Carnaval do Recife 2020

This month we looked back to February 2020, when members of Baque de Axé travelled to Brazil to take part in Carnival with Nação do Maracatu Porto Rico.

To learn the 20 songs that made up the Carnival repertoire they trained for 3 hours a day with percussion leaders Rumenig Dantas and Ivanzinho Percussa, alongside another Porto Rico ‘Filho group’ from Japan. As the Carnival events grew nearer, they joined the full band rehearsals outside the Nação headquarters in Pina, Recife, putting into practice the newly learned songs and meeting all the members of the wider community – it was a special experience to finally be playing with Porto Rico!

Before Carnival in Recife there are almost 2 months of ‘Previas’, events and shows that build up anticipation. Mestre Chacon selected our players to be part of all Nação do Maracatu Porto Rico’s performances in the week running up to Carnival weekend, despite having only just arrived! This included a stage show, a parade around Recife Antigo, and culminated with the Carnival opening event called the ‘Tumaraca’, which sees as many as 20 Naćão do Maracatus parade into the Marco Zero central square in Recife Antigo (the main event focal point). All the Naćãos are arranged around the central stage, and over 600 Alfaia, Caixa, Gonguê, Ganzá, Atabaque, and Agbé musicians play together! It was an incredible experience, and one our members will never forget!

Members of Baque de Axé were welcomed into the community in and around the neighbourhood of Pina in Recife. Each day they would travel to the Sede, the Nação’s main headquarters building, and were privileged to be able to spend time with local members. Additionally, as we got closer to Carnival, players from other Maracatu groups affiliated with Porto Rico started to arrive from all over Brazil, swelling the numbers. Before carnival we were invited to take part in an important ceremony with the Nação. Its purpose is to bless the drummers for the upcoming Carnival events, and to give luck and good fortune. This was an amazing experience, and one that really forged connections between all the visitors and the local community.

The main event for Nação do Maracatu Porto Rico each year takes place on a special parading street in Recife, which has banked seating like the Sambódromo in Rio. The event sees all the Naçãos do Maracatu parading in front of the judges, competing to become Champions of the Carnival – a title that comes with much prestige, and also a vital financial prize to that can help the community for the rest of the year. Preparations typically start in October of the previous year, when Mestre Chacon will create the the theme of the presentation – typically around an Orixá or Orixás –  and select old and new songs for the repertoire of the percussionistas. For Carnival 2020 Porto Rico chose to honour Oxossi the hunter, a very special Orixá for the Nação, and the personal Orixá of Mae Elda – Porto Rico’s queen.

Our members found out two days before the competition that they were going to be included in the presentation, a huge honour to be chosen for such an important event, which set off both nerves and excitement! The experience will never to be forgotten. Over 170 percussionistas – around 100 Alfaias alone – made Porto Rico’s presentation the largest of all the Naçãos. The parade had so many dancers they took 40 minutes to pass by the judges, as the drummers went through the repertoire! As they played this years signature song ‘Dois Guerreiros de Fé' the crowd of many thousands went wild! After the event there was such elation and relief to get through it without mistakes and doing the best we could. When the results were announced two days later, it was Porto Rico who were crowned Champions!!! All of Baque de Axé felt so proud that our members had been involved, and contributed to such an outcome – especially when the individual scores were released and showed there was a score of 10/10 for Batuqueiros!! 

After carnival, there was also time to play and relax from all the hard work over many months – and this culminated in a tradition where there was a huge flour and water fight where no one escaped the fun – not even Mestre Chacon!

What a way to finish an unforgettable trip!

Obrigada/Obrigado from BdA!