Mundiá Carimbó (Brazil)
Mundiá Carimbó takes its name from a word used in the Brazilian Amazon meaning “to enchant” or “to cast a spell.” Formed in 2016 in Paraty, a coastal town in Rio de Janeiro state, the band set out to share the music and dance of the Amazon region with audiences in southeastern Brazil and beyond. The group also leads dance and percussion workshops, has opened for Pará singer Dona Onete and toured Spain and Portugal in 2023. Their recordings are produced by Manoel Cordeiro, a master of theAmazonian guitar style guitarrada.
Featured Song:
Carimbó comes from the state of Pará, where African, Indigenous and Portuguese traditions meet, and is danced with swirling skirts to the beat of hand drums. “Sinuca de Bico” (Tight Corner) celebrates a Friday trip to the sea, with nods to Afro-Brazilian traditions. Friday is devoted to Oxalá, a deity honored with prayer and fasting, the mermaid recalls the sea goddess Iemanjá, and the last verse turns to the handstands and leg sweeps of capoeira. “On Friday we’re going to the sea / To dance with the mermaid / To dive in together / To let the sun warm our skin / And the breeze will dry us.”
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