Maracatu

The Maracatu is a Brazilian music style from Pernambuco. It goes back to traditional African musical forms and found by the Afro-Brazilian slaves dissemination. He is related to Samba Through this tradition.

In the cities of Recife and Olinda, in the heart of the state of Pernambuco, the Maracatu developed from the music and the tradition of slaves from Africa.

First spread he found in the state of Bahia, whose African roots are most visible compared to the rest of Brazil today. From the port of Porto Novo in the former Kingdom of Dahomey, with its capital Abomey ( now Benin ) exported by the Portuguese at the time members of the tribes of the Fon, Nagô, Yoruba, Adja, Ewe and Mina to South America, and the slaves came also the Orisha cults of the Yoruba to Brazil. Mixed with the religions of the tribes of Central Africa, it developed into the Candomblé, the Brazilian equivalent of voodoo, which is why the Maracatu until today has close connections with these Afro-Brazilian religion and its music. Most songs and prayers will be both in the Candomblé and in Haitian voodoo and in the Cuban Santería in Yoruba, Nago or Goun, another East African language, survived.

The Maracatu is closely linked with the carnival, an example of which is the dance Bumba - meu -boi in the interior of Pernambuco. During this time was the slave allowed, traditions and religion to live in public, now here is a coronation of their king and the queen was celebrated. With the discarded clothes of the Portuguese baroque, the participants of the parade was rigged. King and Queen will be accompanied by her court: Count, barons, dukes, ambassadors, their ladies, standard-bearers, faceplates, spearmen, drummers and singers and the court ladies. The Dama de Paço, the supreme court lady, wearing during the move a doll that is Calunga called. The doll symbolizes the ancestors, the dead queens.

Since the 17th century the Maracatu is played in its current form: The Gongue (bell) sets the tone, the form Caxias (marching drums ) along with the Ganzas (shaker ) the rhythm rug, and the Alfaias, the deep wooden drums, a variety Toques play ( rhythm variations ).

Maracatu is not just a generic name for this kind of music, at the same time the social group of musicians and dancers with their Queen is called " Maracatu ". The traditional groups, whose queen is consecrated in Candomblé and the traditions passed on, call in addition Nação, such as Maracatu Estrela Brilhante Nação, Maracatu Leão Nação Corroado. The oldest existing group Maracatu Nação Elefante, was founded more than a century ago in Recife.

These groups play the Maracatu de baque virado, the Maracatu with the rotated shock. About 50 years ago, a new type Maracatu has developed that is played today, especially in the interior, the inland. This is called maracatu rural, rural maracatu. In this cast, the musicians wear up to 40 kg heavy costumes with bells on the back and pailletenbestickte cloaks.

Singing is another important consideration in Maracatu. The mestre, the head, acts as precentor, where a chorus responds. In Maracatu Rural alternately sang and drummed, the Maracatu de baque virado the cantor begins with one to two verses, then insert the drums. The traditional songs to sing his own origins from Africa, the ancestors, the queens, but also the still existing social inequality.