MARACATU COURT

All of the traditional Maracatu Nações de Baque Virado groups had adapted elements of the Portuguese nobility into their culture. (To understand the possible hypothesis on how the noble court came to be used in Maracatu de Baque Virado, refer to the section “Crowning Ceremonies”.) Within a Maracatu Nação exists an entire monarchical hierarchy.This is the list Guerra-Peixe provided in his book Maracatus do Recife that describe the court of Maracatu Nação Elefante at the height of their existence when João Vitorino was the king of this nation in the 1920’s.

RAINHA (Queen); REI (King)
PRÍNCIPE (Prince);PRINCESA (Princess)
DUQUE (duke); DUQUESA (dutchess)
CONDE(count)/ CONDESSA (countess)
DAMAS DO PAÇO (Ladies of the Palace)- The ones who carry the Calungas.
DAMAS DE HONRA (Ladies of honor)
EMBAIXADOR/EMBAIXATRIZ: (Ambassadors) In some Maracatus, he can be the man that carries the flag – in the Maracatu Estrela Brilhante the ambassador is a distinct character, he takes part of the royal court. He is dressed like the nobles of Luis XV court.
MINISTRO (minister of state); DAMA DE HONRA DO MINISTRO (Minister’s lady of honor)
PORTA-ESTANDARTE - (standard-bearer) Carries the Stardard  of the Maracatu group.
ESCRAVO – (Slave) He carries the “Umbela” (a very big parasol  that protects the King and the Queen).
CORNETEIRO ( Bugle-player)
SECRETÁRIO- (Secretary)
GUARDA-COROA - (Crown guard)
VASSALOS - (vassals)
BRASABUNDO- (bodyguard)
MESTRE-SALA - (master of ceremonies)
LANCEIROS – (Lance carriers) They are a group of people who carry lances that surround that African Maracatu Nation in order to protect them.
BAIANAS – They wear the traditional Baiana clothes (ritual clothes of the women that belong to a Candomblé).
CABOCLO DE PENA (Indians) – ‘The Indigenous’. Some nations have this character in order to guide and protect them.
BATUQUEIROS (musicians)

The most important character of the court is the queen. She is usually an ialorixá (religious leader) and is responsible for the religious aspect of the group. The queen and king usually come accompanied by the “slave” who holds the umbela (a parasol) for them. Another very important character is the dama-do-paço (lady of the palace). She is the one that holds the calunga(s) of the maracatu group and have to go through specific religious rituals in order to be able to carry this doll. The number of musicians (batuqueiros) playing in the batuque (percussion ensemble) has also increased significantly over the years. According to Guerra-Peixe there were 15 musicians playing at that time with Maracatu Nação Elefante. In our interview with Dona Marivalda (queen and president of Estrela Brilhante), she told us that there were 100 batuqueiros playing with Estrela Brilhante in the Carnival of 2010. 

© 2011 Maracatu New York  -  This is an excerpt from the book "Maracatu for Drumset & Percussion" by Scott Kettner with Michele Nascimento & Aaron Shafer-Haiss.  Published by Hal Leonard Publishing co. Unauthorized duplication of this text is illegal and it's not cool.  Contact us if you want to use this text for your project.  Click here to learn more about the book.