Field Notes on Current Research in Brazil and Elsewhere
Carnaval/Carroça in Rosário, February 2016
An earlier post describes some differences between the Carnival in Rio and its smaller counterparts in the pre-Lent celebrations elsewhere in Brazil.
This post describes the event called “Carroça” in Rosário, named after a cart and sometimes used for what in U.S. English is called a parade “float.”
Here the carroça can also have its original meaning — as a donkey cart. This you won’t see in the Rio parade of floats.
One way Rosário is different from Rio — you may need to decorate your donkey
The mermaid — sereia — is a spiritual figure, but here is one of the many androgynous figures in the parade
Surprisingly for outsiders is the fact that in Rosário (and in other smaller communities, we find) the carnival is a place for various sexual identities and expression
Another old style carroça –here, even the donkey driver is not immune from flying colors and flour (the donkey was spared)
An enormously popular telenovela is “The Ten Commandments, ” running every day on television
Not quite sure what the theme is here, but this is Rosário — with donkey cart, viking, and a sultry figure
Angels in Rosário
Flour and colors are thrown about the crowd, giving a surreal look to the crowd as the as the day goes on
This doesn’t seem to be a serious boi/ox from one of the Bumba-meu-boi groups, but it evokes that tradition. Here, though, the message is “I have horns…”
“I have horns” — which may refer to the ancient term for “cuckold”
He’s putting in his teeth for the photo
Another vampire in drag (a popular theme, it turns out), in a coffin comforted by cachaça
Carrying out the undead … “Rest in peace, Rosário” the coffin seems to say
Colors
More colors
The most political statement — “Sergio Moro, Hunter of the Corrupt.” Moro is the judge whose investigations have put many political and business leaders in jail for massive corruption involving Petrobras. Dozens of politicians who thought they were immune from prosecution are ratting each other out in a host of plea bargains and immunity deals. Others are watching from inside this or that federal prison.
Macho drag
A plague of Charlie Chaplin’s — and one shepherd left over from the Ten Commandments, I think
Modern sound technology can turn a perfectly normal truck into a sonic weapon, capable of shaking the earth and deafening you (and any of your children you left on top of the speakers). This is a small system, but notice the sophistication of the array of woofers, mid-range speakers and high-range tweeters. The result is not just loud noise, but discernible melody and a full range of damaging sound waves.
The boy center left is holding a box of flour. The rest are simply wearing the flour. There are also spray cans of something white, but that cannot compete with the old custom of mixing colors and smearing each other.
More colors and interesting celebrants. They did some other interesting poses for me, but this is a family-oriented blog.
The Carnival carroça is a time to experiment in relative safety with alternative identities
Double-cross — each member of this couple is adopting the sexual identity of the other
The shirt says “Homophobia is prohibited, is a crime”
