Author: Admin

Unfortunately I am missing carnival this year but thanks to the magic of the internet – and the enthusiasm and skill of maracatuzeiros at documenting their own activities – it hasn’t been too difficult to accompany the festivities from afar.  Here are a few pre-carnival ensaios captured by Raphael Ribeiro

This rehearsal took place on the same street corner as always but with the addition of that weird white sheet as a backdrop, an innovation of Mestre Bi.  I don’t know if I’m down with this break in tradition, Bi – it’s called pé de parede, not pé de lençol!

Um artigo sobre como é perigoso ser adolescente no Nordeste. Uma falha dessa reportagem: dá a impressão que é somente nas metrópoles onde as coisas andam assim, embora nas cidades pequenas e nas zonas semi-urbanizadas as mesmas condições se apliquem.

O raio-X das mortes na capital mais perigosa do Brasil para adolescentes
– Fernanda da Escóssia

It may be the traditional “off season” for maracatu, but there is no rest for the maracatuzeiro!  Even though it’s the season of festas juninas and São João, there’s a big maracatu event this month at the headquarters of Estrela Dourada in Buenos Aires (in the Mata Norte of Pernambuco).  Along with being able to hear Barachinha and a full roster of invited mestres take the microphone during the night, Estrela Dourada will also be honoring the esteemed caboclo João Carreiro, the patriarch of a large and wonderful family all heavily involved in popular culture, who passed away last year.   The evening will start with a procession from the town’s main plaza at 9:30 p.m. and descend in a manobra to Estrela Dourada’s headquarters near the main entrance off the highway.

This event was organized by André de Lica, a young mestre and man who wears many hats.  He has hosted a radio program in Nazaré da Mata for many years, worked as an MC and announcer for scores of cultural events, and has recently ventured into organizing and producing his own.  I won’t be able to make this but I’m sure it will be a fun time and wish them the best of luck!

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