Samba and Carnival

Carnival has it's roots in the pre-Christian era as the spring festival like the Roman New Year Celebration of Saturnalia or even the previous Greek Cult of Dionysus. Its character has always been a celebration of the earth's energy, the mixing of social classes (with slaves and masters drinking the same wine) and the release of the built up energies of the winter season. It survived in Christian Europe as Entrudo. It was a pre-Lenten observance when the acceptable rules of behavior were interrupted and people would celebrate with parties and usually obscene ceremonies such as the Feast of Fools.

The Portuguese brought with them to Brazil this tradition of the Entrudo. And at the end of the ninth century the masked balls that were in fashion in Europe hit Rio where costumed balls and parades became usual. But today, Brazilian Carnival owes it's captivating rhythm to Central and West African Traditions.

In his book, Dancing - The Pleasure, Power and Art of Movement, Jonas Gerald says:

"Out of this mix came the so-called 'samba schools', neighborhood-based social clubs whose principal purpose is to organize Carnival processions. At first, the authorities in Rio discouraged the participation of samba schools from the city's poorer black neighborhoods; in the early years of this century club-swinging police often broke up rowdier processions. In 1935 the samba schools were organize as official Carnival organization: in return, the schools agreed to abide by the city regulations governing the use of musical instruments and the allegorical themes around which the pageants had to be structured. From this agreement Rio's modern carnival, a highly organized event that leaves room for individual 'acting out' was born."

In modern days the schools of samba of Rio perform down Avenida Marques de Sapucai. Each school has as a goal to win the first prize in the officially sponsored samba contest. They are judged by a jury that it is appointed by the Government. To par?ticiticipate each school must create an original song that honors a historical event or person. The costume, samba song and floats must relate to the theme chosen.

The Brazilian Carnival it is a mix of European and African folk influences. Rio's carnival is not the only Carnival on the country. The whole country celebrates it. I have to mention here that Bahia, on the Northeast of the country, is the mother-land of all Afro-Brazilian traditions. There, many rhythms are created and each year more tourists come to be part of the Carnival celebration. Bahia is also the land of Re-Africanization, a growing black consciousness movement.

Samba

The samba has it's roots in certain dances that came with the African slaves from Angola and Congo. The word samba is credited to have evolved from the Angolan semba, a word that means pelvic movements and also applies to an African ritual of procreation. Musically speaking, samba is a binary, percussive rhythm.

The street samba (samba de rua) is performed everywhere, especially during Carnival time. It's done with ample space for improvisation with each person creating new steps and moves but always connected to the energy and dynamism of the music. John Krich counts in his book that eighty-eight year old Carlos Cachaùa, a Brazilian samba composer, said:

"Without samba, there is an emptiness that would never be filled. It's a pill for our sickness, a medicine for the heart. There is no substitute. Whether you're happy or sad, you remember a big passion and that makes you suffer. Instead of fighting in the streets, or hitting one another, we make a samba. Take away the samba and we're nobody."

The Instruments Used to Make Samba

Heavy ones
Surdo de Primeira: It is the base of the music, the bass drum.

Surdo de Segunda: It "responds" to the calling of the Surdo de Primeira.

Surdo de terceira-It is played in between the surdo de primeira and Surdo de segunda. It gives the swing feeling to the samba.

Caixa de guerra: It embellishes the samba, giving force and helping sustain the rhythm of the surdos.

Repinique:The pedal of the Caixa de Guerra. It gives swing to the samba also. It "answers" the Caixa de Guerra beat.

Tarol: It is like the caixa but it has a different tuning (some of the samba Schools use the Caixa de Guerra with the same tuning of the tarol)

Light Ones
Pandeiro, ganz and reco reco - all those instruments give the samba the soft sounds, the spice and light seasoning.

Tamborim, cuica and agogo - With sharp sounds these instruments add spice to the samba also.