Bumba Meu Boi

Bumba Meu Boi
Interactive dance/festival
Native name Bumba Meu Boi
English name Bumba Meu Boi
Date June 13 – June 29th and December 25 – January 6
Duration Mid-18th century – Present
Location All regions of Brazil
Theme The death and resurrection of a bull
Participants The people of Brazil

Bumba Meu Boi is an interactive play celebrated in Brazil. It originated in the 18th Century and evolved into a nationwide festival. It is a form of social criticism. Lower class Brazilians mock and criticize those of higher social status through a comedic Folklore story told in song and dance. Though not as well known internationally as Carnival and other Brazilian festivals, it is older and deeply rooted in the culture of Brazil. The tale can vary depending on the region and social setting at which it is practiced. However, its essential theme remains the same, with a focus on the death and resurrection of a bull.[1]

The principal figures include a bull, a white master (Cavalo Marinho), a black pregnant woman (Catirina), a Vaqueiro or cowboy (Mateus), a priest, and a doctor.[2] The audience is also a key component of the performance, as passionate responses from spectators provide a hectic atmosphere. Additionally, performers are known to become playfully physical with the audience, though with large consumptions of Cachaça (a Brazilian national alcoholic drink), violence can occasionally occur.

Today, Bumba Meu Boi is separated into traditional, and modern practices. However, only the traditional forms can be found throughout the country. Both versions can be seen in Brazil from the 13th to the 29th of June, as well as from December 25th (Christmas) to January 6.[3]

Giant Bumba-meu-boi in Recife

History

Many different origins of Bumba Meu Boi have been proposed. However, the most commonly believed one is from mid-18th Century Brazil lower class communities that were left very little from the wealthy and forced to live dreadful lives. It was through these rough conditions that Bumba Meu Boi was born to bring joy to these deprived communities, as well as to provide men with an internal form of rebellion. These communities consisted of slaves and rural workers. So from the start, Bumba Meu Boi was created from people of mixed origins.[4] This is significant because it cuts the festival from any racial ties.

As it became more popular throughout northeastern communities in the 19th Century, people began performing it for the entertainment of others, rather than merely for self-enjoyment. It was at this point that it evolved from a family affair to a communal one. This also made it more important within lower class Brazilians' social lives, as it brought everyone together. By the 20th Century the play became an annual and biannual event, transitioning to its modern form as a festival.[4] Throughout the 20th century and the turn of the 21st Century, the fes tival experienced large amounts of popularization, spreading to all corners of the nation. This created large variations of the festival to form, depending on the central values of each community it is celebrated in. Today, its variations and the Brazilians that celebrate them can be sorted into two main categories of people. There are those who continue to celebrate the festival in its traditional forms, who mainly live in northern, northeastern, and Amazonian cities and villages, especially in Maranhão, though it also exists in central regions as well. These forms of the festival still maintain a large focus on the rebellious features of the play towards the upper class, providing Brazil's lower class with a strong cultural connection to Brazil's past. Then there are those who embrace its modern form, which is more constantly altering to modern trends and is aroused by the media. These forms of the festival allow Brazilians to embrace the more current, festive cultures of Brazil. Rationally, this form exists in more populated, modernized cities such as Rio de Janeiro, and is perceived by traditionalist to have lost the meaning of the celebration.[5]

The bull was placed as a centerpiece because, at the time, they saw as an animal of high economic regard due to its use in farming. Though, bull’s were also highly involved in colonial’s social lives, as bullfighting and calf-dancing were very popular. These are thought to have been passed down from lower class Portuguese families, as similar social activities can be traced back much further in Portugal.

The Story

Finding a single true plot behind the story of Bumba Meu Boi is near impossible due to all its variances throughout different communities in Brazil. However, the most common performance will go as follows: The Musical begins with the singing of the overture form the Chorus, who may sing a multitude of songs specifically for Bumba Meu Boi. Usually the first to walk into the room is Cavalo Marinho, wearing a costume that makes it appear as though he is riding a horse. He entertains the audience with rhythmic dancing until the Chorus announces of the entrance of important characters, such as a cowboy named Mateus, who may have another cowboy with him named Birico. A pregnant woman named Catirina usually enters with the Cowboys. She is played by a man, which is almost always the same for all female roles in the performance. After a dance of their own, Catirina proclaims her need to consume the tongue of an ox or bull, for she fears her baby will die, or sometimes have certain birth defects if she doesn’t. The story follows Mateus as he leaves to find a bull. He has many comedic encounters with secondary characters, such as a giant and a donkey. In other forms of the story, the bull belongs to the village and there is no journey to find it.

Next, the bull enters the room and the audience cheers, as it is the most beloved role. The bull may perform a number of dances, and often one known as "Lundu", which involved tap dancing. The bull is then killed, and the audience remorse’s and even cries. Often the bull is killed because it attacks the cowboys, Catirina, and the audience, or it happens by accident. Songs are then sung, mourning the death of the bull, followed by Mateus cutting out the bull’s tongue and offering it to Catirina. Next Cavalo Marinho re-enters and demands the capture of the one who killed the bull, as it is a useful animal to the farm. He also requests a doctor to try to bring the bull back to life. Before doctors arrive, a priest arrives, to bless the bull and to simultaneously marry Mateus and Catirina. The story alters largely here; one or sometimes two doctors may come, to try a variety of comical procedures to save the bull. Witches are also known to come in some. All who attempt to save the bull are mocked by the audience. Another involves Mateus to get a child volunteer from the audience and shove it into the bull’s behind, to wake it up, which works. In other forms a doctor places a special green leaf in the bull mouth. As the bull is revived, the audience cheer, sing songs of praise and dance around the bull. At some point in this final scene the Capitão do Mato or police arrives which is a man dress in a military outfit. He is then mocked by the Audience and by other characters in the play as well. Lastly the Farwell begins as the Chorus sings, and the performers dance, which can be well-mannered or offensive depending on the entertainers' opinion of the reactions of the audience to the performance.[6][4]

Character Analysis

The Band: Is typically positioned visually on the side of the stage or room, and is responsible for creating a beat for the performers to dance to. The band consists of String, air, and percussion.[6][4]

The Chorus: Is off-scene for all of the play and is responsible for the introduction of each character as they appear on-scene. Within the Chorus, the Violeiro, and Cantador are guitar players whose energy and speed of play is important to the atmosphere of the play. Additionally, they are responsible for the improvisation of new songs that go along with what is occurring in the musical, and the surrounding community.[6]

Cavalo Marinho: He is the main character with the highest authority in the play and the first to arrive on-scene. He is typically white, representing a Portuguese heritage, and wears a naval captain's costume, including a colored coat with golden ornaments hanging from it. Also, red striped pants, a red satin ribbon across his chest (sometimes), and a crown made of paper, covered with small mirrors and ribbons. Additionally, he is seen carrying a sword and has a protruding addition to his costume, making it appear as though he is riding a horse.[6][4]

Vaqueiros (Cowboys): These characters consist of Mateus, and often Birico, who in the north are known as Pai Francisco, and Sebastião. There may also be other cowboys as well, however, they are insignificant. Their role in the play is as energetic jokesters, who obey the orders of Cavalo Marinho, and are meant to arouse the audience with laughter and remarkable dancing. The Vaqueiros tend to mainly mock the roles of authority in the play such as the Cavalo Marinho, Doctor, Priest, and Capitão do Mato (police). Lastly, Mateus tends to be decorated with many noisy bells hanging from his clothes, and Birico will typically wear a mask, while both carry whips in hand.[6]

Catirina: As almost all female roles in Bumba Meu Boi, she is played by a man, as a black, provocative woman. She is also pregnant and the mistress of Mateus. She is also a comedic character, who is known to dance a frantic Samba. She is very significant in the story, as she is the one who requests the arrival of the bull for its tongue. Sometimes, a secondary female character comes out with Catirina, named Dona Joana. She is also a black woman played by a man, who normally wears amusing ornaments.[6][4]

Typical costume for the bull character

The bull: one or two men under a structure usually made of bamboo, covered with colored fabric, such as velvet. The head can be a bull skull or a mask adorned with flowers, stars, and ribbons. The bull has the largest effect on the crowd, and its death and resurrection is the basic framework of the play.[6]

Capitão do Mato: An aggressive man wearing a military costume, who represents the authorities or the police. He is heavily mocked by the audience.[6]

Priest: Is played by a man wearing an elegant robe of sorts, usually with some type of religious symbol on it, such as a cross or Mary, the mother of Jesus. He Arrives on-scene to bless the dead bull, and the marry Mateus and Catirina. Like all characters of high social status, the Priest is heavily mocked and disrespected by the audience, and other comedic characters.[6][4]

Doctor: Is typically played by a one or many men wearing a higher class gown. His procedures to save the bull life are usually foolish and are all ridiculed by the crowd.[6]

In longer versions, where Mateus and Birico embark on a journey to find the bull, the secondary characters they stumble upon are

usually two or three of the following:

Burrinha or Zabelinha: This is a role of an unattractive woman riding a donkey, who tends to please the audience with a fast tap dance. Though the dance is impressive the character is meant to look unorthodox.[6]

Gigante: This is the role of a giant played by a man wearing a mask made from calabash, with a big mouth, nose, and eyes to represent a giant. He also wears a large cotton wig and rides on a horse (similar consume design as Cavalo Marinho). The role is known for it character’s acrobatic dancing, music sounds like death screams, and forest sounds.[6]

Caboclinha: A man plays an Amerindian girl wearing a costume made of feathers, and rides a goat. She will often skillfully dismount from the goat and kills it with an arrow.[6]

Ema: An exotic bird, played by a boy weighed down by a straw basket full of trash, who moves like a bird, flapping his arms about frantically. He is meant to look foolish.[6]

Babau: A truly dreadful animal played by a man under a sheet, clicking together the jaws of a horse.[6]

Cazumba or Folharao: A witch covered in green leaves, and wears a horrifying mask. Is called, or arrives uninvited to save the lifeless bull by performing witchcraft rituals, which are criticized, and scorned by the audience. Most of the time, they are treated poorly.[6][4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Brazilian Dramatic Dances: Bumba-meu-boi". www.maria-brazil.org. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  2. ↑ Nettl, Bruno; Miller, Terry E.; Stone, Ruth M.; Williams, Sean; Porter, James; Rice, Timothy (1998). The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: Southeast Asia. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780824060404.
  3. ↑ "Boi Bumba". www.carnaval.com. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gottheim, Vivian I. (1988). "Bumba-meu-boi, a Musical Play from Maranhão". The World of Music. 30 (2): 40–68. JSTOR 43561173.
  5. ↑ Watts, Meredith W.; Ferro, Simone Linhares (2012-08-01). "The Coexistence of Folk and Popular Culture as Vehicles of Social and Historical Activism: Transformation of the Bumba-meu-boi in Northeast Brazil". The Journal of Popular Culture. 45 (4): 883–901. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5931.2012.00963.x. ISSN 1540-5931.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Neto, José Possi (1977). "The Bumba-meu-Boi [Brazil]". The Drama Review: TDR. 21 (3): 5–10. doi:10.2307/1145147. JSTOR 1145147.
  • Watts, Meredith W., and Simone Linhares Ferro. "The Coexistence of Folk and Popular Culture as Vehicles of Social and Historical Activism: Transformation of the Bumba‐meu‐boi in Northeast Brazil." The Journal of Popular Culture 45.4 (2012): 883-901.
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