Carnival and carnival music in Belém do Pará: traditions and hybridism

Abstract

The article provides an overview on carnival and carnival music from Belém do Pará during the twentieth century, especially following the establishment of the first “samba schools” under the influence of Rio de Janeiro’s carnival. This text aims at showing how local carnival and carnival music styles, based on Amazonian popular festival traditions, combined with the kind of carnival that was starting to take shape in the country’s then capital city and influencing popular festivals elsewhere in Brazil. At the same time, the article highlights a set of elements from festivals and carnival music that preserved relatively local traits, which can be seen at various times in the history of the city of Belém, including in current events. Finally, the text outlines a few traditional territories of Belém “street carnival” and the relationship between these spaces and the urban popular culture.

keywords: carnival music; Amazonian carnival; Amazonian music.