Finally, Carnival returns to Rio de Janeiro
After the pandemic forced a break, floats and dancers once again parade through the Sambodrome. Many samba schools pay tribute to the African heritage of samba and thereby criticize Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro.
From end to end, the Sambodrome is full of people
The Grandstand Street Sambodrome, designed by Oscar Niemeyer in the 1980s, housed homeless people and a vaccination center during the pandemic. Just last year, Brazil's health care system had collapsed under the number of COVID-19 infections. Now, with a 76 percent vaccination rate, the country is slowly returning to normal and the Sambodrome belongs to dancers again.
Respect for life and the dead
"Only those who are samba dancers know how important it is for us to tread this sacred ground again," Rafaela Teodoro, from the Imperatriz samba school tells the ARD correspondent in Rio de Janeiro. She also remembers those who died from COVID: "With respect for all the lives we have lost in these two years, for all of them, today we give everything."
Banishing the ghosts of the pandemic
After the USA, Brazil suffered the most COVID deaths. In addition, the economy of the carnival metropolis suffered from the cancellation of the parades - up to 45,000 jobs depend on them. Now the country sees itself on the road to recovery. According to the hotel association, 78% of the hotels in Rio de Janeiro are occupied again during this year's carnival season.
Creative and political - the samba artist
Martinho da Vila, one of the foremost representatives of samba, and honorary president of the Vila Isabel Samba School, rides as guest of honor on the school's float. The 84-year-old musician has composed numerous sambas. In his articles and columns, he has distinguished himself as a spokesman for the Afro-Brazilian community and critic of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.
Racism in history and the present
Motifs of slavery are a thematic thread that runs through this carnival. It is also about the struggle of Afro-Brazilians to preserve their culture, history and religions. As in 2019 and 2020, the schools are taking a critical stance against the Bolsonaro government, whose racist statements fuel hatred and intolerance.
Carnival - the pure joy of life
In addition to all the social criticism, this year the joy of carnival is back. Its forms, colors and sounds are once again ovrewhelming the senses. Moved, samba dancer Ana Paula Varca tells the German Press Agency, "This joy: it's terrible without carnival." But things have changed, she added: "Even this carnival now is not the one we know."