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Winston Churchill Memorial Trust

Carnival Project, Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil

January- March 2006

“Research international carnival, developing cultural

expression, uniting creativity”

Nancy-Rose Mills, Churchill Fellow 2005

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CONTENTS

I) INTRODUCTION TO THE FELLOWSHIP pg 1

II) A STARTING POINT pg 3

III) ARRIVAL pg 4

IV) ACLIMATISING AND BEGINNINGS pg 5

V) IL Y’EYBA pg 7

VI) COSTUME with YLE AXE OXOSSI pg 10

VII) SCHOOL EXPERIENCE pg 13

VIII) REGIONAL TRADITIONS- FOLKLORE, GIANT PUPPETS AND FREVO

DANCING pg 14

IX) REFLECTIONS ON CARNIVAL TIME pg 17

X) CONCLUSIONS – DISSEMINATION OF IDEAS pg 18

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I) INTRODUCTION TO THE FELLOWSHIP

“Tradition can no longer be mistaken for repetition or routine; that through it we do

not worship the ashes of our ancestors, but rather the immortal flame that stirred

them; that they are not letting the flame of Brazilian culture be extinguished… the

flame that we have the duty of leaving to those that follow us, renewed and recreated to

express our nation, our people and our tormented, but glorious times.”

Ariano Suaauna 1997

When I set out to North East Brazil in January 2006 to explore the creative production of

carnival arts through music, art, theatre and dance, I was never fully aware that to

understand Carnival I would need to understand a long and complicated social and

political history of a truly fascinating country. I would need to be ready to adapt and alter

plans and develop spontaneity as means of joining the local community as they pursued

their identity and rich heritage through a collective celebration of Carnival Festivities.

In just six-short weeks I was determined to embrace this culture, to learn about its

history, its language and ultimately its traditions in order to share my experiences with

my students back in the UK. As a teacher of Drama in a specialist Performing and Visual

Arts Secondary School in Bridgwater Somerset, I was influenced by the 400 year old

tradition of Carnival in this small rural town. Bridgwater is not without its own economic

and social problems, yet as one enters on any main road the welcome sign proudly

claims, ‘Bridgwater Home of Carnival’. Carnival is a means of uniting all people of this

town in a number of capacities, early on in my travels it became pertinent that Carnival

exists for very similar reasons in Brazil.

During my fellowship I intended to make cultural links between the students of my

school, the local community and the local carnival itself whilst engaging in new concepts

of Carnival Arts and Culture learnt from Brazil. Bridgwater unlike many Carnival

traditions does not celebrate Carnival as part of lent. (‘Carnaval’ translates as ‘without the

flesh’). The Carnival here is a reminder of Guy Fawkes and the plans that were foiled by

the government to blow up the houses of Parliament. In 1605 James1 decreed that every

town in England light fires to commemorate the discovery of The Gunpowder plot,

Bridgwater took this one stage further and now hosts Europe’s largest Winter Carnival.

A large percentage of the students and their families in the school where I work are

involved in year long fund-raising, rehearsals and productions in preparation for the 4th

November. Leading up to this, Carnival Concerts take place in October where Carnival

clubs battle in the town hall during a ten-night showcase to compete for a range of

awards. This is a heritage that has been traced by local historian and Carnival President,

Chris Hocking who I should also acknowledge at this point for his support in my initial

stages of research. This November 130, 000 people will take to the streets of this small

town, usually in the rain, to witness breathtaking illuminated Carnival Carts,

Bridgwater’s own specialised cultural export.

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Teaching in Bridgwater and working within a community that has such a passion for

Carnival, influenced my desire to apply for the Churchill Fellowship and expand my own

knowledge whilst inspiring my Drama teaching and professional practice. Prior to

becoming a teacher I had spent many years working in Community Arts, involved in a

variety of theatrical and artistic based projects within a range of diverse communities yet

Carnival as a means of creative expression was very new to me.

In my experience, I am very conscious that art forms should be learnt ‘hands-on’ rather

than studied academically; I was therefore delighted to be chosen as a 2005 fellow to

fulfil my ambitions and develop my own creative potential further. “As a culturally

diverse multi-art form discipline it (carnival) transcends social, cultural and political

boundaries and offers a way to illustrate and unify various curriculum subjects.”

(National Carnival Arts Strategy 2005-2007 Arts Council England)

II) A STARTING POINT

In 0ctober 2005 I was invited to the International Carnival Conference in London hosted

by the Arts Council of England. I was greatly assisted by Pax Nindi, who was at this

time, Arts Council Carnival Officer. He was able to advise and introduce me to the

Brazilian delegates from Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil. This was a city that I had never

heard of before and yet it seemed entirely fitting to my purpose. For ten days over one

million visitors took to the ancient cobbled streets of this recognised world heritage and

cultural city to parade and party all day and all night. Better still here I was being

introduced to a significant community leader of a Favella in Reciefe, an adjoining city,

who was willing to let me experience this world from their perspective. I began to

formulate my plans.

My initial knowledge of the Favellas of Brazil was from the media or from friends who

had visited Brazil. Films such as ‘City of The Gods’ had informed me that they were

dangerous, lawless ghettos which housed the poorest of Brazil’s millions. These shanty

towns dominate many of Brazil’s cities and the divide between rich and poor is immense.

The community leader I had been introduced to would allow me a glimpse of life inside

this world where despite the poverty and the many associated problems, there grows out

of such adversity, strength and a love of rhythm and live music with which to embrace

complicated historical roots. More importantly in terms of the aims of the Fellowship, the

anticipation of Carnival and the rehearsals and preparation of this festive time was the

highlight of the year for a variety of groups and communities across Brazil.

Ditto and his translator, Mariana Borges were the introduction I needed to take me into

this exploration of Carnival Arts. Il y’Eyba were a ‘bloco’ or group that shared both

religious and creative vision. Ditto was already addressing the global significance of

Carnival by attending the Carnival Arts Conference, whose visit was funded by the Arts

Council of England. As a community group based in one of the poorest districts of

Reciefe they were willing to impart their expertise in Brazilian music, dance and

costume. I knew that I had a focus and that the rest would follow.

Frustratingly, at this early stage of planning I realised that the language barrier was to

hinder my experience unless I used the coming months to practise. I had a basic

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understanding of bar- Portuguese; able to order the odd beer or sandwich but trying to

explore many of the deeper issues and ideas surrounding my fellowship led me to the

‘learning Portuguese audio-tape’ section in the local library. However, Mariana Borges

spoke excellent English and through a succession of emails and my fumbled attempts at

writing in Portuguese, an itinerary became clearer.

The start date of my travels was dependant on sabbatical leave from school and the dates

of Carnival in 2006. (Dates for Carnival change every year depending upon Easter

weekend and the period of lent) I was indeed very thankful that I was supported so

generously by East Bridgwater Community School to undertake this fellowship.

Secondary Schools are demanding places with an emphasis on curriculum and

achievement through detailed planning. Six weeks is in fact an entire scheme of work for

every class that I taught. Fundamentally, the value of my experience and the affect it

would have on inspiring my teaching both in the classroom and in extra-curricular

activities, let alone the prestige for the whole school and local community, enabled me to

successfully experience the ‘opportunity of a lifetime’.

III) ARRIVAL

On January 26th

2006 I arrived in Olinda, in the North Eastern province of Pernambuco,

Brazil’s ‘City of Culture’ which is also recognised as a designated world heritage site and

whose name directly translates as ‘Oh Beautiful!’ The temperature, even that late at night

was in the mid-thirties centigrade. The air was thick and the heat sweaty and sultry. The

town was sleeping. Closed shuttered windows, typical of colonial-style houses were

painted an array of contrasting tropical colours and were shadowy and dull in the dim

street lights. The cobbled streets were unusually free of litter and the odd stray dog

pattered along. Overhead there was confusion of electric cables and phone wires and

beyond this the dark night sky.

Here was a tranquillity that I had not expected of Brazil, here was the landscape that was

to stand as a theatrical backdrop to the forthcoming Carnival. Jet- lagged and weary the

new place that I viewed immediately challenged my expectations. I had prepared for third

world poverty, for litter and chaos, for danger and unexpected upheavals. Yet Olinda

stood old and majestic on this first night. It was truly beautiful and had a resplendent

fantasy toy-town quality, an acclaimed centre for Brazilian artists, musicians and

bohemians and host to one of Brazil’s finest street Carnivals. I could begin to understand

how such a unique setting evoked the atmosphere I had heard so much about.

I had booked our initial accommodation, via the internet, on the recommendation of my

acquaintance, Mariana Borges. ‘Quatro Cantos’ was in the heart of this beautiful town.

Once a splendid colonial mansion typical of its surroundings was now converted to a

welcoming family-run hotel. Tired and jet lagged, we fell into our beds to sleep.

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View from the rooftop „Quatro Cantos‟, centre of the old city, Olinda.

IV) ACLIMATISING AND BEGINNINGS

I had been in Olinda for about three days when I began to worry that I was not meeting

the objectives of my trip. I was very conscious that time was limited and that I had much

to learn and do. Six weeks did not feel like a very long time to fulfil my personal goals

and objectives. Mariana had telephoned the hotel and acknowledged my arrival but she

had been busy and was unable to come and meet me yet. I had been preoccupied in

moving rooms, settling into the town, sampling the local delicacies and trying to apply

my language skills.

I had navigated my way through the cobbled streets and alleyways, to hill top markets

and coconut juice stalls, where I could sit under the palm trees and look out across the

Atlantic sea, imagining the vision that the early Portuguese explorers must have

encountered and had led them to name this place ‘Oh Beautiful’. From here one can look

across the whole of this rambling old town, with its terracotta rooftops and traditional

Portuguese architect and question how the settlers and sugar-cane producers affected the

history and the development of Carnival itself.

It was in part their arrival, the colonisation of the indigenous tribes, the importation of

slaves from Africa, the spread of Catholicism and the despicable exploitation of human

beings that were the complicated foundations of the world’s greatest party. An irony that

I would spend much time trying to understand and in six weeks would struggle to ever

fully make sense of the complexities surrounding this torrid historical and political past.

Yet it is this modern-day integration of culture and race, although impossible to define,

which is integral to the success of Brazilian Carnival and the atrocities of the past are

juxtaposed against the celebration and joviality of the festival.

Initially, I was frustrated by the pace of life that I encountered even though I was aware

that the intensity of the heat determined the activities of everyone around me. Not until

the coolest part of the day did anything happen in Brazil. I needed to learn to slow down,

leave my westernised ways behind me. Learn to wake early and siesta when the streets

sizzled with the blistering afternoon sun. I needed to relax, to realise that I was already

acquiring so much new knowledge and experiences and that the impulsive nature of the

Brazilian people and lifestyle could only enhance my current itinerary.

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The people that I began to meet in small restaurants or in market stalls chatted

enthusiastically. English visitors were uncommon in this part of Brazil and they were

interested in one of our best known cultural exports, football! These early days,

frustrating as they seemed were actually quintessential in acclimatising and familiarising

ourselves with the local vicinity, its people and their language. Through such assimilation

of the local culture we were breaking down barriers, revealing that we were not strictly

tourists and enabling us to become part of the community. This opened even more doors

than I could have previously imagined, particularly when Carnival time arrived and we

were forever given insiders information of the best bloco to see or the safest place to

stand.

Slowly, Olinda began to wake up for Carnival. It was a Sunday. Every Sunday for four

Sundays leading up to the Carnival dates the town begins to celebrate. At this early stage

the party is very much about the locals, almost like a dress rehearsal for the big event. It

seemed as though every citizen of the old town had taken an opportunity to make a dollar

or two. Little impromptu stalls sprang up on the pavement, selling a host of cocktails

including the favourite Carnival spirit, Caiprinha. A Carnival tonic made from distilled

sugar cane mixed with limes, ice and more sugar. As the sun set and the cooler evening

sky sheltered the town, the doors of the colourful houses opened and the music and

people flooded onto the streets.

In this City of Culture, market squares became impromptu theatres and we took our seats

on the hot sun-baked cobbles to watch an informative show for free, presented by Bloco

Flor de Lira. This was an introduction to the history of Carnival in this town and featured

early black and white footage, projected onto the white walls of the façade. The show

was intended for children and featured traditional styles of dance and music from the

region including Frevo, Maracatu and Caporiera presented by the young adults of the

bloco as a means of educating and sharing traditions with the younger members of the

community. It was this simplicity, aimed at a younger audience that enabled me to

understand the show and accompanying commentary.

As the show finished and the brass instruments, in particularly the trumpet played its

famous solo tune, the anthem of Olinda and one we were to hear continuously throughout

Carnival, it was a recognised signal for the party to begin. The audience jumped to their

feet and we were all involved in the party! The atmosphere was exciting and the sound of

whistling and excited chatter permeated the air. The music, the people, the heat was

intoxicating, electric. This was a community achievement. The show had been a success,

Bloco Flor de Lira now wanted to party!

The performance highlighted the participatory nature of Carnival Arts, how carnival

exists only through those that involve themselves in it, right there on the streets. From the

very youngest to the very oldest, the rhythm of music and dance is part of this community

and carnival is about the accessibility of traditions shared by everyone. I was learning.

Carnival gives people a focus for expression and ultimately enjoyment. The show we had

watched we had also participated in. A demonstration of popular dance and music

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energised the audience and collectively we shared their thrill and pride alongside the

musicians, dancers and their families.

We relaxed, we interacted, and we were accepted. Many of these people had much less

than us. But music and dance can transcend difficult social conditions. Despite the

hardships, carnival time has brought together the community in many different ways. It

has proven that it can enable even the most disadvantaged groups to be recognised and

develop opportunities through celebration. Evidence of this is most obvious in the

success of Rio Carnival as a major tourist and cultural export on an internationally

acclaimed level despite the fact that the root of the entertainment features the creative

ingenuity of some of the world’s poorest people.

V) IL Y’EYBA

Within a week of being in Olinda I was invited into Reciefe to the Favella Alto Sao Pinao

where Ditto and Il y’Eyba were based. This was my first experience of a favella and I

was assured by Mariana that tonight’s gathering would be safe. Ditto is a powerful man

within the community and his ‘guests’ were protected. I was advised to take a taxi to the

bus terminal in the area and I would hear the music.

The directions seemed vague to me and it was unnerving leaving the relative safety of

Olinda, to travel through the darkness to an unknown location, in a big city in Brazil. But

this was the nature of my experience and part of my original itinerary. As I approached a

frail wooden roadblock guarded by two policemen, I could not fail to miss the ‘sound

system.’ The rhythm of the base beat permeated the thick night air, a crowd gathered

around and I moved closer in. There was a celebratory atmosphere surrounding the beats

created by the players of the Il y‘Eyba bloco in the sultry streets of this down- town

favella. They wore red and white costumes, simple t-shirts and trousers. Some children

had head scarves and the women wore tiger print skirts with large red turbans on their

head. They held their ‘standard’ proudly, a detailed hand embroidered fabric banner,

which all Blocos carry in this region to depict, name, logo and year of establishment. Il

y’Eyba was still a relatively young group as the date revealed, 1986.

A typical standard carried by the „Domesticas Bloco‟ during carnival. This directly translates as „the cleaners!‟

emphasising the humour within carnival alongside the diversity of groups and their creative involvement in Carnival.

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I was informed by Mariana that their musical style was Afoxe and the roots of their Bloco

were in Candemblie, an Afro-Brazilian religion and the foundation of their musical and

artistic expression. It is practised in small pockets, mostly in North Eastern Brazil and has

wrongly been labelled by outsiders as witchcraft or voodoo. In fact this religion was

founded over 300 years ago when the Yoruba African tribes from Nigeria were brutally

extracted from their homelands to be used as slaves for the growing sugar plantations in

Brazil. Here, the African traditions met with the practices of the indigenous Indian

natives, they were then combined with Catholicism which had been inflicted upon these

people by their white European owners in an attempt to ‘civilise’.

From the original slave ships, ancestry and cultural heritage were past through the

generations using common music, dance and costume in an attempt to hold on to

traditional roots and an identity. It is a systematic practice of many of the different types

of music in this region from Afoxe, to Maracatu. Tragically many of the black Africans

imported as slaves cannot truly trace their ancestry. Their lineage begins at the port, their

arrival into the Americas and their existence as slaves until their forefathers’ subsequent

liberation.

Ditto believes in the philosophies of Candemblie as a means of understanding the world

that surrounds him. He is passionate about percussion, the rhythms of Afoxe and personal

expression through music and dance. He wants to keep the traditions of the past alive for

future generations. He strongly believes that although racism is not prevalent in Brazil

and that black people are accepted in skin colour, that they are divided by society and a

class system. It is rare for a black person from the ghetto to ever escape the confines of

the ghetto.

From a concrete garage, on a dirty street bustling with people locked into the daily

rhythms of life and survival in the favella, Ditto believes he will be able to offer hope and

inspiration to the community that surrounds him. As a dominant and influential figure he

can invite the young people into his world, to share in the sound and vision of Afoxe, to

practise Candemblie, to keep traditions alive, to celebrate at Carnival time and to find

another way out of their poverty and crime that is the accepted norm.

I wanted to ask so many more questions and I used gesticulation, eye contact and smiles

as the root of my communication with Ditto, his wife and the community group that

night. I continued to be frustrated by my lack of linguistic ability and was determined to

learn even more Brazilian. Another barrier to my research at this point was the fact that

although I felt comfortable and was welcomed into this deprived district I definitely did

not want to flash about video cameras or photographic equipment without complete

security in my situation, I therefore I have a lack of visual imagery specific to Il y’Eyba.

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. Maracatu Bloco celebrating in the street at Carnival Time

The following day I returned to join a workshop of Afoxe with the ‘community’. Ditto

prefers to call it this rather than a favella. His community of Alto Sao Pinao is one of the

oldest favellas surrounding the city of Reciefe. They are proud to have electricity

(sometimes) and water and concrete walls rather than the thousands of flimsy cardboard

constructions that exist propped between disused factories, the railway lines and the

newly built motorways; such homes are desperate places that I can only glimpse from the

safety of the taxi. I am aware that even with the protection of Ditto I am not necessarily

safe but I want to understand the creative passion and the driving force behind many of

the Carnival groups.

On this day I am lucky, there is a translator as another European visitor has arrived. Ditto

takes us to his home. Ramshackle but built in concrete with dusty surfaces and many

floors filled with the instruments and costumes of Il y’Eyba, the house towers over the

shacks that surround it in an almost palatial way. Ditto wants to share with us his view,

both visually and literally. From the half finished third floor we look across to Reciefe

city and Olinda in the distance. We see the South Atlantic Ocean glinting in the sunshine,

the port, the tankers, the high rise luxury apartments that the young people in the favella

aspire to. “Dangerous to have aspirations so high in a country with such economic

divide, such wealth is difficult to achieve” and he believes the true wealth is right here.

“Living alone in high-rise apartments destroys the community and isolates individuals

even further.”

On this rooftop it feels as though you can reach out to the city and for the first time since

my arrival in Brazil I get a sense of space, of fresh air. This is where Ditto finds his

inspiration and his persistent optimistic energy for the future of Il y’Eyba in the favella.

He believes that “life as part of the community teaches the rhythm of life and the positive

rules to abide by. Carnival is the optimum way of celebrating community and life.”

Blocos are founded and sustained on zero profit; costumes are painstakingly created and

instruments are made by craftsmen, dance choreographers, performers, musicians, artists,

designers, producers and directors weave the fabric of the bloco. This is the community

working together at large and I find myself drawing similar parallels with the

achievements of the Carnival Clubs of Bridgwater.

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Women playing traditional Maracatu percussion instruments. The advertising for Bloco os Tranquilos in the

background has one of the areas largest followings.

VI) COSTUME with YLE AXE OXOSSI

One of the most crucial objectives in exploring creativity in Carnival was to work

alongside traditional costume makers from a Carnival Bloco to learn about the

significance of Carnival Costumes. Mariana had arranged for me to enter another favella

and to meet a female Community leader Dona Elda from the back streets and alleyways

behind Boa Viagem, the supposedly upmarket end of Reciefe. But behind the palm tree

lined avenues and in the shadow of the glitzy air-conditioned apartments with their

security cameras, electric gates and guards on the doors lay a seedy world, almost

Dickensian in its grime and overpopulation; barefoot ragged urchins playing in the open

sewers, whilst roaming chickens nibbled at the litter strewn across the dusty mud tracks.

Yet at the darkened entrance of a concrete ‘house’ was the welcoming smile of Dona

Elda’s son, clean and smart, proud to be part of this ‘community’ with its sporadic water

supply and overwhelming stench of urine in the thick stifling air. I was to spend a week,

alongside the Yle axe Oxossi. Once again I am extremely conscious of my locality and

conceal a small digital camera in an inexpensive-looking shopping bag. Initially there is

some confusion in the translation concerning my visit. Dona Elda is of the belief that I

am here to buy costumes to take back to the UK. They are displayed in the meeting room

of this Bloco as if in a museum, sometime later my intentions are finally made clear and I

am able, despite the frustrating language barrier to begin my education.

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Typical princess costume

Firstly, I notice the craftsmanship with which each sculptural gown is constructed.

Maracutu groups feature a royal court of Kings and Queens in adult size and smaller

versions for their children. Being from some of the poorest families, it is the opportunity

to parade in the most extravagant of costumes and to have one’s fantasy moment as King

or Queen for the day. I examine each costume and admire the perseverance with which

each must be constructed. Limited electricity means that most are meticulously sewn by

hand. Dona Elda possesses a sewing machine in her humble workshop yet it is rarely

used. These costumes will take a year to assemble, they have a hooped underskirt which

uses aluminium strips to enlarge the skirt to exaggerate movement and add character to

the wearer during the traditional Maracutu dance.

There is layer upon layer, hand embroidered overskirts and bodices with sequins and

braids hand- sewn. With temperatures exceeding 35 degrees centigrade during Carnival

week, the wearer must have a ‘servant’ character with an oversized fan to cool them

down. There is a feminine influence in Dona Elda’s work which contrasts to Dittos

costumes for Il y’ Eyba and reveals her inner ambitions, she is ‘queen’ of her community

and if one of the major elements of Carnival is ‘fantasia,’ ( living out ones fantasies) then

she has personally created her vision through the intricacies of her costumes.

Inside the workshop, notice the oversized fan propped against the wall designed to keep the Kings and Queens cool

during the parade.

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In the workshop, there are piles of fabrics and cloths. I watch closely as Dona Elda and

the women work. It is cool in the rough brick room, with its concrete floor. In the dusty

back streets the magic of Carnival is woven, costumes literally fit for a palace which will

enhance the music, dance and rituals of the Maracutu groups, many of whom came from

the sugar plantations to the city for a better life. Deeper into the realms of Yle Axe

Oxossi are the store rooms where the costumes, turned inside out to protect against

parasites, dust and sunlight are hung ready for Carnival time each year.

Inside the wardrobe, Mariana and Dona Elda‟s son look through children‟s costumes

When outsiders think of Carnival, they picture the bikini- clad, feather wearing Carnival

characters which I learn are more specific to the Southern regions, such as Rio de Janeiro.

These costumes originate from the indigenous tribes of Brazil, in particular the Tapu

Indians, whose traditions have been integrated alongside the Africans and the white

imperialist to exaggerate past conflicts in the form of the Caboclino. (Indian warrior

princess.) The Kings and Queens of the Maracutu customs hold entirely different

historical roots.

One of the biggest gatherings and parades for all Maractu groups in this region, when

Olinda becomes a Mecca to Maracutu is the ‘Night of the Silent Drums’, a celebration

on shrove Tuesday. Maracutu groups gather on the streets in their finery in memory of

the hundreds of thousands of Negro slaves who died aboard the slave ships. It is said that

the preparation for these groups to dress takes hours and is as much part of the

celebration as the parade through the town itself! Then in their regional bloco formation,

with its rivalry between drum beat and costume, the sound clash begins and the Maracutu

dance becomes symbolic, reflecting a mysterious imagery of half-remembered combat

and through such hedonistic pleasure comes escapism in which to commemorate their

past.

Dona Elda’s Bloco have been carnival winners with the elaborate King and Queen

costumes since 1979. Arrays of trophies gather dust in the corner while the Yoruba Gods

of the African traditions and Candemblie religion which seems prevalent here in the

poorest favellas of Pernambuco, adorn the walls. I remember Ditto’s words, “Out of the

oppressions facing black communities have grown the strongest examples of the resilient

spirit of the people in celebrating Carnival.” It is difficult to form judgments relating to

poverty and the people of Brazil. I am nervous about the tentative links I make between

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the past and the cultural expression I see today. I realise that to truly analyse the creative

ideologies behind Carnival would take a lifetime of living my experiences.

VII) SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

As a teacher, I could not possibly come to Brazil without acknowledging the school

system. Although this was not part of my original research brief or itinerary I felt as

though I needed to understand the domestic lifestyle of many of the people I was meeting

and to further my knowledge of the background of their celebrations plus my foundations

in education were an excellent starting point from which to enter another sphere of

Brazilian society. It was a difficult time of year to approach schools independently and

ask whether I could visit. Carnival time is in the middle of the summer for Brazil and it

holds the anticipation and excitement that Christmas evokes for students back in England.

However, I was able to visit two very different schools, a state run school which lacked

books and facilities in Olinda and a larger private school in Reciefe, Colegio Santa

Barbara. Here, thanks to the kindness of the English teacher I could shadow an

afternoon’s work, speak my own limited Portuguese and even join in and lead an English

lesson! Significant differences that existed between my teaching experiences and in the

Brazilian school included a desire for all the students to learn. It seemed as though they

were acutely aware of the privilege of attending this school, the expense of the text books

they carried, the cost of the uniform they were wearing and their behaviour supported this

notion accordingly.

In spite of such diligence, conditions were not entirely conducive to work. The heat

within the bare class room walls meant that the teacher was competing with at least five

wall- mounted noisy oscillating fans and everyone still sweated profusely! Limited

resources meant that the English CD, used to support learning could barely be heard

above the incessant drone. Nevertheless behavioural issues were non- existent despite the

distractions and the children radiated enthusiasm and a respect for their teacher and their

education.

Classes were short. The heat means that breaks are given frequently and unlike English

secondary schools it is the teacher that moves from class to class. As I take my class of

eleven and twelve year olds, I am amazed by the similarities between young people even

across such different continents and world’s. I am pleased that all are fascinated with the

book of letters and drawings that I bring from my own tutor group back in the UK. It was

one of the most significant day’s in my visit to Brazil, confirming my passion for

working alongside young people, and stressing the importance of language and

communication in the sharing of mutual experiences to explore cultural expression. I also

returned to the UK with letters from the children of Reciefe.

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VIII) REGIONAL TRADITIONS- FOLKLORE, GIANT PUPPETS AND FREVO

DANCING

Giant puppets are an essential part of the parade

I began to feel as if the brief I had set myself was vast. This fellowship could only begin

to dip into the concept of Carnival given the length of time that I had and the scale of

Carnival in Brazil. The population of Olinda is approximately 367,902 (compared to a

total of 170 million Brazilians). There are over 500 blocos officially registered in the city.

Carnival is such a diverse art form combining rhythms, colour, choreography,

atmosphere, theatrics and costume, let alone the social, political and historical

implications. Then there were regional variations of Carnival across 3.3million square

miles which encompass Brazil, I needed to focus.

I became aware of the sense of national pride that all Brazilians seemed to share. The

region of Pernambuco in particular, seemed to unite its inhabitants in a sense of

belonging and sharing, not just through Carnival. Although I had attempted to understand

some of the political and social inequalities, most Brazilians were proud of their country

and frequently sported t-shirts or baseball caps or waved flags with this message. It must

also be remembered that this part of Brazil is distinctly different from other regions and I

could only view it through the eyes of someone brought up in the first world.

As Carnival days drew closer, action on the streets became livelier and I began to notice

how costumes and dance were being used to reveal this nationalism. To give critical or

political messages, tell traditonal folk stories or simply reveal the fun loving spirit of the

Brazilians that untiringly dance up and down the uneven cobbled streets in outrageous

temperatures following the music and blocos whilst merry-making to the captivating

beats of Samba, Frevo or Maracatu. In particular, I couldn’t fail to notice the presence of

numerous gigantic puppets, also characteristic of Carnival in Olinda, some as high as 3

metres and balanced precariously on the shoulders of their operator.

Many of the puppets embodied characters that either mimicked politicians or

contemporary figures but many featured characters from folk lore traditions, popular in

the town and drawing on the oral traditions of the past, when travelling story tellers

would tell their tales to remember local heroes and legends. It was customary that little

paper books of short tales were hung from a line and onlookers could pick their story to

be told by the wandering orator. Lampio and Maria Bonita

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Homen de Meia Noite ( Man of Midnight) / Mulher de Meia Dia (Woman of the Day)

Boi de Noite

Frevo Dance Class

I was privileged to be invited to attend the children’s workshop for Frevo, the most

popular regional Dance of Olinda. Frevo is similar to an aerobic workout and ‘Frevo de

Rua’ (of the street) is a fast upbeat frenetic pace which the local children begin to learn as

soon as they can walk. Bloco Flor de Lira were funded to share their expertise for free

with the local community in the build up to Carnival.

Most activities take place at night, when the air is cooler and the dark streets come alive

with the bustle of people, socialising or shopping or rehearsing both music and dance. In

the equivalent of the Community Centre the local band rehearsed and in the space next to

them fifty children lined up to learn the frevo moves, which mostly consist of squatting

and lifting legs as if in a Russian kick dance. Most significant are the tiny coloured

umbrellas which the dancers carry to skip over and under as part of their exhausting

routine.

Lampio and Maria Bonita were folk heroes of the region. Similar to our own Robin Hood style characters, they robbed from the rich to give to the poor. Their story has been embedded in the history of Pernambuco Carnival despite the fact that they were only caught and publicly executed in the 1950’s. They are featured in the parade sometimes as giant puppets but more commonly it is the Lampio style- hat adapted and elaborately decorated which is frequently worn by revellers during Carnival time.

One of the most important processions of Olinda carnival time is the Homen de Meia Noite. At midnight a huge crowd follows the traditional music and large puppets as the official carnival key to open the ceremony is carried through the town. The dense throng of participants can take nearly half and hour to pass and they continue to party through the streets, throughout the night until dawn when they eventually meet with the Mulher de Meia Dia and pass the key. It is said these characters are modelled on previously important and influential dwellers of Olinda. The key is passed and the Carnival is officially opened!

As Carnival time draws to a close, it is the local inhabitants who return to the streets again for Boi de Noite ( Night of the Bull). Here blocos form to dance only in one street with their leading bulls. It is an endurance test for the chosen ‘bull’ to dance all night long competing to the dance and music of other blocos. I was incredibly lucky to be invited to form part of this procession.

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These umbrellas are symbolic and come from the prohibition of Capoiera in Brazil which

is a type of martial arts well known and practised globally. It has a distinct rhythm and

movement and can be witnessed in many places in Brazil. It was banned right up until the

1920’s and as such has become an art form embedded in Carnival traditions. Seen by the

government as a threatening and provocative martial art, it was necessary to find a way to

keep it alive. Thus traditional sticks were replaced by the umbrellas used for shade from

the suns’ intensity and even today if you look closely at the Frevo dancers, their

movements resemble the confrontational stances of Capoiera.

Capoiera on the streets of Reciefe and Olinda

IX) REFLECTIONS ON CARNIVAL TIME

“Olinda, I want to sing this song to you.

Your coconut groves, your sun, your sea,

Make my heart pound with love.

Dreaming of my one and only Olinda,

Hail your Carnival”

Traditional song lyrics from Olinda Carnival

Carnival time grew out of the holiday given to the slaves of the sugar plantations in

accordance with the religious calendar. It has become a significant national export. Rio

has a custom-built carnival stadium, tickets cost $450.00 and hotel prices rocket during

Carnival week. The atmosphere for the audience can be compared to a football stadium,

with your team being your chosen Samba school. The audience are given the

paraphernalia of each respective school, to wave and cheer in support of the passing

parade. ‘Moranga’ is an annual winner, sporting pink and green and in 2006 even

featured a whole ballet troop on the supporting Carnival float. Such schools will include

over 600 participants and to further exploit the commercial potential, tourists can pay to

follow. Like most Brazilians I watched this years’ two hour long parade on a shared

television, probably with a better (definitely cheaper) view than the audience in Rio.

Rio Carnival is impressive in its scale and international value. It has provided an industry

of Carnival and helps to implement social projects in the poorest areas. The revenue

generated is unimaginable, yet for the individual witnessing the highlights of the parade

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they must feel detached and even alienated from the experience. In contrast, how

absolutely different can the experience of Carnival in North East Brazil be, ‘Olinda!’ To

begin to define Carnival here is virtually impossible due to the organic nature of this

participatory and wholly inclusive art form. With over 1 million revellers on the streets,

involvement was unavoidable. Absorbed in the chaos, the experience at times was

euphoric, intense, sweaty and potentially dangerous. But in this glorious madness was a

celebration, through art, music, dance, and sociability that transcended the politically and

social implications, and revealed a country I had grown very fond of, united in a passion

for Carnival.

On the Sunday of Carnival weekend over fifty Blocos left from starting points around

Olinda at 11am. Each had a huge dense snake-like procession following. Carnival was

not a static stage but a fluid transitory spectacle which created atmosphere by involving

people, as if fuel to energise the parade. Likewise the people fuelled themselves from the

multiples of street bars and food stalls in preparation for the greatest party of the year.

The essence of Carnival came from the people, their costume, their involvement and yet

even through the seemingly random acts there was an unusual degree of conformity; T-

shirts to identify your bloco, similar costumes created by your friends, exact dance

patterns to match particular musical styles. It was an experience that I tried to quantify,

draw comparisons with, and make sense of, but sometimes pictures have to speak louder

than words!

Carnival Olinda 2006

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X) CONCLUSIONS – DISSEMINATION OF IDEAS

Apart from the enthusiasm that permeated my teaching on my return and the stimulus

material that I could share across departments and with my GCSE students, my most

pleasing out come which is also now continual ‘work in progress’ is the implementation

of a hugely successful ‘Carnival Project’. In June 2006, after a series of meetings with

Eastover, our feeder Primary School; I designed and facilitated two days of workshops

led by myself and supported by another drama teacher and dance teacher. The Carnival

Project included working with fifty Year 2 students and culminated in a showcase

performance with an audience of over 200 parents and members of the local community,

including school governors and local carnival club members, performed in the School’s

community theatre.

The aim of the project was to share my experiences whilst celebrating 401 years of

Carnival in Bridgwater. I had decided that I could never truly hope to recreate the

experiences that I had of Carnival but I wanted to share the elements of Cultural

Expression that I had explored in music, dance, art and theatre. I intended to raise

awareness of the pupil’s own cultural heritage, using the influences of Brazilian culture in

a collective celebration of Carnival Arts. We accessed creativity by exploring traditions

and forged links across the curriculum through the use of costume, drama, music and

dance.

We invited Bristol Samba School to join in the event by sharing a range of traditional

percussion instruments and teaching various traditional rhythms. Each group performed a

style of Samba on the stage. Our dance teacher used the music that I had sourced from the

Blocos of Olinda to weave a processional style dance with which to open the showcase.

The stimulus for theatre workshops was to use tableaux to retell folklore traditions; this

was an excellent way to make links between tableaux used on many of the carts in

Bridgwater Carnival whilst exploring the historical roots of their own carnival.

The drama reinforced the idea of using folklore traditions as inspiration for Carnival

Brazil and Carnival Bridgwater thus successfully uniting global creativity! Finally all the

masks and costumes were created by the children themselves during the workshops.

These were modeled on the actual masks and headdress that I had sourced from Brazilian

carnival artists.

We now have over eleven schools in the area who wish to participate in the Carnival

Project. We have formed a sub-group and are in the process of applying for funding to be

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able to implement this across the locality. We are also planning a training session in 2007

for these primary schools in our area to promote Carnival arts in KS1 and KS2. I have

subsequently made the decision to work part-time to be able to manage this growing

community arts project and to combine my drama teaching alongside my work as a

Carnival Arts facilitator.

My incredible experiences in Olinda combined with the need to engage and celebrate

with the young people here in Somerset and my growing passion for Carnival Arts has

changed my direction and I could never have been predicted such a positive outcome as a

result of the Churchill Fellowship. Many thanks for allowing me to experience the

opportunity of a lifetime; I only wish I could do it all over again!

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