CARNAVAL de RIO - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
As the Portuguese began colonizing present day Brazil in the 16th Century they brought with them their Christian tradition of celebrating Carnaval. In Rio de Janeiro carnaval street parades began in 1850 with the upper class dressed up as commoners and poor people dressed up as princes and princesses. It originally mimicked the European form of the festival but over time combined elements from Indigenous and African cultures.
In the late 19th century, the cordões (literally laces or strings in Portuguese) were introduced in Rio de Janeiro. These were groups of people who would go parading through the streets playing music and dancing. Today they are known as blocos (blocks), consisting of a group of people who dress in costumes or specials t-shirts according to certain themes or to celebrate the Carnival. Blocos are generally associated with particular neighborhoods or suburbs and include both a percussion or music group and an entourage of revelers.
Escolas de Samba or Samba schools which began in 1928 have become the centerpiece event of the Rio Carnaval. The schools parade down a lane lined with grandstands, thousands of members per school dressed in elaborate costumes and headdresses, dancing a samba routine. Each school's presentation has a central theme, such as a historical event, a famous person or a native Brazilian legend.
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More information on Carnaval de Rio
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