The music and joy of the samba schools of the São Paulo special group took over the Anhembi Sambadrome for the second time in 2022. Enlivening the stands, the festivity only ended in the morning and brought protests, tributes and celebrations to the avenue.
Right off the bat, one of the highlights of the night was the return of Go Go, the biggest champion of São Paulo’s Carnival, to the elite. Rescuing African culture and values that were abandoned with slavery, the school resorted to Adrinkas proverbs, a writing system used in the pre-colonial era, showing a new horizon for today.
The protest brought by samba da Faithful Hawks had to wait a while to echo down the avenue due to the cleaning of the track after the Vai-Vai crossing, which left colored paper along the way.
Named “Enough!”, the group’s plot wanted to bring out the voice of all those who fight for justice and freedom, criticizing racism, inequality and environmental devastation. The chorus then cried out that “it’s time for the fight to get off the ground”.
Then it was the turn of Joyful Youth take care of the sambadrome, telling the story of the samba singer Clementina de Jesus. Queen Quelé, as she is known, was born in 1901 and only gained professional recognition at the age of 63. She recorded 13 albums, including solo albums and guest appearances.
Morada do Samba put on a colorful and lively parade, with choreographies in several wings. Drum “blackouts” (when she stops playing for a brief moment) revealed the bleachers singing next to the school.
The current champion of São Paulo’s Carnival, Golden Eagle, brought Oxalá values to the avenue such as love, respect and hope. Members of the blue and white association carried posters protesting against prejudice and religious intolerance.
The school also took stilts to the avenue and successfully made battery blackouts.
It was then the turn of Baroque South Zonewho had the help of choreographer Carlinhos de Jesus to tell the story of Zé Pilintra, an entity worshiped in African-based religions, known as an advocate for the poor and disadvantaged.
The emotion took over the members of the school, who came to consider this one of the best parades of the Baroque. The “Faculdade do Samba”, as it is known, lived up to its nickname and showed well-crafted bossas.
Talking about healing from antiquity to the present day, the golden roses also made a powerful parade, with well-mounted floats and a front committee that surprised by calling Anhembi spectators to participate in the ritual represented by them.
In one of the allegories, the association criticized President Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
To end the return of samba to the sambadrome and São Paulo, the green house empire brought a samba that extolled the power of communication.
With a beautiful sunrise in the capital of São Paulo – and members excited even after hours of waiting – the school showed how the activity is a tool for transformation, which overcomes barriers, transmits ideas, shares information, connects people and expresses feelings.
An important and celebratory fact for all schools is that none of them exceeded the 65-minute time limit to cross the avenue. The one that came closest to this was the Barroca Zona Sul, but, demonstrating tranquility, the members closed their passage with the time stuck.
Between delays and tributes, see how the first day of parades by the São Paulo special group went.
Source: CNN Brasil
