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| Carnaval da Bahia | |
|---|---|
| Name | Carnaval da Bahia |
| Native name | Carnaval da Bahia |
| Caption | Trio elétrico during Carnaval |
| Location | Salvador, Bahia |
| Years active | 1930s–present |
| Dates | February–March (movable) |
| Genre | Carnival, Brazilian Carnival, Afro-Brazilian culture |
Carnaval da Bahia is the annual carnival celebration centered in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, noted for its mass street parades, African-derived rhythms, and large-scale participatory performances. Originating from a mixture of Iberian, African, and Indigenous traditions, it has become a major cultural event that attracts performers, religious leaders, politicians, and tourists from around the world. The festival integrates genres such as axé music, samba-reggae, samba, and pagode and features trios elétricos, bloco-afro groups, and capoeira demonstrations.
The roots trace to colonial-era celebrations in Salvador, Bahia and the Afro-Brazilian communities of Pelourinho, influenced by customs brought by enslaved people from Benin, Angola, and Congo (region). In the 19th century, elites in Rio de Janeiro and merchants from Lisbon introduced masquerade balls and masking traditions that blended with Afro-Brazilian street culture in Pernambuco and Bahia (state). The 1950s and 1960s saw the rise of the trio elétrico pioneered by musicians from Juazeiro, popularized by bands such as Erasmo Carlos collaborators and entrepreneurs connected to Uma Chuva de Bala initiatives. Political changes during the Vargas Era and the Brazilian military dictatorship affected public festivities, while post-dictatorship cultural movements in Salvador fostered bloco-afro formations like Olodum and Ilê Aiyê. International recognition grew through tours to Lisbon and festivals in Paris, New York City, London, and Tokyo.
Key musical styles include axé music, samba-reggae, marchinha, xaxado, and forró. Prominent performers and groups associated with Salvador's carnival include Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Ivete Sangalo, Carlinhos Brown, Daniela Mercury, Chiclete com Banana, Olodum, Ilê Aiyê, Margareth Menezes, Gal Costa, Maria Bethânia, Gilberto Gil (Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira), Lulu Santos, Djavan, Chico César, Tatau (musician), Bell Marques, Wesley Safadão, Claudia Leitte, Xuxa, Zeca Pagodinho, Armandinho (Armandinho Macedo), Gerônimo (Brazilian singer), Banda Eva, Ara Ketu, Aruanã, Olodum International Band, Filhos de Gandhi, Ilê Aiyê percussion, and Mestre Bimba. Many performers collaborate with percussion orchestras from Capoeira groups and Afro-Brazilian cultural centers like Casa do Benin and Museu Afro-Brasileiro.
Street parades are organized by trio elétrico operators, traditional blocos such as Banda Crocobeat, and bloco-afro organizations like Olodum and Ilê Aiyê. Key circuit routes include the Circuito Barra-Ondina, the Circuito Campo Grande, and the historical Pelourinho streets, passing landmarks such as Elevador Lacerda, Praça Castro Alves, Farol da Barra, and Igreja de São Francisco. Subcultures include camisa 100% fan groups, pipoca independent revelers, and organized groups like Ara Ketu and Muzenza. Spectators encounter capoeira rodas by Mestre Pastinha adherents, candomblé processions tied to temples like Ilê Axé Iyá Nassô Oká, and performances from samba schools originating in Rio de Janeiro and local Carnaval de Salvador contingents.
The carnival serves as a focal point for Afro-Brazilian identity, tied to traditions from Candomblé, Umbanda, and ancestral practices of communities with origins in West Africa. Rituals and costume aesthetics recall historical ties to figures such as Zumbi dos Palmares and artistic movements involving Jorge Amado's depiction of Bahian life. Food and drink traditions feature vendors selling acarajé associated with Dona Ivone Lara culinary mentions and street foods between Mercado Modelo and coastal areas near Porto da Barra. Iconography often references saint imagery from Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Praia and folkloric entities like Exu, while civic rituals involve municipal authorities of Salvador and cultural NGOs such as Fundação Gregório de Mattos.
Carnival generates substantial revenue for hospitality sectors including hotels in Barra (neighborhood), inns in Pelourinho, and resorts along the Costa do Cacau and Praia do Forte. Airlines servicing Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport, travel agencies offering packages from São Paulo, Brasília, Recife, and international hubs like Lisbon Airport and JFK Airport see spikes in bookings. Economic impact studies by municipal bodies and institutions such as Instituto Federal da Bahia measure employment in services, informal vending, and entertainment tied to brands and sponsors like Skol, Itaipava, and multinational promoters. Cultural tourism partners include Ministério do Turismo initiatives and private operators collaborating with SESC Bahia and Senac.
Event coordination involves the Prefeitura de Salvador, state police forces like Polícia Militar da Bahia, municipal emergency services, and private security firms contracted by producers and bloco leaders such as Grupo A. Crowd control uses temporary infrastructure around Farol da Barra and main circuits coordinated with traffic authorities like DERBA. Health services provide mobile units linked to institutions such as Hospital Geral do Estado and SAMU, while civil defense protocols reference guidelines from Corpo de Bombeiros Militar da Bahia. Licensing involves cultural departments including Secretaria de Cultura do Estado da Bahia and permits for sound systems regulated under municipal ordinances.
National broadcasters such as Rede Globo, RecordTV, and Band provide live coverage alongside international outlets including BBC, CNN, and Al Jazeera. Music recordings and documentaries feature labels and producers like Som Livre, Tribalistas (record label associations), Sony Music Brasil, and independent documentary efforts shown at festivals such as Festival de Gramado and São Paulo International Film Festival. Notable audiovisual works capture performances by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil and percussion ensembles like Olodum, distributed through platforms managed by TV Bahia and online channels affiliated with YouTube and music archives in institutions like Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia.
Category:Carnivals in Brazil Category:Salvador, Bahia Category:Festivals established in the 1930s