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| ==References== | |||
| *McGowan, Chris and Pessanha, Ricardo. "The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova and the Popular Music of Brazil." 1998. 2nd edition. Temple University Press. ISBN 1-56639-545-3 | |||
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Revision as of 02:17, 2 March 2005
Maracatú is a term common to two distinct performance genres found in Pernambuco state in northeastern Brazil: maracatú nação and maracatú rural.
Maracatú nação
Maracatú nação (also known as maracatú de baque virado) is an Afro-Brazilian performance genre. The term refers not only to the performance, but to the performing groups themselves (often simply shortened to nação (pl. nações)).
Maracatú nação’s origins lie in the investiture ceremonies of the Reis do Congo (Kings of Congo), who were slaves that occupied leadership roles within the slave community. When slavery was abolished in Brazil in 1850, the institution of the Kings of Congo ceased to exist. Nonetheless, nações continued to choose symbolic leaders and evoke coronation ceremonies for those leaders. Although a maracatú performance is secular, traditional nações are grouped around candomblé (Afro-Brazilian religion) terreiros (bases) and the principles of candomblé infuse their activities.
Traditional nações perform by parading with a drumming group of 80-100, a singer and chorus, and a coterie of dancers and stock characters including a queen. Dancers and stock characters dress and behave to imitate the Portuguese royal court of the Baroque period.
The musical ensemble consists of alfaia (a large wooden rope-tuned drum), gonguê (a metal cowbell), tarol (a shallow snare drum), caixa-da-guerra (another type of snare drum), abê (a gourd shaker enveloped in beads), and mineiro (a metal cylindrical shaker). Song form is call and response between a solo singer and a female chorus.
Today there are around 20 nações operating in the cities of Recife and Olinda. Although one or two have an unbroken line of activity going back to the 1800’s, most have been set up in recent decades. Each year they perform during the Carnival period in Recife and Olinda. Maracatú Nação Pernambuco, while not a traditional maracatú, was primarily responsible for introducing maracatú to overseas audiences in the 1990's.
Maracatú rural
Maracatú rural is also known as maracatú de baque solto, maracatú de orquestra, and maracatú de trombone. It is rooted in the Pernambucan interior and evolved in the early 20th century as a fusion of pre-existing forms of Carnival revelry. It is considered to be Afro-indigenous in origin. Its members, typically sugarcane workers, are involved with the native-influenced catimbó religion. Maracatú rural has a high participation rate with dozens of groups operating all over the state.
References
- McGowan, Chris and Pessanha, Ricardo. "The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova and the Popular Music of Brazil." 1998. 2nd edition. Temple University Press. ISBN 1-56639-545-3