regional customs
“Unidos do Viradouro” wins carnival competition
The “Unidos do Viradouro” honored the strength of black women during their appearance. photo
© Bruna Prado/AP/dpa
They paraded through the stadium in Rio de Janeiro with exotic costumes and spectacular cars. Now a jury has decided which is the best samba school.
During their appearance, the “Unidos do Viradouro” honored the strength of black women and presented the cult of snakes, which has its origins in Vodou in the West African country of Benin and is a local religion.
The twelve top schools paraded through the Samba Stadium on Sunday and Monday with exotic costumes, spectacular floats and innovative lighting effects until early in the morning. The “Unidos de Padre Miguel” emerged as the winner in the promotion class competition, in which the schools appeared on Friday and Saturday. With the win, they secured a starting place as a top school for next year.
Stories of the Afro-Brazilian population
This year’s highlights included acts that commemorated the personalities, cultural traditions and stories of the Afro-Brazilian population in different ways. One parade told the story of palm oil, while another honored Brazil’s street vendors.
Tens of thousands in the stands and boxes, as well as millions in front of the television in Brazil and around the world, usually watch the parades on the oversized catwalk. On Saturday, the six best-placed samba schools will parade through the Sambodrome one last time. Brazil’s superstar Anitta is also scheduled to appear there beforehand.