manioc flour, rapadura [hard sugarcane juice candy] and cheese. A week before celebrating the mass, the municipality of Serrita is in folk-festival mood, with cow-herding, flute bands, zabumbeiros [drummers], accordionists playing pé-de serra forró, baião, xote, xaxado, ciranda [dancing], coconuts, singing, improvisers, aboiadores [cowboy singers], and the typical fair, which sells handmade decorative objects, typical food made from corn and manioc, rapadura, sugarcane juice, manioc flour cakes, etc. Besides being a milestone in the cultural calendar of the Northeastern sertão, the festival drives the region’s economy and tourism, since the number of visitors fills the hotels of the city and the neighboring municipalities, such as Salgueiro, Exu, Parnamirim and Moreilândia. The main objective of the Cowboy Mass is to show, by way of the figure of cowboy, Raimundo Jacó, the bravery, dedication and faith of the backlands man, thus valuing the popular culture and rich craftsmanship of the Northeast.

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

WHEN: THIRD SUNDAY IN JULY WHERE: SERRITA - PE

FORRÓ CAJU

FORRÓ

CAJU

FOTOS: SILVIO ROCHA / MARCO VIEIRA / ANA LÍCIA MENEZES

WHERE: ARACAJU - SE

This is the largest and most important event in the capital of Sergipe, which is promoted by the Aracaju City Administration. Forró Caju lasts ten days and features hundreds of local and national attractions. The festivities are very lively and attract more than 1 million people. Forró Caju is free since it takes place on the streets of the city’s historic center. The official program includes live shows with well-known names of modern and traditional forró music, as well as singers of Brazilian popular music. In addition to the good music, you can try the typical delights of Northeastern cooking, such as boiled peanuts, green corn, pamonha and tapioca porridge. An assortment of fruit liqueurs are also a great hit with the visitors and are sold at very reasonable prices. For those who like to relive old June customs, there are the traditional “country wedding” and square dance presentations, which are always accompanied by the lively pé-de-serra trios and lots of fun and laughter. On the Atalaia shoreline, where most of the modern hotel complexes are located, there is a unique attraction. This busiest tourist point in Aracaju is where the Vila do Forró Chapéu de Couro [Leather Hat Dance Village] is set up. This is a stage-set town that is assembled in the events’ square on the Atalaia shoreline to show tourists some of the expressions of Sergipe’s June culture. With facades representing a church, houses, commercial establishments and a bar, the place serves as the stage for the traditional and highly popular presentations of the bacamartes [musket] groups from Carmópolis, batucada [drumming] and stepping on exploding gunpowder. As if these animated shows with their varied rhythms were not sufficient, the bazaar on the Atalaia shoreline has many booths selling typical food and drinks. The best thing is that these are booths from municipalities that have the greatest June festival tradition in the State. When you visit them you get to know a little of the customs and folklore of Sergipe, making this an unforgettable glimpse of rich Brazilian culture. The event considerably increases the number of tourists in the capital. DISHES: Crab, jerked beef, ox-tail, barbecued catfish, corn and coconut cakes and liqueurs made from umbu, jenipapo, pitanga and tanarind. TYPICAL FRUIT: mangaba, graviola, pitanga, sirigüela, cajá, star fruit, mango, araçá, cashew, etc.

* *

Brazilian Popular Festivals 75

FEsTA BOA MORTE

FEsTA

BOA MORTE

FOTOS: ROSILDA CRUZ

WHEN: AUGUST WHERE: CACHOEIRA, BA

76 Brazilian Popular Festivals

south region

• Rio Grande do Sul • Santa Catarina • Paraná

PARANÁ SANTA CATARINA RIO GRANDE DO SUL

Brazilian Popular Festivals 77

GRAPE FEsTIVAL

GRAPE FEsTIVAL WHEN: FEBRUARY/MARCH (IN EVEN YEARS) WHERE: CAXIAS DO SUL â&#x20AC;&#x201C; RS

78 Brazilian Popular Festivals

he town of Caxias do Sul, which is regarded as the Brazilian Italy, is located in the mountain region of Rio Grande do Sul, the state which accounts for more than 80% of Brazil’s wine production. This is where the Grape Festival takes place, a tradition that first began with the arrival of Italian immigrants from Veneto, during the colonial period. The first Grape Festival was held in 1931. Those who appreciate good wine cannot miss out on taking part in the event and trying the best Brazilian and Italian wines. During the Grape Festival, the participants will have a chance to try out various wines that are produced in the region: White Muscat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Tannat, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Trebbiano, Prosecco and Alicante Bouschet, among others. Every day the visitors can try out the grapes produced in the region, which are handed out free, and ice-cold. In addition, the Mario Bernardo Ramos Exhibition Park, where the event is held, offers a number of attractions: from there one can enjoy a great view of the city, a replica shows how Caxias do Sul was in 1885, and at night a beautiful show tells the saga of the region’s Italian immigrants. Italian cuisine is also present and typical dishes such as pasta, poussin, polenta, salami, cheese, salami, fortaia, grostoli and cuca, can be savored at traditional Italian restaurants and restaurants in the Food Court. Those who arrive in Caxias do Sul in January can take part in the harvest, in other words, picking the grapes and treading them with their feet, in the same way as the region’s first wine producers did.

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

History

The immigrants celebrated the grape harvest with a feast, giving thanks to the land and for the gift from god. The first celebrations, which were held on the families’ properties, date back to the 1800s and, with the passing of time, they began to be held in spaces such as clubs. The festival kept on getting bigger, participants from other cities were arriving, and the popularity of the event continued to grow, up to the point where in 1965 it was regarded as the biggest event of its type in South America. The Grape Festival was broadcast to the whole of Brazil by television in 1972, which was the year in which the country inaugurated color transmission. Nowadays the celebrations take place in the Mario Bernardo Ramos Exhibition Park, where the farmers occupy a space of 34 thousand square meters Brazilian Popular Festivals 79

FOTOS: MARKITO / JEFFERSON SANTOS

oKTOBERFEsT

80 Brazilian Popular Festivals

oKTOBERFEsT WHEN: OCTOBER WHERE: BLUMENAU â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SC

n October in the State of Santa Catarina you have the Oktoberfest, which is a beer festival that was created in the German city of Munich in 1810, and later spread all over the world. Oktoberfest arrived in Brazil at the start of the 20th century, when a number of companies, such as Sogipa, in the city of Porto Alegre, promoted the event. But it was in the town of Blumenau in the State of Santa Catarina that the festival took off and became traditionally known since 1984. The event has not stopped growing since that time. Rua XV de Novembro, the main thoroughfare in the center of the town, is part of the scenario, because that is where the parades take place during the 17 days of the Oktoberfest. Tourists, who come from all over the country as well as from abroad, delight in the various types of draft beer: pilsen, dunkel (Lager type beer), pale ale (with an amber color) and weizenbier (wheat, light and refreshing). Those attending the festival consume more than 500 thousand liters of beer, which are sold and even handed out on the

main streets and avenues. For those who are fond of a drink, there is no lack of incentives, they even have a way of proving their resistance by taking part in a contest to find out who can drink a liter in the shortest amount of time. The town of Blumenau arranges an enormous program to welcome and entertain the visitors. Every day there is a different attraction, with parades and dance groups with typical costumes. In addition to the festivities, it is always good to try out the traditional German dishes such as Kassler, which is nothing more than pork chop, accompanied by white and red sausages, mashed potato and sauerkraut, or Eisbein, which is pickled ham hock with mashed potato, sauerkraut and white and red sausages; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also worth trying roast duck served with stuffing, rice, red cabbage and mashed potatoes and apple puree. All kinds of Oktoberfest souvenirs, particularly the couple of dolls, Fritz and Frida, are sold in large numbers. In addition to Blumenau, this event also takes place in Santa Cruz do Sul and Igrejinha, which are towns located in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. Brazilian Popular Festivals 81

FOTO: ALEX ROCHA

OUR LADY Of nAVIGATORs OR IEMAnJA

82 Brazilian Popular Festivals

OUR LADY Of nAVIGATORs OR IEMAnJA WHEN: FEBRUARY 2 WHERE: PORTO ALEGRE – RS

where:

Porto Alegre – Rs There is a fusion between the catholic saint Our Lady of the Navigators and the goddess Iemanjá of African mythology, and at times the festivities to honor the two overlap. In Brazil both Our Lady of the Navigators as well as Iemanjá have their festive date on February 2, and this date is usually celebrated with a great river procession. The city of Porto Alegre, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, holds one of the largest festivals in honor of Our Lady of the Navigators, which is the city’s patron saint.

where:

Pelotas – Rs Also in the country’s south region, in the municipality of Pelotas, the statue of Our Lady of the Navigators is carried in a procession to the city’s port. One of the most important moments in the festival takes place before the Catholic festival comes to an end, the boats stop and are received by followers of the Afro-Brazilian religion of Umbanda, who are carrying the statue of Iemanjá, providing an ecumenical encounter which is watched from the waterfront by a number of people.

History The devotion to Our Lady of the Navigators began in the Middle Ages, during the 15th century, with the navigation of Europeans, in particular the Portuguese. When crossing the ocean, the travelers used to ask Our Lady for protection, and to allow them to come back alive. The symbol of a courageous woman who guides travelers, Maria is viewed as an eternal victor of the storms. Brazilian Popular Festivals 83

natal

natal WHEN: DECEMBER WHERE: CANELA / GRAMADO

84 Brazilian Popular Festivals

where:

Canela-Rs It is impossible to talk about Christmas without mentioning the South of Brazil, where the deep-rooted culture and traditions brought by the Italian, German, Polish, Austrian and Hungarian immigrants relive the European Christmas celebrations. In the State of Rio Grande do Sul, particularly in the towns that make up the Gaucho Highlands, Christmas is full of light, with presentations by choirs, cultural activities and, above all else, a show of religious beliefs and faith. In the charming town of Canela in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, the Dream of Christmas, a Christmas program that includes sophisticated lighting and large Santa Claus themed figures, representing major figures from the city’s foundation and trajectory, has been performed for more than 20 years. Since the ironworks were the basis of the town’s development, there has to be a Santa Claus blacksmith. But he’s not the only one. On display in the town’s main square, old people still show up dressed in the clothes of farmers, woodcutters and musicians, along with the other professionals that recall the town’s historical traditions.

where:

FOTOS: DIVULGAÇÃO

Gramado-Rs Better known as “the movie capital” on account of the famous festival that it organizes, starting in the month of November Gramado is invaded by Christmas spirit, with themes and symbols related to the celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus. During the month of December, in different situations, people parade through the streets in the center of the town, on floats representing angels, characters from the nativity scene and toys. All under the watchful eye of the friendly Santa Claus. There are also choirs singing Christmas songs and a musical about the kind old man with his magic toy factory. The end-of-year calendar of this town in the mountains also includes religious processions. The processions set off from the main square and make their way to the Stone

Cathedral, with people carrying lanterns made from recycled cans. The streets along the route to the Church are decorated with angels and nativity scenes produced by local artisans. But one of the most anticipated attractions for everyone takes place on the first day of December. That’s when Santa Claus arrives in town. And he announces his arrival in a triumphant way: he rappels down the cathedral. When he reaches the ground, the old man is welcomed by angels, biblical characters and a lively crowd that anxiously awaits him. After this, Santa Claus goes to his house in the village which has been assembled in the town’s main square, where he receives the groups of children until Christmas Eve. While all of this is taking place, those who are unable to go and see him follow the entire celebrations on the screens that strategically scattered throughout the streets. Full of landmarks, of which the waters of Black Lake, the hydrangea beds in the streets and gardens, the well-tended parks and extensive green area are just a few Gramado is also known for its Nativitaten, a musical program that is repeated throughout the month of December and is performed on the waters of Lake Joaquina Rita Bier. During the 40-minute show, advanced technology is responsible for the perfect synchronization between sound, lights, dancing waters and the voices of the tenors. On individual rafts, they sing and entertain the hundreds of people who gather there to watch the gorgeous, modern show of special effects. Gramado is one of the most important towns in the State of Rio Grande do Sul’s mountainous region, which is a long strip formed by the Rio Grande do Sul plateau that extends throughout the state’s northeastern region. Bordering Canela to the east, Nova Petrópolis and Santa Maria do Herval to the west, Caxias do Sul to the north and Três Coroas to the south, the “movie capital” is just 115 kilometers from Porto Alegre, the capital of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. On account of its privileged location - it is very close to other towns in the mountains - Gramado is the right address for those who want to discover the region’s dazzling natural attractions and the beautiful Christmas organized by the neighboring towns. Brazilian Popular Festivals 85

nEW YEAR’s

nEW YEAR’s EVE

EVE WHEN: 31 DECEMBER WHERE: PORTO ALEGRE - RS / FLORIANÓPOLIS - SC

where:

Porto Alegre-Rs

In the State of Rio Grande do Sul, the city of Porto Alegre holds its New Year’s Eve celebrations beside the 40-meter high Christmas tree, which is all lit-up, at the old Gasometer Plant. It is there that, starting at 8.00 p.m. musical bands put on a show and lift the spirits of the gauchos until the very last moments of the year. The countdown to midnight and the setting off of fireworks announce the new year’s arrival.

86 Brazilian Popular Festivals

where:

Florianópolis-sC In the city of Florianópolis, the New Year’s party is called New Year’s Eve of Light, so named because of the beautiful Christmas decorations that embellish the streets of the capital of the State of Santa Catarina. The Hercílio Luz Bridge, which is one of the city’s most famous landmarks, is covered by thousands of tiny lamps and puts on a show with a beautiful waterfall at the turn of the year. The city’s party takes place on Avenida Beira-Mar Norte, which is transformed into a stage for moments of pure fun. In lieu of the traditional fireworks display, Florianópolis rings in the new year with the Show Piromusicado, a show which displays the perfect synchronicity between the fireworks exploding and musical themes. The fireworks are set off from the rafts that are positioned between the Municipal Pier and Sesquicentenário Square, near the Military Police’s headquarters. And of course there have to be the stages set up on the beach, as well as screens set up in the surrounding area to make sure that everyone can watch the musical attractions.

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

n December 31, throughout the whole of Brazil, people wait for the countdown to midnight and the shows that only end at daybreak. When the sun comes up, it’s time to cast a spell by standing up initially on one’s right foot. After all, it does not hurt to give luck a little boost in this new year that has just begun.

MATO GROSSO

Mid-west region

BRASÍLIA GOIÁS

MATO GROSSO DO SUL

• Mato grosso • Mato grosso do sul • Goiás • Brasília

Brazilian Popular Festivals 87

CAVALCADE

CAVALCADE WHEN: 40 DAYS AFTER EASTER WHERE: PIRENÓPOLIS - GO

Cavalcade has been held in Pirenópolis, Goiás, since the beginning of the 19th century and attracts tourists from all over the country. As it is part of the commemorations in honor of the Divine Holy Spirit, it happens 40 days after Easter and represents the battle between Christians and Moors, with the former always winning. For three days, the symbolic representation comprises parades, fights between the knights, games and prize disputes, the presentation of dances by local composers that are the mark of the choreography, and the singing of the Hymn of the Divine, which is faithfully sung by those present. The presentation is performed by 24 participants, 12 representing the Christians and 12 representing the Moors. Divided between Moors on the left and Christians on the right, the two groups each have a king, an ambassador and ten soldiers on either side. The players are dressed luxuriously, with their embroidered capes, and silver and gold embellishments, and they carry firearms, a spear and a sword. The Christians dress in blue, the color of the mantle of Our Lady, and the Moors wear red, the color that is the symbol of evil.

Coming from the Portuguese tradition, the medieval story acquired its own features in Brazil and became one of the main Brazilian popular festivals. Today several Brazilian states stage this old medieval drama: Alagoas, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Goiás. In Pirenópolis, the action starts with the masked knights, who are also called curucucús. In groups, either on horseback or on foot, they shout, crack whips and utter the war cry of the Moors on the town’s streets. They dance, dress in extravagant clothes and handmade masks that represent demons, the heads of cows, oxen and other animals. Reminiscent of medieval times their horses trot through the streets of Pirenopolis, all festooned with many colored ribbons, bells and small jangling metal discs. Then, on the field where the fictitious battle between the Moors and Christians will take place, bands and troupes of gymnasts carrying the flags of the Feast of the Divine, of the Christians, the Moors, the villains and the masked ones make their presentations. 88 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

Pirenópolis, capital of the Cavalcade

Brazilian Popular Festivals 89

CAVALCADE

The performance On the first day of combat a Moorish spy enters Christian territory disguised as a jaguar, and is killed by an enemy soldier. After this the two groups of horsemen trot around on their imposing horses, the first cavalcade of the feast, called the recognition of the square. On the second day of the simulated fight, the ambassadorial delegations appear, with their challenges, exchange of accusations and insults being hurled by the Moors at the Christians. Finally, after many battles on horseback, the Christians win the fight, in a scene that includes the surrender, conversion and baptism of the Moors. On the last day of the festival the knights fraternize. There are also other competitions between the groups: the Game of Rings, in which the rider has to remove rings hanging from a pole with his spear; the Tira-Cabeรงa [Remove Head], a typical Pirenรณpolis game, in which the knight has to use his spear 90 Brazilian Popular Festivals

to knock down the cardboard heads arranged in rows. Then the horsemen bid farewell, galloping across the field and go to Our Lord of Bonfim Church. There they fire a salvo of shots as thanks to the Divine Holy Spirit, bringing the celebration to an end.

History With its origin in medieval tournaments, the Cavalcade originated in the 8th century, when Charles, the King of the Franks (the future Charlemagne, who was crowned the first Catholic king of the Holy Roman Empire in the year 800), went to the Iberian Peninsula to fight the Saracen Arabs with their Islamic faith. In 778 Carlos left the Saxon capital of Paterbon on his way to the Pyrenees, where he intended to take Zaragoza, the ancient Roman-Aragonese capital that had been in Saracen hands since 714. Strategically, the city was a kind of gateway for those who, coming from the West like he did,

FOTOS: DIVULGAÇÃO

wanted to conquer Al-Andaluz – the Spain that belonged to the Moors. In the middle of the journey the king was surprised by the news that the Saxons, who lived in the north of his country, had revolted, putting the kingdom of the Franks on a war footing. The monarch was obliged to return to France, but before leaving, he left his nephew, Roland, from Brittany, with his personal guard to defend the rearguard of his army’s troops. In the Valley of Roncesvalles, although he bravely resisted, the faithful knight was cruelly massacred in battle by the Saracens. Despite the defeat, his death was considered a gesture of Christian courage and loyalty by medieval troubadours. With their songs they helped spread “Roland’s Song” (Chanson de Roland) to all European countries. The song is a medieval epic poem that exalts Christianity and repudiates the onslaughts by Islamic armies. For centuries the troubadours spread the story of Charlemagne, making it folkloric. In the 13th century Portugal included the old performance in the

country’s celebrations. With its civic-religious features, the festival exalted themes from the Reconquering period. The dramatic performance took place on a large battlefield, where 12 Christian knights, dressed in blue, fought against 12 Moorish knights, dressed in red. In 1641, at the acclamation of Dom João IV, various cavalcades became an integral part of the official Portuguese celebrations. Authorized by the Portuguese Crown, the dramatic representation was introduced into Brazil by the Jesuits, the aim being to convert the Indians and the African slaves. The earliest records date back to the 17th century. It spread from the Northeast to other Brazilian regions. In the 18th century the “History of the Emperor Charlemagne and the Twelve Peers of France”, which had been published in Seville in 1520, was translated into Portuguese. When it arrived in the land of the Tupiniquins [Brazil] it became the work most widely read by the Dutch who lived away from the coast in Brazil during the colonial period. Brazilian Popular Festivals 91

KUARUP

KUARUP WHEN: BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF JULY AND SEPTEMBER, APPROXIMATELY WHERE: THE XINGU INDIAN RESERVATION â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MT

92 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTOS: DIVULGAÇÃO

he Kuarup is an important ritual for honoring the dead, practiced by the Awetí, Kalapalo, Kamayurá, Kuikuro, Matipú Mehinako, Nahukuá, Trumai, Ywalapití and Waura indigenous groups. These tribes inhabit the southern region of the Xingu Park, known as “Alto Xingu” [Upper Xingu]. The festival corresponds to the white man’s All Souls’ Day ceremony, the difference being that the Kuarup is a joyful party, when everyone wears their best clothes. The Indians believe that the dead do not want to see the living looking sad or ugly The ritual takes place once a year during the dry season, between the months of July and September, approximately. This is when the Indians weep for their dead for the last time, so bringing to an end the period of mourning. When a member of a village dies, his or her relatives arrange to celebrate them 15 days in advance, by mobilizing the whole village. Performing the ritual requires that food be produced for participants from the invited villages. A week before the ceremony the trees that represent the dead are cut down and left in the woods until the eve of the ceremony. Preparing the tribute requires a lot of hard work: preparing food derived from cassava, fishing, fetching in the tree trunks and making ornaments. The pariat (messengers) invite other

villages. The women remain in their huts behind closed doors and when the trunks are stuck in the holes the Indians shout so the women can come out, bringing with them the dead person’s adornments to start the ritual. Relatives put on feathers, necklaces and everything else the dead man used, as if they were still alive. Boys aged 16 to 17 and pubescent girls remain cloistered in the huts for three months. They only come out of reclusion on Kuarup day, when the boys fight huka-huka and the girls are presented. At dawn on the day of the fight, the Indians paint the huka-huka fighters, who spend the night in awake, since they believe that if they dream they may lose the fight. The person throwing the party goes to the center of the village and starts calling up the fighters. The first group consists of seven fighters who remain kneeling, with their hands on the ground, in front of the group that is being challenged. Then the fight begins between the boys who have left their reclusion. After the presentation, the girls who have been cloistered and who will be getting married, accompany the uruá flute players and dance from maloca to maloca. In the late afternoon, the Kuarup trunks are taken out of the holes and thrown into the river or lake. This is the moment when the Indians weep for the memory of their dead for the last time. The Indians believe that through the Kuarup the souls of the dead are released and go to live in another world. Brazilian Popular Festivals 93

PROCEssIOn OF FOGARÉU

oly Week has one additional attraction in the city of Goiás, which used to be the capital city of the state with the same name. At dawn on the Thursday, a battalion of 500 men wielding torches relives a secular tradition that is visually very impressive. On the day that is called “Dark Wednesday” in Portuguese, thousands of people stand in front of the Church of Our Lady of the Good Death. At midnight, the Procession of Fogaréu sets off from this point. This event is both the one that attracts the most tourists as well as the one of greatest religious importance to the city of Goiás and other Brazilian towns. In addition to the torches, the sounds are also important elements in the Fogaréu show. The socalled Farricocos, which is the name of a group of 40 men wearing brightly colored tunics along with the characteristic pointed hoods with two openings just for the eyes, are greeted by a fanfare to the sound of drums. When the clocks strike midnight, initiating the wee hours of the morning, the lights of the city are turned off and only the flames of each torch can be seen cutting through the night in procession. After 15 minutes, with it now being Thursday, the procession

94 Brazilian Popular Festivals

comes to a halt before a scene that represents the Last Supper of Christ with the apostles, which has been set up in front of the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary. When the clock is about to strike 1.00 a.m., the men of the Fogaréu procession arrive at their final point: the Church of San Francisco de Paula, which now takes the role of the Mount of Olives. Only one of the farricocos wears a white tunic and he carries a linen standard which represents Jesus Christ. This ritual of the city of Goiás was inspired by the ones that used to take place in Portugal and Spain, on the same date. The first Fogaréu Procession that took place in Brazil was in the State of Bahia in 1618, and there are also records of it being held in Paraíba, in 1726. On Brazilian soil the Fogaréu Procession lost its initial character, which was that of penance, and came to symbolize the night of the search for and arrest of Jesus Christ. The first Fogaréu Procession to be held in the city of Goiás took place in 1745, brought by the Portuguese priest Perestrello Espíndola. DANCES: the congada, reisado, folia de kings, cururu and tambor. TYPICAL DISHES: ox-cart driver’s rice, pequi rice, cassava and fish.

* *

FOTO: MARCELLO CASAL JR_AGÊNCIA BRASIL

WHEN: MARCH/APRIL WHERE: GOIÁS - GO

southeast region • São Paulo • Minas Gerais • Rio de Janeiro • Espírito Santo

MINAS GERAIS SÃO PAULO

ESPÍRITO SANTO RIO DE JANEIRO

Brazilian Popular Festivals 95

OUR LADY OF APARECIDA

OUR LADYOF

APARECIDA WHEN: OCTOBER 12 WHERE: APARECIDA DO NORTE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SP

96 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTOS: DIVULGAÇÃO

ur Lady of Aparecida is the patron saint of Brazil and the festival in her honor is celebrated on Children’s Day, October 12th. This date has been a national holiday since 1980, when the Basilica of Our Lady Aparecida was consecrated by Pope John Paul II on his first visit to Brazil. Every October 12th, the story repeats itself: millions of people invade the narrow streets of the municipality of Aparecida do Norte, which is located in the Upper Paraíba Valley, at a distance of 160 kilometers from the state capital. The pilgrims arrive from all over Brazil. They come on foot, on horseback, by buggy, by car, by motorcycle and by bus. No matter the distance. The afflicted and distressed want to make requests, others want to fulfill vows or simply to give thanks for a wish that was fulfilled. And there are those who come merely to visit the National Shrine of Aparecida, where Our Lady of Conception Aparecida awaits them and welcomes them. After all it is a national holiday, a day dedicated entirely to the patron saint of Brazil, a date of devotion and faith for Catholics. Humble people mingle with intellectuals and politicians. Poor and rich come together at the largest Brazilian religious festival. The requests vary: health, cures, employment, peace, family unity and even unrequited love. What they

have in common, is that in their hearts they hope for better days. Many of them perform rituals that were first performed by family members many years ago and which continue up to the present day. Others come for the first time and are impressed by the beauty and size of the sanctuary. Throughout the day, the faithful can take part in the Consecration to Our Lady of Aparecida, in the masses, processions and shows. The Basilica of Aparecida is the second largest one in the world, with a capacity to hold 45 thousand people. It is the largest center of religious pilgrimage in Latin America. On an old route used by muleteers, who traveled to other Brazilian states, this town in the State of São Paulo is now part of one of the country’s main religious tourism circuits. For example, the colored carpets that the locals meticulously assemble using sawdust, fragments of glass, coffee powder and other materials in the streets near the Old Basilica on the Corpus Christi holiday are famous.

History The history of this setting for so many pilgrimages first began in 1717, when politicians from what was then the Vila de (village of) Guaratinguetá learned that the Count of Assumar, Dom Pedro de Almeida e Portugal, Governor of the Provinces of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, would be passing through the Brazilian Popular Festivals 97

OUR LADY OF APARECIDA

small Vila on his way to Vila Rica, now the city of Ouro Preto, in the State of Minas Gerais. For the purpose of organizing a banquet for the illustrious visitor, Guaratinguetá’s local chamber summoned the fishermen Domingos Garcia, Filipe Pedroso and João Alves, who went off to fish in the Paraíba River. They went down the river and cast their net several times but without catching any fish. They were on the point of giving up when João Alves cast the net into the water and pulled out a statute of Our Lady of the Conception, without the head. Then he cast the net again and this time he pulled out the Virgin’s head. After this the fish appeared ... And the three fishermen returned to the city with their fishing basket full. After this episode, for a long time the statue of Our Lady of the Conception of Aparecida went back and forth between the houses of various families in the region. In 1723, Filipe Pedroso went to 98 Brazilian Popular Festivals

live in Ponte Alta (Itaguaçu Port) and he took the statue of the Virgin in his luggage. When he arrived there he built an altar to house the saint who had appeared in his net. From that point on the devotees began to call it Our Lady of Aparecida (Our Lady who Appeared). The statue remained there for 15 years. In the little oratory, which was constructed especially for it, the faithful were multiplying. They believed that Our Lady of Aparecida answered their prayers and performed miracles in their lives. Faith in the powers of Our Lady originated in this region of the interior of the State of São Paulo and quickly spread throughout the country. The little oratory could no longer hold all the people who were massing there. In 1734, the Vicar of Guaratinguetá had a chapel built on the top of the Morro dos Coqueiros. Inaugurated on June 26, 1745, during the Feast

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

of St. Anne and St. Joachim, Jesus’ grandparents, it was the first church in a series of many others that would be built in Brazil, dedicated to Our Lady of the Conception of Aparecida. The saint remained in that chapel for 37 years. However, the location quickly became too small to accommodate the number of devotees who turned up there. As a result in 1834 a larger church began to be constructed: the current Old Basilica. On December 17, 1928, the village that had grown up around the church, on the top of the Morro dos Coqueiros was raised to the status of a municipality. In 1929, by determination of Pope Pius XI, Our Lady was proclaimed Queen of Brazil and its Official Patron Saint. She began to wear the crown which had been offered by Princess Isabel in 1884, together with the navy-blue mantle. Because the faith in Our Lady of Aparecida never stopped

growing, within a short space of time, the old Basilica was no longer able to receive so many pilgrims. So, it was necessary to build the New Basilica. Work on the Basilica’s construction began in 1955, and had still not been completed when Pope John Paul II, during his visit to Brazil in 1980, consecrated the Cathedral Basilica of Aparecida as the largest Marian shrine in the world. Located in Nossa Senhora Aparecida Square, in the center of the city, the Old Basilica is connected to the New Basilica by the Footbridge of Faith. The imposing cathedral has housed the statue of Our Lady since 1982. The two churches - the New and the Old - are a compulsory meeting point for the millions of pilgrims who annually visit the city, fulfilling a ritual of faith and devotion that for many years has been part of the culture, and of the values and history of the Brazilian people. Brazilian Popular Festivals 99

CORPUs CHRIsTI

CORPUs CHRIsTI WHEN: 60 DAYS AFTER EASTER

100 Brazilian Popular Festivals

predominantly Catholic country, the whole of Brazil celebrates Corpus Christi, organizing festivals which are both famous as well as very popular. The feast of Corpus Christi always takes place 60 days after Easter Sunday or on the Thursday following the Sunday of the Holy Trinity, in allusion to Holy Thursday, when Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist.

where:

FOTO: DIVULGAÇÃO

Cachoeira Paulista, Guaratinguetá and Aparecida do norte –sP Considered the largest center of religious tourism in Brazil, the Religious Tour Circuit of the Paraíba Valley, in the State of São Paulo, is made up of the towns of Cachoeira Paulista and Guaratinguetá, which are the starting points from which thousands of the faithful from all corners of the country set off to reach the Sanctuary of Aparecida, in order to celebrate the day of Corpus Christi. Every year the pilgrims attend masses and take part in the processions that have been organized by the church. On the most expressive religious stage, the one that is considered to be largest religious sanctuary in Brazil, there could not fail to be the traditional carpets that stretch through the streets of the city of Aparecida do Norte. Produced by craftsmen using paper, colored sawdust, styrofoam, bottle caps, flowers, leaves and ground glass, they occupy several kilometers in the area surrounding the old basilica. Accompanying the whimsical coming and going of the city’s streets, the rugs bear designs that resemble the figure of Jesus, the chalice and the bread.

where:

Matão –sP

The Corpus Christi celebrations which are held in Matão and Santana de Parnaíba, which are both towns in the interior of the State of São Paulo, are also very famous. Located 307 kilometers from the state capital, Matão has officially been holding the Corpus Christi celebrations since 1948. For these celebrations it can count on the help of volunteers, who begin to decorate the city before daybreak on the Thursday of Corpus Christi. They get up early at 4 a.m. to line 12 city blocks with multicolored carpets. Shaped with sawdust, ground glass, dyed whitewash, flowers and sand, the carpets are assembled starting from the city’s central streets, making up the design of a cross. Also in the center is the Church of Lord Jesus, where the faithful attend mass celebrating the mystery of the bread and wine consecrated by Jesus. After this, it is time to take part in the procession, organized by the church, which gets underway at 4.00 p.m. and follows the path of the handmade carpets. The colored carpets display religious motifs as they make their way through the streets of Matão, in a celebration of faith that has already become a national reference.

where:

santana de Parnaíba –sP

In the small town of Santana de Parnaíba, which lies at a distance of 41 kilometers from the city of São Paulo, the Corpus Christi celebrations have already taken a firm hold. The city has been celebrating this religious holiday since 1967, decorating its rustic streets with beautiful handmade carpets. The carpets which have liturgical themes and which are made by the faithful and volunteers, extend along the streets for a distance of roughly 850 meters, on a route that stretches from the town’s historical center to the 14 de Novembro Square. This is the route of the procession organized by the priests of the main church of Sant’Anna, where three Masses are held on this date. With thousands of pilgrims from the city and from neighboring regions, the procession gets underway at around 4 o’clock in the afternoon. It is one of the most moving demonstrations of the religious nature of the Brazilian people. Brazilian Popular Festivals 101

GRAPE FEsTIVAL

GRAPE FEsTIVAL WHEN: FEBRUARY WHEN: VINHEDO - SP

he Grape Festival which is held in the town of Vinhedo in the State of SĂŁo Paulo began even before the town gained the status of a municipality, when the farmers got together to celebrate the harvest. Officially, the first Grape Festival occurred in Sant Anna Square in 1948. As time went by, the festival grew in popularity and increased in scale. Nowadays the festivities are held at the Jayme Ferragut Municipal Park, where thousands of people, both locals as well as tourists, are received with numerous attractions. The festival includes dancing, music, displays and the sale of fruits, an auction of award winning fruits, various handicrafts, an amusement park, shows with major artists and regional bands offering a variety of musical styles, a number of performances, a food court, a parade of knights and a motorcycle ride among other activities. The event elects its promoters every year and the candidates are local women from Vinhedo, aged between 18 and 35, who dream of representing Vinhedo at these celebrations. The town is a very pretty one, with charming tree-lined streets and avenues, and its gardens and squares are an eternal invitation to contemplation. Vinhedo has a very lively nightlife and offers a variety of cuisines. 102 Brazilian Popular Festivals

COWHAnDs’ FEsTIVAL

COWHAnDs’

FEsTIVAL WHEN: AUGUST WHEN: BARRETOS – SP

FOTOS: DIVULGAÇÃO

ounded in 1956, the Barretos Cowhands’ Festival was the first event of its kind in Latin America. The first edition was held under a circus tent, and since then it has not stopped growing. It all began at a bar table, when 20 friends founded the group “The Independent Ones”; to be part of this group the candidates had to be adults, single and financially independent, as the intention was to raise funds for charities. What the founders of the group could not have imagined was that that, from that point on, the history of the cowhands and of the city would never be the same. Barretos became the Brazilian rodeo capital and served as a model for other towns to organize their festivals. With a tradition of more than half a century, the Barretos International Rodeo is the most important competition in

Latin America and has became a global reference, revealing the greatest Brazilian talents. In addition to the competitions between the cowhands, major artists from the Brazilian musical scene perform shows during the 10 days of the festival. Names such as Chitãozinho and Xororó, Luan Santana, Michel Teló, Bruno & Marrone, Fernando & Sorocaba and Gusttavo Lima ensure that the visitors have a great time The Rodeo Park, where the festival is held, covers an area of more than 110 hectares and was designed by the famous architect Oscar Niemeyer. There is an area of 726 thousand square meters which is reserved for tour buses to park. The event, which has consolidated its position as one of the largest and oldest rural events in Brazil, usually receives around 100 thousand people a night. Brazilian Popular Festivals 103

CARnIVAL

CARnIVAL WHEN: FEBRUARY WHERE: RIO DE JANEIRO

104 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTO: FERNANDO GRILLI – RIOTUR.

ut how lovely in February, in February, there’s carnival ...” goes the song by the singer and composer Jorge Ben Jor. And indeed there is. Come rain or shine, the natives of Rio de Janeiro hold the most lively carnival in Brazil, bringing joy and energy to the Marques de Sapucaí Sambadrome, which is the Rio de Janeiro carnival’s official parade area. It truly is an open-air spectacle in full interaction with the public, which gets really excited and goes crazy in the stands that are always crowded. According to the Guinness book of records, the Rio de Janeiro Carnival is the largest one in the world. And the Rio de Janeiro carnival does not stand on ceremony. On the parade avenue your race, color and marital status don’t matter, all that matters is giving your very best so that your samba school is crowned champion of the Rio de Janeiro carnival. Celebrities mingle with ordinary people, who in turn become true artists, parading on luxurious carnival floats or dancing samba in the streets. The festival at the Samba Parade Area is truly the glorification of luxury and beauty and winning the title or being among the top five schools is no easy task. The jurors are attentive and follow, step by step, the parades in their smallest details, assessing issues such as evolution, percussion, the master of ceremonies and flag-bearer, allegory, fantasy and story-line. In Rio de Janeiro, the party starts two weeks before the carnival, when thousands of revelers have fun by participating in the carnival blocks and bands which go along the main streets and avenues of the State of Rio de Janeiro’s capital city. And there’s no need to pay anything, just show up in costume, with a lot of energy and “let it all hang out.” For those who are more reserved, the alternatives to taking part in the street carnival are the traditional carnival balls that are held in the clubs, where people of all ages enjoy themselves by singing Brazilian Popular Festivals 105

CARnIVAL and dancing everything from the old carnival marches to the best known samba themes of previous years. The festive crowd has fun guaranteed at the famous Gala Gay Ball, which is held on Carnival Tuesday.

Carnival has its origins in the Portuguese ‘entrudo’ (the entrance to Lent), when people used to throw water, eggs and flour. This popular demonstration used to take place before Lent. Entrudo first arrived in Brazil around the 17th century, influenced by the carnival parties that used to be held in Europe, in countries such as Italy and France, where there were parades in the streets and the revelers celebrated wearing costumes and masks. Colombina, Pierrô and King Momo are all European characters - from the popular theater of Italian comedy from the 16th to the 18th centuries - which were incorporated into the Brazilian carnival. The first carnival blocks appeared at the end of the 19th century. People wore costumes, decorated cars, and made their way through the city’s streets; This is the origin of the carnival floats, which are typical of the current samba schools. In the 20th century, with the help of the carnival marches, carnival grew and gained increasing numbers of enthusiasts. The first samba school which was called Deixa Falar, which now goes by the name of Estácio de Sá, was created in Rio de Janeiro by the Rio de Janeiro samba singer Ismael Silva. After this, other samba schools began to crop up both in Rio de Janeiro as well as in São Paulo. The main samba schools in Rio de Janeiro are as follows: Acadêmicos da Rocinha, Beija-flor de Nilópolis, Caprichosos de Pilares, Estácio de Sá, Grande Rio, Imperatriz Leopoldinense, Império Serrano, Mangueira, Mocidade Independente, Salgueiro, Portela, Santa Cruz,São Clemente, Tradição, Unidos da Tijuca, Unidos do Porto da Pedra, Unidos de Vila Isabel and Viradouro. 106 Brazilian Popular Festivals

FOTO: GABRIEL MONTEIRO – RIOTUR / FERNANDO GRILLI – RIOTUR

History

ALL ALL THE THE PATHS PATHS OF OF FAITH FAITH LEAD TO LEAD TO ROMARIA ROMARIA DA PENHA DA PENHA Every year, on the last Sunday of November, Every year, on the last Sunday November, a crowd of worshipers walks 14of kilometers a crowd of worshipers 14 kilometers from Nossa Senhora dewalks Lourdes Church, from Nossa Senhora de Lourdes downtown Jo達o Pessoa, to NossaChurch, Senhora downtown Jo達o Pessoa, to Nossa da Penha Chapel, on Penha Beach.Senhora A proof da Penha Chapel, on Penha Beach. A the proof of faith that is embraced throughout city of is embraced throughout the city of faith Jo達o that Pessoa, and by the city hall, that of Jo達o Pessoa, and by and the city hall, to that provides infrastructure security carry pr provides infrastructure and security pr out an event of this magnitude, withto ancarry out an event of of this250 magnitude, an annual average thousandwith pilgrims, annual average 250Our thousand pilgrims, that grows eachofyear. city waits with that Our cityall waits with arms,grows wide each open,year. to welcome those who arms, wide open,their to welcome all those who wish to express faith. wish to express their faith.

Salvador is once again in the spotlight in the world tourist scenario, as stated by the Financial Times. After undergoing a thorough renewal, with new beachfront boardwalks, squares, museums and major events. Salvador is ready to resume its position as one of the top tourist destinations in Brazil.