Afro groups parade beauty at Salvador’s Carnival – 02/17/2023 – Guia Negro

The return of Carnival after a long period of pandemic has caused euphoria and the encounter with a unique joy of this period of the year. And if the theme is singularity, we can say with certainty that the Afro blocks of Salvador produce a spectacle of their own.

Since 1974, when Ilê Aiyê appeared to oppose the blocks that did not accept black people, the Carnival in the capital of Bahia has gained a unique flavor: drums, exaltation of blackness, ballet and a lot of resistance to continue year after year on the circuits.

This is because they are not the ones who earn the most money and media during the festivities, but it is the Afro blocks that “give a ruler and compass” to all the artists participating in the party, pointed out singer Larissa Luz, who took over the Mascarados Block, which paraded this Thursday (16) at Circuito Barra-Ondina.

Friday is the day for Olodum to mark its departure through Pelourinho, taking art, colors and drums to the slopes that usually tremble with their sound. There is no one who is not moved by the spectacle of image, sound and ancestry, which this year has as its theme “Drums, the beating of the heart, paths of ancestry”.

The involving sound of samba-reggae, which is accompanied by lyrics that are true history lessons, has won the hearts of artists around the world. The block’s legacy overflows the city’s slopes. João Jorge Rodrigues, founder of Olodum and president of the block for more than 40 years, has just taken over the presidency of the Palmares Foundation, at the invitation of the Minister of Culture and singer Margareth Menezes, his fellow countryman.

On Saturday, it’s Ilê Aiyê’s turn to crown his Goddess of Ebony with a turban and perform the release of doves and popcorn bath, marking a ritual that asks permission to start Carnival. Even without giving the proper support, representatives of the municipal and state governments usually attend the event.

Through the streets of Curuzu, the block shows why it is the most beautiful of the beautiful, singing songs that speak of beauty and black power. This year, the theme of the block is Agostinho Neto, a doctor who was president of Angola and helped in the country’s independence process from Portugal.

On Sunday, the Filhos de Gandhy block begins its journey by offering padê (food) to Exu, the orixá of communication and paths who is considered the owner of the party.

The Cortejo Afro, in turn, parades for several days in the main Carnival circuits in the city, taking its sophisticated elegance, with clothes that are true works of art made by the president of the block, Alberto Pitta.

But if not even these best-known blocks have government or business support, even in the face of the greatness of the shows they offer, who will say the others.

Blocks like Bankoma, Didá and Malê de Balé throw beautiful parties away from the spotlight of TVs and unsuspecting tourists. They put on unmissable parades and are the great differential and treasure of the city’s Carnival.

For the communities they are part of, the blocks are more than a party. They are social entities that operate throughout the year carrying out various activities. On the streets, they awaken passions, generate identity and infect loyal followers.

Seeing the black people who suffer from racism and inequality all year round being able to be kings and queens, with genuine happiness as only Carnival and the Afro blocks allow, is the ultimate expression of the spirit of this city called Salvador.

May all people experience this black carnival in the blackest capital in the country.

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