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CARNIVAL
NARRATOR
Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival – a pre-Lenten celebration like no other
in the world – is more than just a huge party.
It’s an intense competition between 14 rival, community-based groups,
called Samba schools, to put on the best show as they parade before judges
in Rio’s Sambadrome.
Samba scholar Felipe Ferreira, says the groups work hard to win the
contest.
FELIPE FERREIRA
“It’s a lot of pressure and a lot of work. The samba schools begin
to prepare their presentations in June, July and August and during these
months they do very hard work. Everybody in the samba school works for
victory.”
NARRATOR
At a warehouse in downtown Rio de Janeiro, work on the floats for the
Unidos da Tijuca Samba School began months ago. The floats, called “alegorias”
in Portuguese, represent aspects of Brazilian life – and this year they
celebrate Brazil’s discovery 500 years ago by Portuguese explorer Pedro
Alvares Cabral.
Unidos da Tijuca artist, Chico Espinosa, says one of the themes for his “alegorias” is the plight of indigenous peoples.
CHICO ESPINOSA
“I left the last float at the end to reflect a personal criticism of
mine. I think our Indians are becoming extinct, not just ours but yours
too. All the native peoples of this planet are endangered, and if nothing
is done we will no longer have a history to tell in the future.”
NARRATOR
But it’s the samba, not history, that drives Carnival – and it’s the
throbbing, African-based beat of the samba school drummers that is at the
heart of the Brazilian dance known as the samba.
Samba schools like Unidos da Tujica – one of Rio’s oldest – practice at their clubhouse on Saturday nights. There, they can see how people respond to their performances – and to the song, known as the “samba enredo,” that school members will sing during the Carnival parade.
Unidos da Tijuca also stages practice parades in its community – a Rio neighborhood called Tijuca.
Primarily working and middle class, Tijuca also has its share of poor
who live on hillside shanties.
People like Paulo Roberto Barbosa, who is the lead male dancer for
Unidos da Tijuca. He says he is transformed when he dances.
PAULO ROBERTO BARBOSA
“There on the Avenue I become a prince, I turn into a prince and there’s
no one more beautiful than me, only God. So, while I dance I try to show
off my costume, to smile and to show people what I’m made of inside.”
NARRATOR
Scholar Felipe Ferreira says this feeling is common – especially among
those from humbler backgrounds.
FELIPE FERREIRA
“They are someone, not only during the presentation of the samba school,
but they are someone during the preparation of the samba school. They work
for the samba school, and once a year they can be the kings. People can
be the kings of the Carnival. But the important thing is they are not only
the kings during Carnival, they dream with this all during the year because
they work for the samba school to be a good one during Carnival. Besides,
the samba schools and the rhythm of samba came from these kinds of people,
the poor people. These people invented the samba and they invented the
samba schools.”
NARRATOR
This year, Unidos da Tijuca’s samba enredo is a catchy song whose refrain:
“Peace, love, and hope” touches a common chord.
For Nancy Rosa da Cunha, a street vendor who has danced with Unidos da Tijuca for 15 years - the words of the song are special.
NANCY ROSA DA CUNHA
“Peace, love, and hope – for me it means to have a better Brazil in
2000 because we’re going through tough times here, not only in Brazil but
in the rest of the world. It’s a hope that things will get better. ”
NARRATOR
It’s been many years since Unidos da Tijuca has won a Carnival contest,
but Felipe Ferreira believes the school has a good chance of winning this
year.
FELIPE FERREIRA
“Its samba is very beautiful, many people think it is the best of the
sambas, and for me it is one of the best, I agree, and the people who participate
in Unidos da Tijuca are very fond of the school. Its colors are very beautiful
and different: yellow and blue, and I think Unidos da Tijuca is one of
the most anticipated presentations of this Carnival.”
NARRATOR
And if Tijuca doesn’t win this year, there’s always next year’s Carnival
to begin preparing for.
Bill Rodgers, VOA-TV
