| The
Carnival in Salvador is very popular
and has differentiated character in comparison to
the “Escola de samba” parades in Rio &
São Paulo. (Escola de samba = is not a school,
but more like a large samba dance club. In Rio the
“escolas” have thousands of members and
compete in the annual carnival parade). In Salvador
people have fun in the streets that are closed (by
fence of ropes) during carnival for the parades of
“blocos” which are large groups, hundreds
of singing carnival revelers in costumes, following
a “Trio Elétrico”, which is a big
truck full of sound equipments. On the top of the
truck’s roof there is band dancing and playing
electrified music, typical from Bahia, Samba and Axe
music, with strong African rhythms.
Each
block has about 3.000 associated people that are identified
by the “Abadas”.
An Abada (large t-shirt and stamped with the security
symbol of the block) is the costume that identify
the associated people inside each block. Each associated
person receives 01 Abadá for each day acquired.
Each day has a different color / security symbol for
each day. There is also a security plan, which involves
more than 1.000 men keeping each block under as much
control as possible, keeping people without Abadas
out of the restricted area of dance. NOTE:
The Abada gives you access to the block and it is
severely inspected by the security team, to avoid
the entrance of unauthorized or not associated people.
The security symbol (detached mark) must be kept.
In
front and behind the “Trio Elétrico”
goes (dance) the associated people, within the restricted
area fenced by ropes. The artists sing and animate
the block all the time, while the people dances, play,
have fun. The speed of the Trio Elétrico is
about 2 km/h and it does a lot of stops. This way,
it takes about 7 / 8 hours to complete a course of
6 km. Within each Carnival Block, there is also a
“Base Car”, which is a big truck that
provides support to the associates; the truck is normally
composted by: Bar and Snack bar, Toilets, Medical
assistance and VIPs Cabins.
The
“Folião Pipoca”
is people who participates the carnival outside of
the blocks. They can go along with the blocks and
the musical attractions without paying, but they do
not have the privileges or even the security support
as associates of Abadas have.
There
are two traditional Circuits of Carnival
in Salvador: The “Barra-Ondina”
circuit, starts near to “Farol da Barra”
and goes along the coast and ends in the district
of Ondina. The other circuit starts at the Avenue
of September 7 in the downtown and ends
at the square of Campo Grande. There are many different
kinds of blocos and trio elétricos, like: afoxé
bloco (a music style with strong African rhythms),
travesti bloco (a popular figure throughout Brazil,
with transvestites participating), Infantile blocos
and Indians blocos. This year, 2002, you may enjoy
blocos like: Camaleão bloco with Chiclete &
Banana band, Beijo bloco with Gil-band, Academicas
bloco with Zorra band, Crocodilo bloco with Ricardo
Chaves band, Nana Banana bloco with Chiclte com Banana
band, Cerveja & cia bloco with Ivete Sangalo band,
Internet bloco with Netinho band and Ara Ketu bloco
with Ara Ketu band.
Besides
the two traditional circuits in Salvador,
there are parallel Carnivals in the nearest cities.
There you can participate in the “before”
& the “after” Carnivals. Morro de
São Paulo and Porto Seguro are two very popular
destinations for the after Carnival, where people
goes to continue the party. There are also events
before and after the Carnival, like some infantile
shows, fantasies and dance competitions, reggae and
rock shows, presentations of Pelourinho Orchestra,
in and near Salvador city. |
