Carnival
in Pernambuco
© JB Online
March 2003 - Frevo
dancers in the streets of Olinda, PE
"The
strong point of Penambuco's Carnival are the streets, where individuals
of the most varied classes get together in a delirious fraternization
of "blocos", "maracatus" and "frevo"
clubs like Lenhadores and Vassourinhas".
The
"frevo" and the "maracatu", this last one
a dance of black origins, are the rhythms of Pernambuco's carnival.
 |
|
|
|
"Frevo is Pernambuco's carnival
trademark. With its frantic rhythm, it requires physical fitness
to be danced correctly. A colorful umbrella is the accessory
for the "frevo" dancers, while street bands play guitars,
"cavaquinhos", flutes, clarinets and bass." |
|
"Frevo"
is a highly syncopated, fast tempo march. It appeared in 1909
and derives its name from the verb "ferver", which
means to boil.
Pernambuco's
carnival attracts thousands of tourists every year, specially
to the cities Recife and Olinda. Sometimes up to a million people,
occupying each square foot of the streets of those two cities,
dance frenetically to large brass bands. |
© Maracatus de Pernambuco
Maracatu Dance
in the streets of Olinda, PE
© JB Online
March 2003 - Maracatu
Dance in the streets of Olinda, PE
|
The most famous "frevo"
group of Pernambuco is the masquerade group Galo da Madrugada
(Dawn Cock, or Dawn Rooster). The group has this name because
supposedly its members are out at the crack of dawn on Saturday
morning, starting the four-day madness in downtown Recife. |
© Portal Terra
March 1, 2003
- Bloco Galo da Madrugada,
in downtown Recife, PE |
© JB Online
March 1, 2003
- Bloco Galo da Madrugada,
in downtown Recife, PE |
The Galo da Madrugada officially
opens the carnival on Saturday morning in Recife. According to
the Guiness Book, 1995, it is the carnival organization that
attracts the largest number of people in the world, around 1,5
million people along 1,9 mile in the capital of Pernambuco every
year. |
During
carnival time in the Pernambuco state, especially in Olinda city,
some groups stand out due to their animation and originality.
They are the Allegories and Criticism's Groups or "Clubs
of Puppets" as they are popularly known.
© JB Online
March 2003 - Clubs
of Puppets in the streets of Olinda, PE |
© JB Online
March 2003 - Clubs
of Puppets in the streets of Olinda, PE |
In
1932, people from Olinda created the Club "Homem da Madrugada"
(Midnight Man) where the main image is a puppet which is something
around 3 1/2 meters high and made up by the old process of "papier-mâché".
Also
popular is the "Mulher do Dia" (Day Woman), which appeared
in 1967. It is said that a giant woman was made to diminish Midnight
Man's loneliness.
During
the opening of the carnival in Olinda, a multitude wait eagerly
for the beginning of the parade which passes through secular
streets and hillsides of the city. |
|
In
Olinda, city declared Humanity Cultural Property by Unesco, the
"Homem da Madrugada" (Midnight Man) and the "Mulher
do Dia" (Mid-day Woman) are undoubtedly the most traditional
of all groups.
Due
to the characteristics of spontaneity and cheerfulness, the Clubs
of Puppets are followed by thousands of people who sing and dance
in an unique enthusiasm. |
*
Back
to the Carnival Menu *
Information
obtained at Ministerio das Relações Exteriores and O Estadão.
~ Miss Price Graphics ~ Graphics
by Irene
~ Country Patch Collections ~ You are listening to a frevo,
typical carnival rythm of Pernambuco.
Nothing in this site is Public
Domain. Graphics are copyrighted by various artists and are used
with permission.
Please, click on the links above to visit the sites were you
can download the graphics from. Do not save anything from my
pages, please. |
