Brazil Carnival, feel the carnival
Beija-Flor de Nilópolis Samba Escolas: Beija-Flor 2010 Samba-School Resource
2012 Beija-Flor de Nilópolis Samba-School
G.R.E.S. Beija-flor is the Samba-School we will describe today. Being a relatively new samba-school, Beija-flor obtained 6 Carnival contest titles in the last 10 years, including 2011 Rio Carnival Title. The samba-schools is famed for being at the same time innovative and controversial, bringing to the parade, sensitive issues and topics, like religion. As we will see below, Beija-flor was the home of Joãozinho Trinta, one of the most creative and talented Carnival Producers in the history of Brazilian Carnival. Some of the personalities that cheer for Beija-Flor include Brazil´s President Lula, soccer player Zico and several TV actresses. Let´s take a look at how this story all started.
Below, a great photo of Raissa de Oliveira, Queen of the Drummers for Beija Flor in 2009.
See below, a brand new video of Beija Flor at their community Parade!
Beija-Flor Origins & History
The Grêmio Recreativo Escola de Samba Beija-Flor, most known as Beija-Flor de Nilopolis, as a reference to their neighborhood, was born in Christmas day 1948. The school was founded by a group composed by Milton de Oliveira (Negão da Cuica), Edson Vieira Rodrigues (Edinho do Ferro Velho), Helles Ferreira da Silva, Mário Silva, Walter Silva, Hamilton Floriano and José Fernandes da Silva. However, it was Milton’s mother, Mrs. Eulália that suggested the name Beija-Flor as a tribute to Beija-Flor ranch that existed in Marquês de Valença neighborhood. This gave Mrs. Eulália de right to be admitted as the founder of the School.
Below, a video of Beija-Flor Samba School:
It was only in 1953 however, that the carnival street band was champion in the neighborhood becoming a Samba-School and participating for the first time in and official parade in the year of 1954 for the Second Group. This year, they became champion of the group. The school was promoted to the First Group where it remained until 1963. In 1974, the school went back to the First Group as a result f the excellent work developed by Nelson Abraão David, after tem years in the Second Group.
Below, Selmina Sorrizo flag-bearer full of emotion....
The school’s history can be divided into two: before and after the Carnaval Producer Joãozinho Trinta, that took over the school artistic direction in 1976. The parades developed by him became so anthological that even when they weren’t champions, they left a mark in the Avenue. In 1977, Aniz Abraão David became president and made the school one of the most famous in the world. The amazing parades were no different in 1989. The school always known for the luxury presented in the Avenue, brought to the parade the theme “Ratos e Urubus, larguem a minha fantasia” taking to the Sambadrome floats and wings filled with garbage. In addition to the famous Christ Redeemer statue covered up. That year, Beija-Flor achieved second place but Joãozinho Trinta was considered by some people as the moral champion.
Below, a prized photo of the Baianas Section, by Alexandre Vidal.
During the 90’s, the school that had a humming bird as symbol, maintained the first positions. When Joãozinho Trinta left the school in 1992, the school tried a couple of new carnaval producers but didn’t manage to achieve a championship. It was only in 1998, with the creation of a carnaval committee that the school was once again claimed champion. This championship is even now contested by some that believed that the real champion was actually Mangueira samba school that attributed to the discard of grades the championship to Beija-Flor, believing that if there was no discard the school would have only been second place.
Below, the lendary Baianas of Beija-flor, another great photo by Agencia FOTO BR
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During the period of 2003/2005, the school achieved their second three time championship. In 2007, the school was once again champion, this time with a considerable distance from the second place.
In 2008, the Carnaval Committee chose as plot-theme "Macapaba: Equinócio Solar, viagem fantástica ao meio do mundo" and achieved the championship for the second time in a row in what would be their 11th championship.
Photo Credit: Lu Davoli - Flickr
In 2009, the school chose the plot-theme "No chuveiro da alegria, quem banha o corpo lava a alma na folia" and achieved the second place.
Beija-Flor has amassed 12 Rio de Janeiro Carnival Titles, many of them over the last decade:
1976: “To Dream of Lion, Shows up King”
1977, “Grandma and the King of Saturnalia in the Egyptian Court”
1978: “The Creation of the World in the Nagô Tradition”
1980: “The Midnight Sun, a trip to the Country of the Wonders” * ( 3 winners this year)
1983: “The Great Constellation of the Black Star”
1998: “Pará: The Místi World of the Caruanas in Waters of the Patu-anu”
2003: “The people tells its story: Empty sac doesn’t stand still - The hand that makes the war, makes peace”
2004: “Manôa, Manaus, Amazon, Sacred Land: Feeds the body, balances the soul and brings us peace”
2005: “The Wind cuts the lands of the Pampas. In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Guarani Spirit: Seven peoples in Faith and Pain… Seven Missions of Love”
2007: “Africa: From the Royal Cradle to the Brazilian Court”
2008: “Macapabá: Solar Equinox, Fantastic Voyages to Center of the World”
2011: “The Simplicity of A King”
Technical Information Beija-Flor 2012
Founded: December 25th 1948 (60 years)
Godmother school: Portela
Colors: Dark blue and white
Symbol: Humming bird (Beija-Flor)
Neighborhood: Nilópolis
President: Farid Abrahão David
President of Honor: Anísio Abraão David
Carnaval comission: Laíla,
Official Interpreter: Neguinho da Beija-Flor
Carnaval director: Laíla
Harmony director: Laíla
Drum section master: Drum commission
Drum Queen: Raissa de Oliveira
Samba-Host and Flag-Bearer couple: Claudinho and Selmynha Sorrizo
Choreographer:
Photo Credit: Luis Santana - Olhar Folião
2012 Beija Flor Parade-Theme “São Luís - o poema encantado do Maranhão"
Samba Beija Flor 2012 Lyrics:
"Tem magia em cada palmeira que brota em seu chão
O homem nativo da terra
Resiste em bravura
A dor da invasão
Do mar vêm três coroas
Irmao seu olhar mareja
No balanço da maré
A maldade não tem fé sangrando os mares
Mensageiro da dor
Liberdade roubou dos meus lugares
Rompendo grilhões, em busca da paz
A força dos meus ancestrais
NA casa nagô a luz de Xangô Axé
Mina Jêje um ritual de fé
Chegou de Daomé, chegou de Abeokutá
Toda magia do vodun e do orixá
Ê rainha o bumba-meu-boi vem de lá
Eu quero ver o cazumbá, sem a serpente acordar
Hoje a minha lágrima transborda todo mar
Fonte que a saudade não secou
Ó Ana assombração na carruagem
Os casarões são a imagem
Da história que o tempo guardou
No rádio o reggae do bom
Marrom é o tom da canção
NA terra da encantaria a arte do gênio João
Meu São Luís do Maranhão
Poema encantado de amor
Onde canta o sabiá
Hoje canta a Beija-Flor"
Samba Composed by: Samir Trindade, Serginho Aguiar, JR Beija-Flor, Ricardo Lucena, Thiago Alves e Rômulo Presidente
Below, Beija Flor 2012 Parade Logo:
