The Festival of Kings (Festa dos Reis) is the celebration at the conclusion of what are called the festas natalinas, the many celebrations held during the period of Christmas on the Catholic calendar.
In Maranhão these celebrations may once have been promoted and organized by the institutional Church — now they are spread throughout the region in many forms. The community celebrations are part of what is known as “popular Catholicism,” practices that may originally have originated in he Church but now carried on by communities themselves. These two festas in the photos below are community celebrations organized by community groups. There were no clergy present at either of the festas shown here.
This church below is simple community building but not the center for a parish or official Church sanction.
Like many such “churches” throughout Maranhão, they have evolved their own forms of celebration that are now part of popular — rather than official — culture. A feature of popular Catholicism is that the culture producers are the “people,” and not any formal institution.
An earlier post describes festivals of São Gonçalo and the Festa do Divino in two communities in the interior of Maranhão. In both cases the celebration, ritual, and liturgy were conducted by the community and held in a “church” that is an informal community building.
This celebration is based on the nativity story of the visit of the three kings to the new-born Jesus. A centerpiece is the nativity scene which, in Maranhao lis likely to contain animals and entities that reflect the communities’ spiritual practices (Catholic or other).
There is a somewhat similar observance of “Three Kings’ Day” in New Orleans, and many communities celebrate the 12th night of Christmas with a ceremony and burning of trees.
This is, more of less, the last celebration of Christmas. There is one more event called the “quemada palinha” in which the straw of the manger (the créche, presépio) is burned. Many celebrations use an herb or shrub called murto, which when burned gives off a sweet, pungent odor like a powerful incense.
Popular culture in Maranhão, as elsewhere, is a mix of heritage culture — such as that celebrated here — and mass media entertainment. This was only one activity gong on at this commercial bar/entertainment center.
Tourist and ethnographic accounts sometimes give the impression that everyone is there; however, in the hybrid world of contemporary Maranhao culture, many are next door drinking and dancing.
As researchers we were at the Festa dos Reis. We have seen people drink and dance before, and didn’t need to document that.
