Enredo da Mangueira talks about the erasure and invisibility of black people since the arrival of the enslaved

The mystery is over. After spreading clues throughout some parts of the city, Estação Primeira de Mangueira announced this Thursday the plot for next year’s carnival. The choice follows the master trail of black and Afro themes that most schools will take to Sapucaí, in 2025. With the title “À Flor da Terra – No Rio da Negritude Entre Dores e Paixões”, the green and pink one will approach Avenida the process of erasure and invisibility of black people since the arrival of enslaved people at Valongo pier.

• Mystery in green and pink: Mangueira spreads clues about the plot that will be released this Thursday
• Portela: Oswaldo Cruz’s school will have Milton Nascimento as its plot in 2025

The plot was created by carnival artist Sidnei França, a newcomer to the Rio carnival. But, despite being little known in Rio, he has five championships in São Paulo on his resume: four at Mocidade Alegre (2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014) and one at Águia de Ouro (2020).

França opted for a plot that will explore research that seeks from the records of millions of enslaved people, a rescue and appreciation of Bantu knowledge and practices in Brazil to the construction of a daily life in Rio based on the violence and pleasures it brings to light a look at the experiments of the popular and invisible classes in the city’s sociocultural practices.

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— Mangueira intends with this plot to bring to light the understanding of an entire trajectory of erasures and invisibilizations, caused intentionally, including, in the historical bond of the city of Rio, of the black figure, since the arrival of the enslaved in the case of Valongo, in which those human beings were treated as pieces, as merchandise, and this goes on over time. And today you find a society that does not promote, does not provide opportunities for the black community, for the community of the hills and that are the same bodies that find, among many quotes, the stray bullets, that are reported as missing, that do not have access to many services that society should guarantee — explains the carnival worker.

According to Sidnei, the plot also intends not only to serve as a warning and a denunciation. But, also as a point of change towards a more equal society and more respectful of black identity.

— It’s a plot that talks about the contrast between pain and passions that permeate living in a chaotic but passionate city like Rio de Janeiro.

— Understanding our land reveals the truth about bodies devastated by the erasure of their black identity. The Rio soul, daring in essence and steeped in Bantu ancestry, is forged by so many pains and passions, carrying in its memory cruel violence, but also revolutionary experiences of freedom, which teach us to defy death, celebrate life and make carnival

The announcement of the Mangueira plot was preceded by several actions in the city, on the School’s social networks and in the press. The revelation of the theme of the next parade was preceded by an action that included the distribution of paintings in some parts of the city, bringing words that gave clues as to how the approach will be.

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The clues spread across various parts of the city this Wednesday already hinted that it would be African-themed. In addition to the actions on the networks, the school chose to carry out an intervention on the streets, more specifically in locations in Little Africa, a region that is related to the plot.

Flowers were left at Central do Brasil, Cais do Valongo, Cemitério dos Pretos Novos, (Mucab), Largo da Prainha, Pedra do Sal, Boulevard Olímpico (Museum of Tomorrow) and in Cidade do Samba itself.

The frames where the flowers were displayed contained the words Africanity, Afrofuturism, Ancestry, Erasures, Black Culture, Pains and Passions, Kalunga, Memory, New Blacks, Bantu Tradition, all of them related to the plot of Carnival 2025 and the way it will be approached .

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See the other schools that have already defined a plot

Grande Rio Academics

The Duque de Caxias school, in Baixada Fluminense, will have Pará as its theme for 2025. Carnival artists Gabriel Haddad and Leonardo Bora will repeat the partnership. In February, Helder Barbalho, governor of the state, made the announcement. Milton Perácio, founder and administrative president of the school, gave the confirmation before the association’s parade on Avenida this year. In 2024, Grande Rio came in third place, behind Imperatriz Leopoldinense and champion Unidos do Viradouro.

Hummingbird

Beija-Flor de Nilópolis will tell the story of Luiz Fernando Ribeiro do Carmo, known as Laíla, who died in June 2021 due to complications from Covid. He was responsible for a sequence of Azul and Branco titles between the 1998 and 2018 carnivals. Beija-Flor was champion in 1998, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2018, years in which Laíla He had the role of carnival director.

Empress Leopoldinense

In March, Imperatriz Leopoldinense announced that she will have a Yoruba myth as the theme of her carnival. The association bets on the story protected by Itã that narrates Oxalá’s trip to the kingdom of Oyó to visit Xangô.

Portela

Milton Nascimento, who attended the 2024 parades at Marquês de Sapucaí, will be the theme of the Portela carnival in 2025. The tribute will be made with the title “Singing will be seeking the path that leads to the sun”. On his Instagram, the singer said:

“It is with great emotion that I accepted Portela’s invitation for my story to be portrayed in the greatest show on Earth. What an honor to be honored by the school with the most titles in history, the Majesty of Samba! See you on the avenue! ‘Our procession leave Madureira, and it’s the road that will make the dream happen!'”

Tuiuti Paradise

— The title of the plot is a provocation. Who is interested in erasing the history of Xica Manicongo? She was transgressive in her trajectory, was registered by the Holy Inquisition and became a symbol of the struggle of trans people — says Vasconcelos.

The São Cristóvão school defined its theme at the beginning of the month. “Who’s afraid of Xica Manicongo?” is the title of the plot that deals with the story of what is considered the first transvestite in Brazil. The theme will be developed by carnival artist Jack Vasconcelos.

Unidos da Tijuca

Azul e Amarelo will tell the story of Logunedé, the result of the love story between Oxum and Oxossi. On the samba school’s Instagram, the theme was explained: “River that flows in the forest. One moment, he hunts; the next, he dances at the bottom of the river. In one hand, the ofá from Inlé; in the other, the abebé from Ipondá . The hunter and the lady of rivers and waterfalls. Half father, half mother. He has the bravery of the warrior and the beauty of the Iabá of gold. . Edson Pereira will be the responsible carnival artist.

Viradouro

In search of Rio’s second carnival championship, Unidos do Viradouro presents a plot about a leader of a quilombo who, together with indigenous people, uncovered the secrets of herbs and the strength of nature. Under the theme “Malunguinho — The messenger of three worlds”, the red and white of Niterói promises a journey through the history of an emblematic figure for Brazilian Afro-indigenous culture who had not yet been honored in the Marquês de Sapucaí.

Willow tree

Last week, the Acadêmicos do Salgueiro samba school released the plot for Carnival 2025: “Salgueiro with a closed body”: I prepare the pot of olive oil, rue, guinea, rosemary, carqueja, garlic and cloves. The red and white of Tijuca takes the history and culture of body closure to Marquês de Sapucaí. The school will celebrate sacred symbols of black culture.

The Special Group for the Rio carnival in 2025 will include Unidos de Padre Miguel — champion of the Gold Series, Viradouro, Imperatriz Leopoldinense, Grande Rio, Portela, Salgueiro, Mangueira, Beija-Flor, Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel, Unidos da Tijuca, States of Vila Isabel and Paraíso do Tuiuti.