Hummingbird

Emperor with banner in hand

In his prophecy, Ras Gonguila nearly fell over when he discovered his African heritage. It all began over 700 years ago, when a distant cousin, a direct descendant of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, founded the Ethiopian Empire. Centuries later, in a twist of fate, Zawditu, the empress of the moment, was there, completely relaxed, when she fell ill and passed away. Ras Tafari, the son of a palace counselor, was not born to reign, but saw the throne fall into his lap.

At the coronation ceremony, nothing like it had ever been seen before. The man who would become the last emperor of Ethiopia chose the name Haile Selassie – “The Power of the Divine Trinity”. Ethnic groups from various parts of the world came to greet His Imperial Majesty, each with their own festive attire and adornments: flowers on their heads, clay in their hair, body paint, wooden jewelry and beads. Christians also came from the cities of Lalibela, where Jesus and Mary are black, and from Gondar, with its colorful Timkat festival. As gifts, they received all sorts of printed cloths, baskets, seeds, bones and horns of exotic animals.

After seven days and seven nights of music, dancing and banquets, the new Lion of Judah was crowned. Ras Gonguila saw with his own eyes when he left the palace holding the imperial standard, wearing a blood-red cloak, an ivory scepter and a golden sword studded with precious stones. He went up with Empress Menen in a carriage pulled by zebras and antelopes. Behind them was a wild procession of Ethiopian revelers. Gonguila thought it even looked like a large street party, heading towards the enchanted raft that would set off for Maceió. 

Blue blooded, Nilopolitan

Gonguila delves even deeper into his daydreams and invites the people of Mirandela to join in the celebration. Originally consecrated to Iemanjá and protected by Ogum, these sovereign people exalt their own nobility with samba dancing. It has been this way since the times of the Centenário and Irineu Perna de Pau blocks, which paved the victorious path of Beija-Flor. In his dream, the Rás from Alagoas saw the Nilopolitan court floating on the pier of the port of his beloved Maceió.

Well, the big day has arrived! Drummers, it's time to stretch the drums. The old guard lined up with hats with blue and white ribbons. Dancers with two-tone shoes and silver sandals on their feet. A Baiana adjusting her skirt before spinning on the vast asphalt. Get your step right, noble master of ceremonies, and unfurl the flag, guardian of our greatest treasure. Look at Beija-Flor there, people, showing that this school was born to win and, between you and me, has always been fond of traveling in the imagination.

A tear of longing fell from the eyes of our ancestors, remembering the old times that have passed. Playing with our imagination, today we will be a fantasy, a beautiful hummingbird announcing a delirious carnival journey to Alagoas. Take the nobility from the past, throw away your everyday clothes and dress up as kings and queens, like Gonguilla and Selassie, which is what you are!

Everyone climb aboard this enchanted bird, because the good winds will guide us through the air towards that little piece of Brazil.

King of the players

Here comes a raft with nobles from Ethiopia sailing the sea. Here comes Beija-flor and his court from Nilopoli, flapping their wings and blowing the winds. On the colorfully decorated pier, Gonguila awaits them to the sound of frevo and a ballet of banners. And the people in the streets of Maceió conduct the whistle of the masters, who play festivities in every corner of Alagoas and open the headquarters* of this great ancestral festival.

There is a chegança and fandango of sailors. Samba of country folk from the sugarcane fields and coco de roda from the beach. Bumba-meu-boi and masked people; pastoril, caboclinhos and papangus. Cambindas and taieiras with full skirts. Toré of the caetés-wassu, quilombo of captives and maracatus – once persecuted, but who today can pray loudly to their xango.

And there are warriors, with their cathedral heads and ribbon cloaks, the most beloved of the festivities, who synthesize the soul of the people of Alagoas: a people with eyes and words as sweet as sugarcane honey, warm embraces like the sun and a gentle swaying like the swaying of coconut and sugarcane straw. People who celebrate night and day, in the protection of Our Lady of the Rosary and the enchanted ones, of Saint Benedict and the orishas, with faith woven into the weaves of lace and embroidery.

The prophecy of the meeting of royalty has been fulfilled, and today Gonguila is crowned emperor of the Maceió Carnival. It is the triumph of popular culture, in an exuberant fantasy bath in the waters of infinite blue. In this gathering, everyone is king and queen. All you have to do is let yourself be carried away by a Carnival frenzy.

* Opening the headquarters (pronounced séde) is how the people of Alagoas call the beginning of the presentations of their festivities, always with a song led by the master of the players. It is to open the session, to begin the work.