"Carnival is not a march for social justice"

Bahia 247

Singer and songwriter Caetano Veloso is no stranger to the Salvador carnival, especially this year's, which was shaken by the 'bombshell' interview given by the president of Olodum, João Jorge, to Folha de São Paulo.

Published a week ago, the interview was featured on the front page of a São Paulo newspaper with João's quote that "Salvador's carnival was a party for just one artist," referring to the 'muse of axé music,' Ivete Sangalo.

In an article written last Thursday, in a subtle and respectful manner, Caetano apologizes to his "friend" João Jorge, but disagrees with practically all of his interview with Folha. Not only regarding Ivete Sangalo, but also the entire discourse of the president of Olodum about the festival being segregated, about the "apartheid" of blacks and whites outside and inside the cordoned-off areas of the carnival groups, respectively.

Caetano compares the Bahian carnival to the Rio de Janeiro carnival, "where they have achieved something far more solid than a mere rope." The MPB star also points out that the oldest and most traditional carnival groups in Salvador were not founded by Black movements.

Regarding the fact that Ivete Sangalo is white, Caetano Veloso points out that Márcio Victor, from Psirico, is black and is a "king" of the Salvador carnival.

Below is the full text of Caetano's article published in O Globo this Sunday.

String and color – Caetano Veloso

I'm far away now, but I'm proud that it takes so much effort to undermine Bahia's carnival.

I read with interest and affection the interview with João Jorge, the founder and president of Olodum and my friend, in "Folha de S.Paulo". The front-page headline gave the article a typically "Folha" flavor: Ivete Sangalo would be the only artist in the Bahian carnival. The fact that this was a carnival with only one artist, the body of the report continued, supported by João's words, had a reason: the artist was white. For a Bahian who has lived and observed the Salvador carnival since 1960, these statements seem absurd. I spent a night on the street in Ondina, where the Barra-Ondina circuit of the Salvadoran carnival culminates. I danced in the crowd to the sound and light of Psirico, Daniela, 8794, and another band whose name I don't remember but which had to do with sertanejo music. Psirico and Daniela are stars of the Bahian carnival streets, at least as big as Ivete. I think João Jorge used Sangalo as a metonym for the concentration of wealth and attention that part of the Bahian carnival enjoys because she is currently the only diva of our carnival who has national star status. Well, Daniela also has it. But Daniela isn't the current sensation, although she's not as forgotten by Brazilians from all regions not connected to the Bay of All Saints as Luiz Caldas, who was also once a success from Oiapoque to Chuí.

I just arrived in Sanremo, Italy, coming straight from Recife, where I sang for the crowd that fills Marco Zero. The mere sight of that Recife crowd would have made the trip worthwhile. But we also managed to interest them with our mix of Rio samba (Trio Preto +1), electrified Bahian frevo, a masterpiece by Antônio Maria, and indie-rock treatments of my recent songs (bandaCê). I don't even want to talk about Recife. The Pernambuco spirit is giving me too much.

It strikes me that Bahia's Carnival is the target of such harsh criticism. The phenomenon of axé music has undoubtedly stirred the critical spirits of presumptuous Brazilians, and this has triggered an avalanche of reactions against the existence of ropes in the parade floats (something that has always existed, although the Rio samba school parades have even gone so far as to construct something far more solid than a mere rope), VIP boxes (as if that had been invented in Bahia), and racism (as if Carnival were a privileged period for the expression of this historical ill of ours). I am in a seaside hotel, alone in a room, feeling sad because of things from this period of my life. I think of the Carnival of my homeland as something suddenly distant.

Not only are Psirico and Daniela great, but Xande from Harmonia do Samba and Claudia Leitte are too. Not to mention Chiclete com Banana, Brown, and Timbalada. Why does João Jorge attribute Claudia and Ivete's success to the fact that they are white, when Márcio Vítor is black and a king of the streets and videos? My desire was to discuss here, bringing a bit of rationality, the issues encapsulated in João Jorge's interview and diffused in conversations and articles. I don't have much time to concentrate to do it well, since I need to remember the lyrics and harmonies of "Piove" and practice "Você é linda" with an Italian orchestra to sing tonight. This without having slept almost at all between Tuesday's show in Recife and Wednesday/Thursday's trip to Sanremo via Lisbon and Nice. A lot has happened. But I can only recall a few facts that should make us think.

The electric trios always drew larger crowds than the rope-stall blocks. The afoxés were dying out when Gil made "Filhos de Gandhi," and this attracted participants and tourists. The Afro blocks emerged after that. "White" blocks, like Internacionais and Corujas, also didn't have a large following. The trios drew the masses. They didn't have ropes. Just them. Soon they had sponsorship (cachaça brands). The bourgeoisie went to the dances. With the national fame of the trios, uninhibited tourists came from 1970 onwards. The blocks hired trios. They got rich and set up rock show sound equipment. They became a national sensation. On Avenida Sete, in 1960, residents rented tied-up chairs to those who could pay to watch. There are no more dances. There are VIP boxes and blocks that sell abadás (carnival shirts). There are trios (even star-studded ones) that pass without ropes. The blocks with ropes attract "foliões pipoca" (street revelers). These, all added together, are greater in number and percentage than in the past. Who is even complaining about what?

Most people avoid Carnival. The minority that participates is immense. The symbolic value of the festival is priceless. Carnival is not a series of marches in favor of order, comfort, or social justice. I'm far away now, but I'm proud that it takes so much attack on Bahia's Carnival.