Brasil & Arte Popular Lesson Plan O Criador de Porco (The Pig Farmer) by José Francisco Borges, Bezerros, Pernambuco, Brazil, 1995. Gift from the Dr. James Bert Smith and Dr. Beej Nierengarten-Smith Collection. Photo by Jim Chandler. Museum of International Folk Art P.O. Box 2087 Santa Fe, NM 87504-2087 (505) 476-1200, FAX (505) 476-1300 www.internationalfolkart.org Brasil & Arte Popular The varied cultural mix found throughout the vast region of Brazil not only draws from the original indigenous inhabitants, but also from the Portuguese colonists, who began to settle there in the 16th century. Enslaved Africans brought by the Europeans contributed their own religions and rituals, as well as vibrant arts, music, and dance. Eventually merging traditions created the dynamic cultural fusion that is so uniquely Brazilian. During the 20th century folk artists found that they had more freedom to portray their history, folklore, and daily life. At last religious practitioners could carry out their rituals openly, and festival performers were able to draw from old traditions and use contemporary issues to create lively pageants and dramas. Folk Festivals of Brazil Brazil’s folk festivals represent one of the richest and most interesting forms of popular expression. The subjects, costumes, rhythm, and choreography draw from European, African, and indigenous traditions. Much of Brazilian festival is focused on pre-Lenten carnival, when large groups, called clubs, perform dances, folk dramas, and pageants in the city streets. Festival performances also take place at other times of the year, such as Christmas, the Epiphany, Easter and the feast day of St. John in late June. Guerreiros festival drama in Maceió and other cities in Alagoas Photo courtesy Museum of International Folk Art The guerreiros (warriors) drama is performed in December and January in Maceió and other cities in the northeastern state of Alagoas. It grew out of the reisado, or epiphany pageant, used by colonial Catholic priests at Christmas time to teach converts about the birth of Christ and the visit of the Three Kings. Over the centuries the Christmas drama evolved into a secular play, involving warriors, royal courts, as well as clowns, a bull, and various monsters. The male guerreiros wear large, elaborately decorated crowns that represent the facades of local cathedrals. Maracatu Nation Carnival Clubs in Recife, Pernambuco The origin of maracatu nation carnival clubs in Recife, Pernambuco, can be traced to the early 19th century, when plantation owners organized their African slaves into “nations” according to their tribal origins. As part of the Christmas season entertainment, these groups performed dance pageants for the plantation, dressed as kings, queens, and other members of the Portuguese royal court. They were accompanied by drummers playing African polyrhythms, known as maracatus. After the abolition of slavery in Brazil in the late 19th century, the “nations” moved into Recife and established Afro-Brazilian religious organizations. Now they serve as a base for the maracatu nation carnival clubs, who continue to dress up in elaborate costumes of a royal court and dance to distinctive African rhythms played by their drummers. Rural Maracatu Carnival Groups in Recife and Olinda, Pernambuco Some of the most extraordinary groups found in Recife and Olinda carnivals are known as rural maracatu de baque solto, referring to the loose-style rhythms played by their small orchestras. The performances of these groups originated in the 18th and 19th centuries on rural sugar plantations in the interior region northwest of Recife, where enslaved Africans worked alongside Brazilian Indians. The most spectacular figures are the caboclos de lança (Afro-Indian dancers), who represent warriors possessed by Amerindian or African spirits. They dance, leap, drop to the ground, and sometimes duel with one another by slashing out with their long lances. Large cowbells worn on the dancers’ backs make a clanking noise as they run and dance. Bumba-Meu-Boi Festival Drama in São Luís, Bumba-Meu-Boi is a comical and very popular Maranhão folk drama, brought to Brazil by Portuguese colonizers in the 18th century. The original plot centers around the death and resurrection of a prized bull. The story has been adapted, however, to reflect typical northeast Brazilian rural life, involving many different costumed characters in a series of comic episodes. Today it is performed throughout Brazil during the Christmas holidays, carnival, and other festival celebrations. São Luís, in the northern state of Maranhão, is particularly known for its version of the bull drama, performed in late June for Photo courtesy Museum of International Folk Art the feast day of St. John. Dancing Bear Carnival Clubs in Recife and Rural Towns in Pernambuco The origin of ursos, or carnival bear clubs, in Pernambuco can be traced to the 19th century when Italian gypsies arrived in northeastern Brazil to work in the sugar mills. Some of them brought specially trained bears that performed in small traveling circuses where they captivated the local populace. The displaced European animals did not survive long in the tropical climate. However, people kept the tradition alive by creating urso de carnaval clubs that feature a dancing bear, his Italian trainer, and a hunter. Small orchestras playing European-derived march, polka, and schottische music accompany each group as they perform on the streets during carnival. Ceramic and Wood Folk Sculpture in Brazil scenes from daily life. Men and women at work in various situations provide inspiration, as do subjects as diverse as brides, athletes, and characters from legends and history. Animals, both domestic and impressively wild, also are a source of artistic interest, whether found in their natural environments or in an exotic traveling circus. Family Escaping the Drought (Retirantes) by Manoel Eudócio, Alto A very popular theme is the portrayal of do Moura, Pernambuco, Brazil, 1995. entertainment from festivals and folk dramas. Gift from the Dr. James Bert Smith and Dr. Beej Nierengarten- Smith Collection. Traditional characters in colorful costumes are shown participating in musical and dramatic activities. These lively events bring together a The majority of the museum’s Brazilian typical Brazilian mixture of races and cultures. collection consists of ceramic and wood folk Portrayals of Afro-Brazilian gods and Catholic sculpture. Many of the artists represented saints present religious imagery and practices. started out making simple toys and then Together, all of this captivating sculptural work nurtured the skills necessary to produce larger presents an expansive view of Brazil’s extremely and more sophisticated sculptural forms. These rich folk culture and artistic potency. are mostly figural, often depicting people and Rag Dolls of Northeastern Brazil Assorted Brazilian Dolls, photo by Ruth LaNore. Rag dolls are sold in markets throughout northeastern Brazil, especially in the states of Bahia and Pernambuco. They are generally made by women, who have learned the craft from their mothers or grandmothers and pass it on to their own daughters. Many of the dolls from Bahia portray Afro- Brazilian women clothed in the traditional dresses, head wraps, and jewelry worn in that region. The rag dolls from Pernambuco wear typical clothing made from selected scraps of fabric and come in all shapes and sizes. Puppets from various towns in Pernambuco Photo courtesy of Museum of International Folk Art Mamulengo is a type of puppet performance popular in northeastern Brazil, particularly in the state of Pernambuco. The hand-made puppets are created by folk artists living in Recife and neighboring towns. Their heads are made from papier-mâché or carved from light wood, and the bodies are clothed in bright printed fabric. Most are manipulated by a hand inside the form, but some are controlled from above by strings. They appear on miniature stages to enact biblical stories or humorous political and social satire. Voice alterations, improvisations, singing, and dancing all provide general fun. Sílvio Botelho and the Giant Puppets of Olinda, Pernambuco Residents in the colonial town of Olinda, Pernambuco, took the art of mamulengo, or puppet performance, to a new level when they introduced giant puppets into their annual carnival parades. Artist Sílvio Botelho was born in Olinda and began making papier-mâché carnival masks when he was nine. In 1974 two giant puppet characters appeared in the festival processions, and Sílvio was asked to create a third. Everyone loved his figure, so he was encouraged to make more. Sílvio found his life’s calling and continues to produce giant puppets every year for the parade. Today there are dozens of the huge figures that dance along the cobblestone streets during carnival. The large papier-mâché head and torso of the puppet is attached to a frame carried on the shoulders of a young man. He looks out through a peephole in the front of the skirt or pantaloons as he dances and spins, bringing life to the giant figure. Most of these puppets represent special historical, comical, or satirical figures familiar to the people of Olinda. Afro-Brazilian Religions overwhelming adverse conditions. Of particular importance to the slaves were the West African religions of peoples such as the Yoruba in Nigeria. The modern forms of these religions in Brazil have different names, such as Xangô in Pernambuco, Candomblé in Bahia, and Umbanda in Rio de Janeiro and further south. The pantheon of Afro-Brazilian deities, known as orixás, are associated with natural phenomena, such as thunder, rivers, the sea, iron, and plants. As with the Catholic saints, the orixás, are invoked to help followers overcome their problems. The religious rituals generally take place in terreiros (temples), frequently directed by female priests. The worshippers dance and sing to call forth the orixás or other spirits. They eventually go into a trance, allowing a deity to “inhabit” their body for the Photo courtesy Museum of International Folk Art remainder of the ceremony.