'Revoada dos Pássaros Juninos' starts the festivities of the Arraial de Todos os Santos
The bird strings, with symbolism, address the Amazonian reality and announce that the popular June festivities are about to begin
The 'Revoada dos Pássaros Juninos', which takes place this Saturday (31) at 4 PM, marks the beginning of the June expressions, being an important genuine manifestation of popular theater performed in the form of a procession around the Casa das Artes, near the Basilica of Nazaré, concluding with a theatrical presentation.
The century-old popular culture that permeates the event originates from the Belle Époque period, when Belém imported European styles, especially in the arts, with the staging of luxurious opera performances. In turn, the more popular layer of the city creates its own artistic movements and initiates popular operettas, bringing to the scene, in a playful and creative way, the resistance and identity of a people who can express their stance.
The bird strings with symbolism address the Amazonian reality with its social issues as central elements, in form and content. The environmental and social issues of the communities are present in the annual theme of this cultural manifestation. The artists use bird costumes, representations of the fauna, folklore, and the resistant Amazonian people.
The birds can be recognized by two types, the rural, also known as Cordão de Pássaros, which can be represented by other animals, and the urban, with a comedic dramaturgy. The imagery in the streets, the living tradition that values culture and those who live it gain colors and meanings in the artistic expressions that portray the experiences and ancestral knowledge. The children are the main actors of this cultural effervescence, representing the June birds and announcing that the festivities are about to begin.
“We have to do something to improve our community,” says Paulo da Silva, guardian of the Bacu animal cord, from Icoaraci, who is part of the bird flight. Paulo also states that culture was the main means to change the reality of the children in the community. “A red area community made it very difficult to do anything. The Baku was a deliverance,” he emphasizes.
The flight represents the opening of the June season and the Arraial de Todos os Santos symbolizes the great gathering of culture makers.
“It is a very beautiful moment that has a very significant symbolic importance, not only for the foundation but for the manifestation as a whole, for what it means for the State of Pará, for our Pará culture, for June culture, and for all popular culture,” says Cláudia Pinto.
Text by Marcos Maia / Ascom FCP
