Evening star., 1941-03-02
Rio CarnayaI Spirit,
Lying Deep, ExpIodes
In Pre-Lenten GaYety
'Curiocus' Give Over
Three Days, Four Nights to
Lively Annual Fete

In preparing report tor the
Office OF the co-ordinator OF CON-
mercia land cultural relations be-
tWeen the American republics,
Julian Street, jr., recountS some
interesting phases OF the carnaUdl
at Rio de J1neiro, characteristic
pre-lenten celebration, Which in
recent gears has attracted tour
lists in grotDing numbers.
Throughout the year the average,
"Carioca," or resident of Rio, saves
all his pennies for the big pre-
lenten fiesta. When the time comes,
he spends them on a costume for
each member of his family and him.
self, whether it be candy striped
shirt, an Indian feathered head
dress or bright hued costume of
the Bahama peasant, with its extra
ordinary turban such as Carmen
Miranda always wears in her per-
sonal appearances. Men often dress
in women's clothing. The rest of his
money he blows in on the festivities.
The following week, the Carioca
starts saving for the celebration
next year.
Visitors from all over the eastern
coast of South America go to see
the festival, which is the scene of
continuous revelry for three days
and four nights.
About a week preceding the. car
naval, Rel Mono" the king of
laughter, appears in the city sig
nifying the start Of many isolated
festivals throughout the week. On
Saturday night throngs rush into
the streets with their drums,
cuicas, cabacu rattles and TOM
toms. Gradually the beat of drums
mounts into a crescendo throughout
the city-a ceaseless and insistent
throb which envelopes Rio night
and day throughout the carnival.
Groups of the populace break into
dancing.
Ceaseless Music.
Messengers of Joy" and Mes
sengers of Love" with large hearts
embroidered on their costumes trip
through the street. The Avenida
Rio Branco (Rios Fifth avenue) is
soon knee deep in confetti and tape.
Bands play ceaselessly. These are
for the most part motley organi-
cations of six or eight pieces with a
trumpet player to carry the melody,
a guitar, and the rest of the group
made up of catSkin tambourines,
tom toms, and other native instru-
ments.
Once started the generally we'll
behaved, conservative and throughly
domesticated Brazilian popuiace
abandon their repressions. How
ever, this Saturnalia is neither
licentious nor orgiastic. Hugh
Gibson in his book, Rio" says:
"And in all the crowd, through the
four days and nights the carnival
lasted, we never heard an objectional
word or saw anybody behaving OBJ
jectionably. In four days and
nights, eighteen people were ar
rested-at a time when it was esti-
mated that two million people were
in the streets with all restraints
removed" ..-..
For the three big days-during
which only beer and champagne are
sold-the whole city forgets its nor
NAL habits of living, eats whenever
the spirit moves them and because
it's the height of the hot Brazilian
summer, sleeps mostly by day-on
cathedral steps, in parks, or when
ever chance finds them a haven.
Dance Until They Drop.
Groups Of friends, office workers,
clubmates, each with its individual
band, parade the streets in con-
tinuous jostling, good natured
throng-forming in lockstep in order
to push and dance their way along
the main avenues. In the streets
or on big platforms especially built
for Carnaval they dance to native
marches and the Samba-the Bra
lillian Negro dance-for hours on
end until prostrated with fatigue
1t is interesting to note that one
of the steps of the Samba, in which
the head is supported by the up
raised arm, originates from the po-
sition naturally assumed by the
TRAVEL