{"id":474,"date":"2015-06-28T05:59:55","date_gmt":"2015-06-28T10:59:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/MWBrazilBlog\/?p=474"},"modified":"2019-07-29T16:31:32","modified_gmt":"2019-07-29T21:31:32","slug":"the-bumba-meu-boi-festival-in-sao-luis-maranhao-consecration-and-preparing-to-enter-the-streets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/MWBrazilBlog\/?p=474","title":{"rendered":"The Bumba-meu-boi festival in Sao Luis (Maranhao): Consecration and preparing to enter the streets"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\u00a0\n

\"IMG_2434_DxO_raw\" — A skin of the boi\/ox showing a figure evoking the Virgin Mary on the left, with Maria Padilha, also known as Pombagira, on the right. A typical mixing of Catholic and African-Brazilian entities in Northeast Brazil.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The Bumba-meu-boi<\/em> festival is a popular celebration in Brazil that has its epicenter in the northeast federal state of Maranhao.\u00a0 There, some 400 celebration groups are registered with the government (making them eligible for support).\u00a0 There are many more smaller celebration groups not registered but informally celebrating some part of the festival.<\/p>\n
$\"Pombagira,$ <\/a>
Another representation of Pombagira from a Candomble terreiro in Salvador<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
It is different from *Carnaval<\/em> in Rio, but it follows the religious calendar.\u00a0 Here are a few basics:<\/p>\n*
$\"IMG_3171_DxO\"$ <\/a>
A boi\/ox being \u201cbaptized\u201d in the village of Pindoba<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Carnaval<\/em> in Rio and elsewhere is the pre-Lenten period of celebration, in the same religious calendar as Fasching<\/em> in Germany and Mardi Gras<\/em> in New Orleans.\u00a0 It is a highly stylized derivation of the samba with thousands of participants (originally associated with\u00a0 Rio neighborhoods) that culminates in a competition of groups at Rio\u2019s\u00a0Sambadromo<\/em> (the outdoor amphitheater built specifically for\u00a0that one night of the year).<\/p>\n
The Bumba-meu-boi<\/em> is also based in the religious calendar and in Maranhao it occurs during the \u201csaints\u2019 days\u201d of June.\u00a0 The crucial period is the day of Saint John (Sao Joao<\/em>) on the night of 23-24 June.\u00a0 Coming somewhat is the day of Saint Anthony of Padua (June 13), the day on which Ogun was celebrated in Salvador (see post on religious syncretism in Salvador).<\/p>\n
After the day of Saint John the Baptist is June 28, the feast day of Saint Peter (Sao Pedro), beloved in Sao Luis because of its maritime history and reverence for the patron saint of fishermen and sailors.\u00a0 The June festival period officially concludes on the day of Saint Martial (Sao Marcal<\/em>) on\u00a0 June 30.\u00a0\u00a0 Sao Marcal is a lesser-known saint who was a 3rd century bishop of Limoges \u2014 his connection to Maranhao is not obvious, and he\u00a0may be chosen because his birthday on June 30 provides another occasion for a festival and a procession closing the *Bumba-meu-boi<\/em> festival.<\/p>\n*
$\"0031_DxO\"$ <\/a>
The boi (ox) being danced in performance\/celebration of the group Bumba-meu-boi de Axixa.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
**A few terms<\/strong>:<\/p>\n**
Bumba-meu boi<\/em> (BmB<\/strong>): A \u201cboi\u201d is an ox, the central symbolic character (represented by a four-foot ox puppet that is the center of the narrative (known as the auto <\/em>or comedia<\/em>).\u00a0 The meaning of \u201cbumba<\/em>\u201d is ambiguous and multivalent,\u00a0but it seems most commonly to evoke the sound of the large frame drum (*Zabumba<\/em>).<\/p>\n*
$\"IMG_3208_DxO\"$ <\/a>
Ox frames in front of a \u201caltar\u201d to Sao John and other entities.\u00a0One\u00a0of them will receive a new\u00a0\u201ccouro\u201d or skin at the baptism.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Armatura_do_Boi._DxO\"$ <\/a>
The carcass or frame (also known as a capoeira<\/em>) of an ox. Bumba-meu-boi de\u00a0Pindoba<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Sotaque<\/em>: An \u201caccent\u201d or rhythmic form of the **Bmb<\/strong>.\u00a0 There are five, each originally based in a different region of Maranhao<\/em>.<\/p>\n**
$\"IMG_3173_DxO_raw\"$ <\/a>
Headquarters (sede<\/em>) of a traditional group, Boi de Pindare. It is in the sotaque<\/em> or rhythmic style known in Maranhao as Baixada<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Batizado<\/em> (baptism): In the older heritage practice, the ox is baptized on the evening on Sao Joao so that it can enter the\u00a0street celebration as a sanctified \u201cbeing\u201d \u2014 that is, no longer a pagan.\u00a0\u00a0The batizado<\/em> traditionally occurs on the eve of Saint John\u2019s day with the ceremony culminating after midnight, Saint John\u2019s birthday.\u00a0 On this day a new ox is unveiled and \u201cdanced\u201d in the celebration of the saint.\u00a0 Because of the tradition of Brazilian syncretism, Saint John is also associated with other entities from indigenous and African-Brazilian practice.\u00a0 Thus, the *batizado<\/em> is practiced also in many houses of African-Brazilian spiritual worship.<\/p>\n*
$\"IMG_5023_DxO\"$ <\/a>
An actual working boi<\/em> near the village of Pindoba (Maranhao)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
$\"IMG_4557_DxO\"$ <\/a>
Lay batizado<\/em> at Bumba-meu-boi de Floresta (Baixada). The taller icon at the right of the altar is Saint John, often represented as a child with a lamb. That image is the \u201cofficial\u201d emblem of the Bumba-meu-boi<\/em> festival and shows the anchoring of the celebration in the Catholic calendar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
$\"IMG_8371_DxO\"$ <\/a>
A decorated boi<\/em> (ox) carried by the miolo<\/em> (the \u201cinsides\u201d of the ox) who dances the huge puppet in performance.\u00a0 This occurs with a new ox only after it is \u201cbaptized.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
$\"IMG_4504_DxO\"$ <\/a>
A newly baptized ox at Bumba-meu-boi de Floresta<\/em>, Sao Luis. In a few minutes it will dance in a procession through the streets in a neighborhood celebration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
$\"BdL_MW_Apr09_83_DxO\"$ <\/a>
Detail of a couro (\u201cskin\u201d) of the boi, showing the baptism of Jesus by Saint John. This biblical story is the symbolic link to the baptism of the ox performed on Saint John\u2019s day. By master embroider\u00a0Tania Lucia Soares of Sao Luis (see related post on Dona Tania and her embroidery)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The ox is a revered symbol of the performance and groups do not perform without one.\u00a0 Out of pride, groups baptize a new ox every year when they can afford it, but the\u00a0highly embroidered skin may cost $2000, a significant sum for the groups and unattainable by the smaller groups in the interior.\u00a0 The *couro<\/em> above is done by Sao Luis\u2019 most famous embroiderer, Dona Tania, and takes several months to craft.<\/p>\n*
$\"IMG_2371_DxO\"$ <\/a>
A new couro<\/em> being prepared in the workshop of Dona Tania of Sao Luis. Used by Bumba-meu-boi de Axixa (the rhythmic style\/sotaque known as \u201cOrquestra.\u201d The figure to the viewer\u2019s left is Saint John with Jesus at the right. The central logo celebrates 50 years of Axixa\u2019s existence as a performance group.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The skin of the ox is often laden with Christian symbols, but also with evocations of African-Brazilian practice (e.g., Pombagira, Iansa\/Saint Barbara, Iemanja<\/em> or her representation as a mermaid, or Saint Benedict\/\u201dPreto Velho\u201d).\u00a0 Another symbolism shown on a recent boi was that of Saint Cosme\/Saint Damien \u2014 the twins of Catholic hagiography; in African-Brazilian practice they are\u00a0often merged or syncretized with Ibeji<\/em>, the holy twin orixas in Yoruba\/Candomble practice.<\/p>\n
*\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"*
\u00a0 The Bumba-meu-boi festival is a popular celebration in Brazil that has its epicenter in the northeast federal state of Maranhao.\u00a0 There, some 400 celebration groups are registered with the government (making them eligible for support).\u00a0 There are many more smaller celebration groups not registered but informally celebrating some part of the festival. It is … Continue reading The Bumba-meu-boi festival in Sao Luis (Maranhao): Consecration and preparing to enter the streets<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-474","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-folk-culture-and-spiritual-practice-in-maranhao-brazil"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/MWBrazilBlog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/MWBrazilBlog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/MWBrazilBlog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/MWBrazilBlog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/MWBrazilBlog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=474"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/MWBrazilBlog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":781,"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/MWBrazilBlog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474\/revisions\/781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/MWBrazilBlog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=474"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/MWBrazilBlog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=474"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/MWBrazilBlog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=474"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}