Carnival for the cultivated
What comes to your mind when you think of Brazil?
Tiny bikinis and tanned bodies on beautiful beaches? Brazilian waxes? Exceedingly happy people who can dance and play football (and preferably do both at the same time)? Cultural diversity? Amazonas? Samba?
According to Huffington Post most of the things mentioned above illustrate what people think of this South American country. It’s very likely you’ll get all of that very soon at the annual event of carnival, when the whole country goes into a jovial frenzy for a few days. But trust us, there is much more to Brazilian carnival than bare-breasted women in diamond studded-bikinis, fluorescent-feathered headgear and tipsy foreigners awkwardly trying to find the beat.
The colonial town of São Luiz do Paraitinga, nestled into the tropical green hills of the state of São Paulo, is known for having one of the best traditional street carnivals in Brazil and attracts mainly local tourists. Although the city of only 10,000 inhabitants can grow up to whopping 150,000 during the days before Ash Wednesday, carnival is much smaller here than in Rio de Janeiro or São Paolo, which makes it a more intimate experience.
Former prosperity through coffee farming and gold mining made São Luiz do Paraitinga flourish in the 19th century, resulting in more than 450 candy coloured colonial houses which still flank the streets of this officially declared National Heritage Site.
In 1916 a priest banned carnival from this picturesque city due to moral incompatibilities. More than six decades later, in 1981, the cultural event was reintroduced and authorities took the opportunity to set parameters which make this carnival differ to others. An official order prohibits modern rhythms like samba and axé. Therefore, the musical repertoire you’ll hear streaming from the various blocos (festive parades that include a band on a truck) are carnival marches, the marchinhas, and are strongly influenced by the musicality of local folk groups and music bands.
The costumes worn by the blocos are very colourful and have specific themes. They are often based on a flowery fabric named ‘chita’ or on patchwork.
Carnival in São Luiz do Paraitinga is from 1.3.2019 to 5.3.2019.
Before and after that date the city is very quiet and totally worth visiting for all who love historic architecture and home-made feijoada (black bean and pork stew).