Carnival Commences on Planet Brazil with Frevo Fever!

Uau! I think I finally get Carnival. Up to now it’s been just a notion – a big party where people dress up like Carmen Miranda and dance in the streets with fruit on their heads. Yes, it is that, and more. After a night at Virgens de Tambau, atop the trio electrico, now I really feel what Carnival is about - this celebration of the flesh (carne) – this final chance to commit some sins before the commencement of 40 days of Lenten abstinence. Ok, I didn’t commit any sins, but some other people did.

Carnival ‘officially’ begins tonight, and proceeds through the weekend to Ash Wednesday. But in fact, the celebrations are well underway in Joao Pessoa, and have been for the past 2 weeks! I think I’ve been to 7 festas already - pre-parties, opening galas, pre-opening rehearsals, folies de rua (street dances), a couple parades, bailes, and more. I’m worn-out already, and the party has not really begun!

Here in Joao Pessoa they hold a kind of pre-‘Carnival de Gente’ (of the people), which has more of a hometown feel, as compared to the high-profile corporate-sponsored extravaganzas of Salvador and Rio. But it’s nothing to yawn at. They have over 30 ‘blocos’ (equivalent to ‘crewes’ in New Orleans Mardi Gras), each representing a different neighborhood or community group, and each carrying it’s own theme. There’s Banho de Cheiro (bath of smells), where the members all dress in bathrobes and towels and shower caps; there’s Bloco dos Atletas (athletes) and Picole de Manga (mango ice cream); there Boi Bumba, 25 Bichos, Bloco do Castelo, Agitada Gang. And then there are the three biggies: the Virgens de Tambau, where everyone dresses in drag, and the entire city becomes inhabited by women; the Muricocas (mosquitoes) do Mirimar, the biggest bloco, with over 200,000 participants; and my favorite, Cafucu (tacky people).

These big blocos each have their own parade and festa, characterized by revelers dressed in their theme fantasies (costumes), or in the signature t-shirt of the block, marching and dancing down the main Epitacio Pessoa, 5 km to the sea. But the key to Carnival here in JP, and in other cities like Salvador, is the trio electrico. Picture an 18-wheel tractor-trailer converted into a rolling sound stage. The body or container of the truck houses the gigantic system of speakers blasting 360 of music; and the top of the container, 20 feet off the ground, above the world of revelers, becomes an elaborate stage for the band and dance troop. Here's a shot of a trombonist tuning up on top of one truck, getting ready for a big parade night.

The music they play in Joao Pessoa Carnival is frevo, a frenetic samba-esque marching band sound characteristic of the Northeast of Brazil, particularly the city of Recife. It is a strange but wonderful mix of big horns, driving snare drums, electric guitar, and saudade accordion melodies. The locals dance a bouncing, high-energy criss-cross pattern down the street, burning-off 100 calories of beer per minute. And the frevo performers twirl colorful umbrellas as they dance. (See http://cliquemusic.uol.com.br/ for more info on frevo.) My namorada sang and danced a famous frevo number called “Frevo da Cueca” (dance of the underpants), written by his uncle, in the opening night gala. See him pictured here doing the frevo moves.

I had the good luck and connections to get a seat atop one of the 7 trios electros in the Virgens parade, so I had a birds-eye view as we navigated like a ship through a sea of humanity. I saw it all from up there, and maybe more than I wanted to. . . young muscle men, popping out of skimpy sundresses they obviously borrowed from their girlfriends; formations of boys in miniskirts and baseball caps, doing popular pagode line dances alongside thumping truck; transvestites prancing in elaborate drag costumes, like Wonder Woman and Bat Girl and Miss Brazil; and yet others just letting it all hang out, like the 300-pound man dressed in only his apron. I even go to take in the smells of Carnival, coming from hot-dog, espitinho (kebab), and caiperinha vendors on the street below me, taking advantage of the throngs to make a buck. (Uncensored photos of the Vigens are being processed.

Tonight, hopefully, I am recovered enough from the Virgens and ready for Bloco Cafucu. I have my tacky tourist outfit picked out, mini-mouse glasses and all. And I’ve made friends with the queen of Cafucu, Cohenha, pictured with me here on the left, at the ‘pre-party’ costume contest and crowning last week. Now that’s a party girl if I ever saw one. And here's me with the runner-up, also a grand party diva of JP, Enda May. ----> Boas festas!