Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
10/10/2014 • Friday, October 10, 2014 •
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AIN
In Brazil the four days before Ash Wednesday, mark the
country’s biggest holiday. Especially in Rio, the birthplace of samba music,
the Carnival celebrations have become world renowned and are now a global icon
of the city.
The history of Carnival is complex with dates and origin
stories often debated. However, one thing is clear; in Rio, the modern day
samba school competitions in the Sambódromo, the massive bloco celebrations
that fill the streets and the gala balls held in various locations all share a
rich and interwoven history.
The observance of Carnival began, according to many
historians, in Italy as a celebration held by Catholics, before Ash Wednesday,
the first day of Lent, a six-week period of fasting and abstinence that ends at
Easter. Eating meat was prohibited during Lent, and the origin of the word
“carnival” comes from that feature: either “carne levare” meaning “to remove
meat”; or “carne vale” or “farewell to meat.”
Carnival is said to have then spread to France and then
throughout Europe. Catholic Portuguese settlers of Brazil are credited with
bringing the Pre-Lenten celebrations to Rio de Janeiro with the first recorded
Carnival took place during either the 17th or 18th century.
During the 19th century, different groups began to add to
the celebrations in Rio. Some of there were “Grandes Sociedades” (Great
Societies) which were luxurious parades held by aristocrats, and “Ranchos
Carnavalescos”, which were organized working-class parades. There were also
“Cordões” which were less organized groups of lower-class masked and costumed
parading revelers.
The birth of samba music in the city played a crucial role
in the formation of what are considered contemporary Carnival celebrations in
Rio. During this time, the groups known as Cordões gradually became blocos.
The groups would parade in the streets with makeshift
costumes while playing improvised samba songs. The practice is still observed
today and the blocos make up the widely popular Carnival da Rua (street
parade).
Over time, though, some of the blocos wanted to be become
more organized. It was then that the Escolas de Samba (Samba Schools) were
born. According to one version of the story, Deixa Falar, the first group to
call themselves a “samba school”, did so because they held their meetings near
an actual children’s school.
During the early 20th century the newly formed samba
school’s parade became a competition. Over the years, the numbers of the samba
schools and spectators increased significantly. They grew so much, that in
1983, famous Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer was commissioned to build the
Sambódromo as a permanent site for the competitive parade.
The top twelve samba schools are known as the Special Group
and they compete in the Sambódromo on the final two days of carnival for the
championship. The competition is broadcast live in Brazil and is increasingly
televised internationally.
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