The Baia de Todos os Santos

Last day of Bagunçaço and the Communist Women’s rights march.

It’s been ten days since I woke up in Salvador, Brazil for the first time. In those ten days, so many people and so many names I couldn’t pronounce came and went. There was so much physical effort exerted and I was so frustrated from getting lost in translation, I would be relieved to go for a three hour Brazilian massage. Today was our second day at Bagunçaço School. It was the first time we really got in touch with other musicians, dancers, and capuieristas close to our age. The school has students ranging from eight to twenty-five years old. Even though making fun of Americans was popular and, not surprisingly, very easy for the kids and teachers at the school, I took it as one of my favorite experiences. By the second day it felt as though we had been there for weeks, we were racing with the younger kids, giving piggy back rides, playing the drums, and Franco and I taught several youngsters how to play hot cross buns on the recorder. Teaching entirely through hand motions, I think it sounded pretty nice for our recorder players with twenty-minute careers. Lunch was served on plastic plates buffet style by the friendliest lunch ladies I’ve ever met. We all stuffed ourselves with fried chicken sticks, spaghetti, sautéed beef, french-fries and homemade mango juice before going back outside to beat each other up and play soccer for several hours.---Miles Kozatch

last carnaval rehearsal of Ile Aye

Yesterday... What a Day!

Yesterday we attended a three hour long lecture about Afro-Brazilian religion, Candomblé. Candomblé was created by slaves of different African Tribes who secretly tried to preserve aspects of their religious beliefs while creating a supportive community . We learned that there is a lot of slander and harassment towards Candomblé in contemporary Bahia.
In the afternoon we began a third percussion workshop with a community organization named Bagunçaço. This program is similar to Ilê Aiyê and Banda Didâ. The age range for Bagunçaço's members is eight to twenty-five. The kids that register in the after school and summer program can learn not only drumming, but also hair styling, singing, video production, dancing, and other skills that could help make a living. This program is helping a poor community providing alternatives to drugs and other social problems . The kids that we met told us that the only way to learn is through fun activities. It was musical collaboration of both of the nations. Then our group could choose either to go to Capoeira or to a Candomlé ceremony. Many choose not to go to the Candomlé ceremony for it was going to be long lasting eight to twelve PM in a small crowded temple. It was overall one of the best days yet!!
By Julian Mardoyan-Smyth

Raise your hand if you want to attend the candomblé service from 8-12pm tonight

Activities at Group Baguncaco came to an end faster than I thought. We were given a tour and practiced some drumming with the group of kids there. The time spent there was a little shy of 3 hours. Over all, it was probably the best day so far. I enjoy the company of the children. They are all so happy and enthusiastic about drumming.
After visiting Baguncaco, the group split up into two groups. There was the people who wanted to attend a Candomblé ceremony and those who wanted to go to Capoeira.
Only a handful decided they would commit to being in a relatively small room jam packed with service goers for four hours. The service was going to last for four hours, but Sacks decided eight to midnight was a bit much for us after an intense day of activities. The attire reccomended was all white clothing. No shorts permitted. The 7 of us: Sacks, Marie, Reeve, Alex, Max, Paige and I ate dinner at the pizzaria down the road from our hotel.
We left the pizzaria with banana pizza and fresh juice filled stomachs and called a taxi.
Besides Reeve, none of us is acquainted with the language.
The cab ride was interesting because there was no solid communication.
Marie ended up calling the man who reccomended us going to the service for instruction on what to do. The cab with the boys in it was close by to ours as the cab driver wandered around the narrow streets. (they could have easily been alley ways.) We arrived at the ceremony thinking we would be there just in time for intense worship went down. This was not so.
We sat on the ledge of the porch surrounding the room for what felt like an hour,
but who knows because two New York minutes is an equivalent to a brazilian half hour.
The widest variety of people showed up. It was incredible to be in a room with such a rich mix of language and skin tone. (This was the service that would not deny any participant after all.)
The room had leaves scattered all around the floor. In the center of the room, the leaves took a arrow shape. The arrow shape symbolized the one of the orixás. The ceiling was decorated with white paper with the exception of a thick rainbow in the midst of it. The front left hand corner was home to a shrine of pictures and objects. There were chairs scattered along the walls for those who weren't possessed to sit. A lot of empty space filled as the time passed.
Soon enough, the standing area was packed. You were not moving your body more than four inches without bumping into someone. The leader of the drummers made a call. Winds swept through the room making the ceilings paper dance. The ceremony started after the priest spoke a few words. From the tone of the priest and excitement of everyone after this short speech, I think someone was being brought up into the service as a new addition.
I could be right about this prediction. But I doubt I am because I did not see the woman who was being applauded again. A small number of women began the ceremony. They all circled the arrow orixá made of leaves in the middle of the room. Each woman's dancing was very gentle and subtle compared to the noise of the drums. The beginning was just a few women.
They each circled and would come to where the majority of people was standing

BAGUNCACO!!!

DIDA LEADER IS THE COOLEST

The leader of Banda Dida was trained Oladum.
We did 3 workshops with Dida. Patience interviewed Dida's leader with the help of Rashid.

A Day of Dancing

We began the day with a final dance class with Antonia Cozido and learned how to shake our booties intensely! We learned all about the different samba moves for guys and girls. We also learned how to do a Brazilian partner dance. Watching everyone's attempt at samba was very very funny. The dance class lasted all morning and after we had lunch back at the hotel we left to meet up with Banda Dida again. We worked with them from 2:30 to 6, and in that time we went over all four complex rhythms we learned and make sure we would be able to bring them back home. We ended the session by forming a circle and each person, no matter which instrument they were playing, had to go into the center and do a solo dance/drum. It was really funny to see everyone dancing while trying to mantain their sticking.

After Banda Dida we stayed in Pelourinho and had dinner outside at a very nice restaurant. Limited on time, we all ate as quicly as possible and enjoyed lime and mango juices before heading down the road to see the Ballet Folkorico. The ballet started with the drummers and singers forming the main rhythms of the ballet. Then male and female dancers danced onstage in casual white costumes. Five dancers in beautiful costume each performed solos. One man was in skirted outfit and introduced the others. One lady was dressed in a fancy gold outfit with beads in front of her eyes and a mirror in her hand. Another man was dressed as the Candomble god of hunting and his eyes were rolled in the back of his head while he danced. The second lady was dressed in a showy pink and red outfit with beads in front of her face, and the last man had a huge skirt on made of straw and a huge straw headdress on in front of his face. All of the dancers screamed and trembled and rolled around as they danced. After the solos, male and female dancers appeared onstage dressed as slaves with large straw hats and white outfits dancing to very upbeat music. There was also a solo that one of the musicians played on the berimbau. He was amazing! Another act was a male dancer holding a bowl of fire on his head and two smaller bowls in his hands. He danced around like this for awhile before placing the fire on the ground. He then dipped two sticks in the fire and dancing with them as torches. He would put them into his mouth and even walked on the hot coals! Towards the end of the performance there was a group of male gymnasts. They entered the stage doing blackflips and crazy things we have never before seen! They did capoiera together and it was absolutely amazing. There was another group of men doing capoiera. They were dressed in nothing but a type of loin-cloth and did insane dancing and capoiera. There was definitely a difference between regular capoiera and this ballet inspired capoiera. The flexiblity and choreography made it very ballet-esque. The dancers also pointed their toes and spotted their turns. Little things associated the word ballet with the performance even though there were no similar costumes, styles, or steps. It was definitely an incredible experience and something no one will ever forget. We sat in the first couple of rows, showing how real these people with the most toned, flexible, and superhuman bodies actually are. One dancer even winked at us.

Buil-Buil-Buildings

Banda Dida, RULEZ

Today, we had a lesson with Banda Dida the all female samba group. When we got there we were surprised by Reeve translating for us that we were practicing in the square today and we would be doing some marching.

We all went inside and grabbed drums and followed them down the street to a some what secluded square which was good news for us because it was in the shade and not to many people were around. we played the piece that we learned yesterday with them and reviewed the parts and played it a couple times working on the breaks. After that we learned their version of the samba reggae style which has a great swing feel to it. I was playing the part for the high drum along with Christian and Franco. This new song has a very complex break section to it which the snare and high drum players had to learn.

It took us a long time to get it but once we did it sounded great it is a lot of fun to play. we did not end up marching because they did not think we were good enough yet, but tomorrow we will march as a group through the streets. We are very excited to show off our new skillz.

It's rather hot here

Today, in addition to almost having another dance class at Acbeu and having our second drumming class with Banda Daia, a handful of us visited a museum of Afro-Brazilian history in what used to be a medical college. We only had an hour to look around so we only saw a portion of the exhibits, but what I saw was rather interesting, consisting of a general overview of the history of Afro-Brazilians from slavery times to the present, and a number of artifacts like metal figurines, pottery and various wooden masks, as well as tapestries and clothing.
We had our fourth capoeria class in the evening, master Sabiá was able to join us partway through. We practiced the moves we had already learned in addition to learning a new low kick maneuver. We practiced our stance and kicks in pairs and each of us was able once again to face off against one of the instructors. We sang as well, and Dr. Sacks took a swing at the tamborine with success. At the end of the class I was able to interview master Sabiá with Rashid, our translator's help and get valuable information for my ethnography writeup.

Freshly rejuvenated and fueled with local cuisine we embarked on our motorized stallion, traversing this foreign environment with mechanical ease. Immediately our senses were bombarded the course realities of a urban jungle, but with our technological supremacy we made quick work of the native cobblestone paths and vehicular confusion. Guided by the firm hand of our guide, his sun worn hands gently governing a comfortable synthetic atmosphere, our eyes were pleasured with the visual dynamics of this emerging society. From the obtuse street hawker to the plabien activities of a industrialized society Brazil fed our intellectual curiousities with a buffet of cultural appetizers and a stew of eclectic skin tones.

Arriving at Ile Aiye we met with a native resistance group, who since 1974 have been challenging the colonialist mantra through a musical medium of melodic weaponry and firm swords forged in the fiery pits of archaic suppression. Gathered in there dwelling they mentored our naive hands, crafting polished textures into battle worn machines primed to attack congregated animal skins and wood with decisive fiury.

Breaking the euphonic wedlock with our artistic brethren we traveled to the other side of town were our ambivalent artistic desires were grounded by the firm hands of the dida group. Met with many of the same tunes and Brazilian flow we began to tune our skill set.

Finally commencing a historic journey of historic proportions we flexed our organic prowliness through a series of menacing postures and violent expressions. As the fluid liquid bi-product of vigorous muscle contractions dissipated into the contradicting streams of atmospheric disturbances our bodies became depleted of the once bountifull resources we were rich in oh so not so long ago, and so we returned to our castle, to recuperate and plan our next endeavor.

ILE AIYE CONCERT

Last night we traveled thin streets that weave up and down the hills of a popular bairrro de Liberade/ Curuzu. We came to attend an Ile Aye concert, a bloco/music organization that we study with. Their performance was a polyrythmic joy of varied syncopation with a conductor directing breaks.

Check out some clips and see their site http:/www.ileaiye.com.br/

C.A.P.O.E.I.R.A...

Today at class we learned the basic movements in the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira. In the first part of the class our instructor made us stretch and warm up, and since its extremely hot and humid, it actually made us hot other than warm.
When we actually started the martial art part of the class we learned the Ginga, which is a basic movement that any person who is in Capoeira has to do because in this form of martial arts, there is no set position, the two opponents have to constantly move.
After that part, we learned the Rolê which is basically a person starting with both hands and feet on the ground and supporting their body with out using their back end, and the person simply just flips over and ends where they began from.
After we mastered the first two we learned Ponteira which is a simple kick of from the Ginga.
Then we learned Martelo which is more complicated than the Ponteira, it requires the person to start in Ginga and then do a sidekick. This form of kicking requires a lot of balance.
Later on we learned Au, which is just a simple cartwheel but in Capoeira it is a powerful move to learn.
In the second half of the class we sparred in a fifteen foot diameter circle amongst ourselves and so did our instructors to show us their specialties which was very exhilarating.
Afterwards we learned the instruments of Capoeira which are all African of origin.
The berimbau is a wooden bow with a wire going from end to end, with a dried hollow gourd at the bottom. It is played by the musician with the berimbau facing away from him and the gourd on his stomach. The musician strikes the wire with a small stick or baqueta and in one hand, the instrument is balanced by the pinkie finger and a small stone is in the same hand that is placed between the thumb and pointer finger which is place on the back part of the piece of wire. With the amount of strikes and ferocity to the wire and if the rock is on the wire and the size of the gourd and if the gourd is on the musicians stomach determines the sound the instrument makes.
There is also the atabaque which is just a simple standing up drum, the pandeiro which is a tambourine and the A-Go-Go which is two differently sized metal bells that are together that is simply stuck by a wooden stick.
And for the finale we all did some salsa amongst each other.

Group Photos (Details to Follow ?)

See this slide show BIG

Tour of the Righteous City

On Friday we took a tour of Salvador, the city of our home away from home. Our tour guide Frede pronounced Fre-jee first took us to the first fortress built in South America by the Portugese to protect the city from attack, be that from other colonial powers or angry indigenous. The Fortress, named Santo Antonio, built in the 16th century, was situated on a cliff overlooking the rocky Atlantic coastline (which made for some decent waves) and was a in a very easily defendable strategic location. The fortress was also the main site of Carnival, the reckless but fun party that dwarfs Mardi Gras ten fold. We boarded the bus again to head towards a church dubbed Sao Francisco. On the way to the church Frede spoke to us about the "two Brazils" which he named the "Poor Brazil which is from the province of Bahia and consists of northern Brazil. This part of Brazil is populated by descendants of slaves or Negras (the chosen politically correct term from African Brazilians) and the few remaining Indigenous. "Rich Brazil" if from San Paolo and consists of the Southern portion of Brazil. This southern Brazil is very European in culture and architecture and comprises mainly of Europeans and Japanese. We arrived at Sao Francisco and after having a coconut break (coconuts sold in street vendors made for some delicious coconut milk) we entered the church. There were many churches in this part of Salvador but what made Sao Francisco stick out from the rest was the forty years it took to built while the others took about five. The Church was built in the 18th century by slaves (who themselves where not allowed to take part in the masses) and had a room that was covered in gold. The walls, ceilings, and statues, had an immense amount of gold and was somewhat overwhelming to see all the wealth that was put into this room where mass was held. The golden room had statues of angels and angelas (which were female angels). This was very new to us to see these female angels and it was the same for the Portugese who found the genatalia on the angels and angelas to be very taboo and thus they banned future sculptures to include this. The Portugese went as far as to remove the genatalia or cover them up. The tour took over half of our day yet it flew by for the most of us, although we had Debbie Downers and Negative Nancy's on our midst.

Turtles,Mud, And Good Food

Today we left the hotel at about nine and hit the road.  The bus ride was very long, and our first stop was Castelo Garcia D'Avila, the home of a terrible conquistador and one of the earliest buildings in Brazil.   There we took pictures as a human pyramid and also saw the very old chapel attached to D'Avila's home.  Afterwards we went to Praia do Forte and its Sea Turtle Project. There we saw turtles in tanks and other animal like sharks and big fish.  We read about the turtles and all very much wanted to go the beach.  Soon we all were all body surfing and splashing about in the water.  Lunch was at Clara's parents house (the person who helped organize our trip).  The house was on a beautiful lake full of gooey mud.  We made individual pizzas in an outdoor oven and ate her mother's coconut pudding.  Yum!

slightly sunburnt

A Foot of Rain

The Feast. There were insane amounts of Food at dinner.

Turtles Build Town

March 2, 2008
Ethnomusicology M-Term

Today we visited Project TAMAR at Praia do Forte. Created in 1980, TAMAR was a project set up to preserve the the threatend sea turtle population. The project helps to conserve the sea turtle population by monitoring the sea turtle nests during the icubation period and then when the babies turtles hatch they are insured safe transport to the sea. The species we observed in the rehabilitaion tanks at Praia do Forte were Olive Ridleys and Green Sea Turtles but the project is regular visited by Hawks Bill, Leather Back and Logger Head turtles.
Due to the fact that pregnant female turtles return to the same beach every year to bury there eggs in the sand, it has become a thriving tourist destination. This benefits both the local community, by bringing in money and the turtles by ensuring that more survive and educating the public about there suroundings.

By Tucker Marder

Ile Aiye, We be a'chillen

Greetings to all far and near, to parent to a peer. Let us speak of Ile Aiye, one of the most famous and popular musical establishments in all of Brazil, ah yeah. The group was founded in 1974, around the international Black Power Movement's core. Since then the group will still only admit the most African rooted citizens. The reason for this selection is to make a statement for the black community, which has been discriminated by the Brazilian government throughout history. FOrtunately, our group had the great privilege to already have two classes with some of the instructors from the band. We were all assigned to our own types of drums, with our own rhythm to remember as well. With the shocking snares, the booming basses, the terrific tambourine, and others such as. We all have to be careful and aware of each others pace and tone, as well as our instructor/conductor's direction. When we got it going it really sounded organized and clean, we all agreed with our confident smiles all around, only to soon mess up again. But we are a dedicated and pursuing group, for it is hard to lose hope with such kind and encouraging teachers all around. Hopefully, we will learn a choreographed dance to go along with our song, all in time friends. For we are in Brasil, where we have earned our skill, to drum and dance, no don't's no can't's. For we are in Brasil, to live to chill.

most sincerely,
joe saunderz