Yoruba Culture Blooms as Brazil Carnival Kicks Off

Adeyinka Olaiya, Sao Paulo/

Yoruba culture, religion and tradition are featuring prominently today as Brazil kicks off its annual festival of Arts and Culture

The event is known for its display of visual and performing arts, theater arts, Architecture, construction, crafts, designs, textiles, history, literature and music.

A carnival artist, however, makes the coordination for a final display on the stage during the carnival period.

All Yoruba deities are usually observed during the carnival period graced by dignitaries from around the world.

Among the Samba colleges expected to parade the African culture and tradition is Escola de Samba and Vai Vai that will not only display Sango but will also recognize the fights for black freedom in Africa and in the Americas, the legacy left behind by many of the African and American freedom fighters including the late Madiba, Nelson Mandela, who was a symbol of black freedom.

Another Samba college Dragões da real shall relate times and periods in ancient times, bringing to the society the way of life in the olden days.

The Mancha verde samba school will pay homage through its display to Republic of Kenya recognizing the popular Swahili saying – Hakuna matata meaning ‘how to live’.

Dances, songs and dramatic representations will also be on the stage as soon as the carnival kicks off.

The Samba College, Acadêmico de Tatuapé, will feature Ogun a Yoruba god of Iron, a deity having justice among its qualities. Ogun is expected to be invoked on the stage while the college displays the culture and tradition of the Yoruba, one of the oldest black culture in the world, amid several incantations.

Altogether, 14 carnival schools will perform on the stage of Anhembi in São Paulo and the last three colleges will be relegated to a lower division.

Rio Janeiro will also have its performances through its Rio’s Samba colleges on the stage of Sapucaí, while Bahia and other parts of the federation will be hold joint street carnivals while street cultural dances and performances will take over the whole country.

Nigerians in diaspora will also celebrate the carnival period bringing to the streets of Sao-Paulo several dances and displays to celebrate the African culture in the Brazilian society.

Brazil moves several billions of dollars in its economy during the carnival period as tourists flood the whole nation throughout the events.

Carnival is one of the avenues at which Brazil boosts its economy yearly on tourism.

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