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"Maracatu Nação" (maracatu is pronounced with the accent on the last letter) is the name of a festival of African origin, not without European and indigenous elements. This ethnic mix is also religious; indeed, "Maracatu Nação" can celebrate the "Orixás" (African deities) in a "terreiro de Candomblé" (a place of worship for the African religion) as well as Saint Sebastian (a Catholic saint, protector of slaves) at the doors of churches dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary (which were the churches assigned to slaves). All manifestations of African origin inherently carry religious elements that typically manifest as syncretism; the only way slaves could preserve their traditions was to hide and integrate them into the colonizer’s culture, such as worshiping the "Orixás" by calling them by the saints’ names. Another common element of African traditions relates to the history of their origins: lost in the dark side of the history of slavery, both because of their oral tradition and because "our civilization," when, at a certain historical moment, caught by a sense of revulsion toward its cruel past, decides to bury history, thus ending valuable documentation, which today cannot be recovered in any way.
"Nação" means nation and designates the first forms of social organization of the slaves, offering mutual aid. The word nation comes from the fact that the slaves were from different African tribes and spoke different languages. "Maracatu" is the word that defines the musical rhythm accompanying the parades of the "Maracatu Nação" events. The parade consists of thirty to fifty elements and symbolically aims to represent the coronation of the King and Queen of the African nation. Other characters follow, such as the slave carrying a large umbrella to protect the court, the baianas, and other various court figures, up to the orchestra musicians.
The rhythm of "maracatu" is played by a percussion orchestra, led by a snare drum that starts and sets the rhythm (there can be more than one), followed by a "cowbell" marking the time with two sounds, one high and one lower, then the "ganza" (aluminum cylinders filled with coarse sand) or the "xequeré" (hollow gourds covered with seeds or plastic rings threaded with a string), and finally the "alfaia," which are drums with a diameter of forty-fifty centimeters, with two skins, strapped over the shoulder with a medium-low very powerful sound. These are the true sonic body of the "maracatu." I cannot forget the first time I encountered them on a street in Olinda, the thrill of hearing that sound pressure coming from thirty, forty "alfaia" is something unique; I don't know if there are other examples of such a strong dynamic without amplification. The rhythm itself is then very beautiful; I don’t know if I can call it syncopated (I'm sure anyone listening to the sample will be able to clarify) and it is characterized much more by repetitiveness than by variations. In fact, as a common element of many traditions originating in religion, the repetitiveness aims to create that dizziness that anticipates a state of "trance," or in other words, brings man into an altered state of consciousness. Repetitiveness is also found in the singing, as "Maracatu Nação" is sung; a soloist begins, and the choir always responds with the same verse, in a typically African way.
"Maracatu Nação" is a manifestation typically "pernambucana," meaning related to the state of Pernambuco, one of the most culturally and musically rich states in Brazil. "Maracatu Nação" has become a carnival manifestation, and with my city now in full carnival swing (Sundays are delirious!), it seemed right to write something about "maracatu," which after the "Frevo" is the most important rhythm of this crazy, exaggerated celebration.
"Maracatu Leão Coroado" (crowned lion) is one of the oldest; this CD was released in 2003 to celebrate the 140 years of life and resistance of one of Brazil's most beautiful cultural movements.
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