Malandro
Afro-Brazilian women in Salvador, especially those from Candomblé, bought the freedom of many enslaved Africans and Afro-Brazilians. The sisterhood “Irmandade da Boa Morte” was one of these groups. For their religious affiliations, they were persecuted by the police force in Salvador, and some fled to Cachoeira, at the heart of Bahian Tradition, and one to Rio de Janeiro.
Tia Ciata was the name of the sister from the “Irmandade da Boa Morte” who arrived in Rio. She is accounted as being one of the key figures in fostering Samba in Rio, bringing the traditional Samba de Roda from Salvador to Rio. This was the seed of many different expressions in the new forms of Samba that originated in Rio.
The urban adaptations of Samba, in Rio, were heavily influenced by the influx of African and Afro-Brazilian population from Bahia, and newly arrived Africans. One of the first urban changes to Samba was the influence of European harmony, and acoustic guitar that reformed Samba. This influenced early urban Samba in Bahia as well, in recordings and expressions.
The traditional forms of Samba were not pictured in media, because of prejudice and association with African cults. They were, however, kept strong by the oral ‘masters’, and the traditional communities and traditional forms such as Samba de Roda remain popular to this day.
Brazilian’s Radio first Recording was in Bahia, and it opened possibilities for Samba singers such as ‘Batatinha’ and ‘Panela’, and ‘Riachão’. They represented a form of Samba that was being influenced by both Samba de Roda, as well as the recordings from Sambists from Rio. These recordings were starting to reach and influence Salvador, introducing new instruments. The instrumentation changed, with Spanish guitar and other harmonics being introduced.
Samba traveled far and wide in Brazil, but it was in Bahia that Samba was Born because Brazil was born in Bahia. This is told by ‘Riachão’ an important cultural figure born in Salvador. Riachão was a self-titled malandro, a sly figure, who lived sagely, knowing well how to navigate the diverse and adverse situations found in life.
Riachão’ was one of the oral memory keepers of Salvador, composing several classical Sambas. His Samba’s were re-recorded and reproduced by other artists countless times. His songs were portraits of Bahian society, life in the city, traditions, and affections. In the Brazilian military regimen, some of his songs were censored, when he spoke out on hunger, poverty, and other inequalities. Reflecting on Salvador, the habits, and cultural memory of the people from Bahia, he sang about the happenings and places of the city, as a malandro.
‘Humanenochum Organization: Women in the first place!’
Irreverence was one of the characteristic aspects of the ‘Malandro’ lifestyle. Alternating between melancholic and love songs, happy songs, and real-life history, it was a resistance effort. Sambists from early periods in Bahia had normal jobs, and made Samba for the love of music. ‘Riachão’ was an errand man in a bank, and he tells that everywhere he went bringing documents, people asked him to sing a bit, and so he led his life, joyful as always.
A matchbox is also an important traditional instrument for this new Samba instrumentation.
Festa de São João and Samba duro
One of the most Traditional festivities in Brazil is the ‘Festa de São João’, or more commonly as ‘Festa Junina’, translated literally as June’s Festivities. The Christian celebrations of Saint John, developed in Brazil a whole set of cultural and musical expressions. In Salvador Samba Duro is the traditional Rhythm for this event, which is a direct descendant of the Samba de Roda. The players of the Samba-Duro drew upon the Afro-Religions. Much of the rhythm that is present in modern Bahian Samba is derived from this relationship.
In Rio, the organization of Samba schools was fueled by government nationalistic endeavors. Meanwhile, in Salvador, Samba of all forms resisted in community associations. These associations were mainly based on the religious communities, following tradition. Samba, as well as capoeira, and anywhere else were dance, music, drink, and food were together were the main entertainment to the people of Salvador.
Samba-Duro was a strong cultural movement in the second half of the 20th century in Salvador. It gave birth to many famous groups, usually each one from a determined neighborhood. Such as the Traditional ‘Samba-Fama’, Samba-Scorpions’, ‘Samba-Peão Doido’ and many others. They paraded the streets of the communities, through ‘favelas’ and the city, parading and interacting with the city.
Timbal, surdo, and repique were the instruments used in the ‘Samba-Junino’ movement. These were the groups that were responsible for influencing the next generation of Bahian Music. The characteristic rhythmic solo, drew on the Afro-Religions improvising on the Samba cadency.
“Candoblé is a source of Rhythm”