Os Castros vêm tocar: fé e festa para São Benedito em Almeirim

Abstract

Catholic saints’ festivities are traditional and very popular events in the Amazon, and they are frequently held in many localities of the region. In addition to the strictly religious rites, which are usually held in churches and chapels, saint festivities are also the background of local exchange and reciprocity practices, in which many material and symbolic gifts circulate involving both humans and non-human figures. These events last, as a rule, from three to over 20 days with traditions and highly appreciated ritual exchanges that mobilize their participants as they attend distinct settings, such as households, public spaces and community offices, in addition to the rivers and brooks where their fluvial processions take place. In the low Amazon River between the states of Amazonas and Pará, the festivities of Saint Peter in Maués (AM) and Saint Benedict in Aveiro, Gurupá and Almeirim (PA) are followed by musical processions based on the rhythms of three drums produced with wood and animal skin, known as the gambá (“skunk”, in English). They are known as the “gambá festivals”.

In Almeirim, these centenary celebrations are held in the period between June 20-30. During the days and nights of its activities, many rites are performed by devotees, keepers of promises, procession-goers and political and public authorities, in addition to the Saint Benedict’s figure, represented by an old image taken from the local church through the town streets and neighboring rural communities. Many masses, street gatherings and terrestrial and fluvial processions are held. Lunch and dinner meals are served to procession-goers and other followers of the saint. It is primarily on these occasions that the gambá takes place in retribution of procession goers for the abundant food and enthusiasm of their hosts. After the meals, the procession group slowly and solemnly chants the “Meal thankfulness” (Agradecimento da Mesa) hymn to the sound of drums and other instruments such as scrapers and corn grinding tools. Next, they simulate a farewell rite, so their hosts will ask them to stay longer to play and dance the gambá. To the sound of male musicians, followers of both sexes dance the specific steps of each composition. In Almeirim, the Saint Benedict’s festival and the gambá rites have been preserved and passed down since 1957 by a black family, the Castros. Their initial celebrant, Raimundo Castro da Fonseca, lived on the banks of the Paru River and promoted the Saint Thomas’ and Saint Benedict’s festivities in many evenings with generous meals, music and dance.

Their initial celebrant, Raimundo Castro da Fonseca, lived on the banks of the Paru River and promoted the Saint Thomas’ and Saint Benedict’s festivities in many evenings with generous meals, music and dance. His descendants to the fourth generation have been responsible for continuing these festive traditions, which migrated from the Paru River to a town office in the 1970s and became one of the preeminent events of the local calendar. Along with friends and relatives who partake their group-effort, the Castros hold to this day the prerogative of starting, leading and closing the gambá rites, and accompanying the saint-figure along its festive itineraries. In this regard, the local motto “The Castros come to play” (“Os Castros vêm tocar”) indicates the key presence and role of this family in Saint Benedict’s festivities in Almeirim, and reveals its peculiar audiovisual ethnographic record and features.

Datasheet:

Authors: Luciana Gonçalves de Carvalho, e Vanessa Lima Brasil Figueiredo.

direction, research and editing: José Muniz Falcão Neto.

photos: Carlos de Matos Bandeira.

Assembly, Finishing and Production: Michel Ribeiro de Melo Silva, Alexandre Nazareth da Rocha e Wardson Mendes.