Brazil celebrates National Samba Day

Hello, listeners! Another cultural bulletin from Rádio Nacional da Amazônia begins now, speaking from Brazil to the four corners of the world!

Today we are going to talk about a musical rhythm that became a national symbol, and which was born from the influence of black people who came from Africa and planted their roots in America: samba!!!

On December 2th, we celebrate, here in Brazil, the National Samba Day. A musical style full of rhythm and melody, which is enchanting due to its dances and also its contagious execution.

The samba journey begins in two Brazilian states: Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. In the Nineteenth Century, Bahia was already the stage for samba de roda, an African cultural manifestation characterized by singing, clapping, and dances performed in a circle.

It is important to note that, often, these celebrations were criminalized. However, they found refuge and welcome in the houses of the so-called aunts or grandmothers, fundamental matriarchal figures who preserved Afro-Brazilian culture.

The historical turning point occurred after the abolition of slavery. It was in that period that many black people, notably from Bahia, began migrating towards Rio de Janeiro, which was the capital of the Brazilian Empire at that time.

It was on the vibrant stage of Rio de Janeiro where the samba de roda developed and transformed. In the capital, it mixed with other popular urban rhythms, such as the polka and the maxixe, resulting in the emergence of new musical forms and giving rise to what we know as samba carioca.

A milestone of this new phase of urban samba carioca is the song "Pelo Telefone," by Donga and Sinhô, which was recorded in 1916. This is considered the first Brazilian samba.

The trajectory of samba was not easy. Initially, it was criminalized and strongly associated with black culture. However, the genre began to overcome prejudice and gradually gain recognition. The major shift towards the nationalization of the rhythm occurred starting in the 1930s. In that period, Rádio Nacional played a crucial role, helping to popularize samba throughout the country. With this massive dissemination, samba consolidated itself as a national rhythm and a symbol of Brazilian identity. Today, it is widely recognized as a national symbol, having spread throughout all of Brazil. Samba, which started in the rodas de samba of Bahia and flourished in Rio de Janeiro, transformed from a marginalized cultural manifestation into one of Brazil's greatest icons.

This was another bulletin from Rádio Nacional da Amazônia, direct from Brazil to the world! This content was produced and edited by journalist Ana Pimenta, with narration by artificial intelligence from the Vidnoz platform.