Calango Careta occupies Brasília with allegories, orchestra and circus art

A giant lizard went out in procession, late this Tuesday morning (17), occupying Asa Norte, a neighborhood in the center of Brasília. The allegory of the typical Cerrado animal – in green, yellow and red – has been the authentic hallmark of the Calango Careta Carnival group, since 2015. Calango Careta occupies Brasília with allegories, orchestra and circus art

Unlike the large blocks in the Federal District, which are located in isolated areas such as the Monumental Axis and the Museum of the Republic, the calango erected and articulated by bamboo, modeled after the dragon in the Olinda block (PE) I think it’s littlemeanders to hold a “neighborhood carnival”, next to residential buildings. The rule is collectiveness.

Systems analyst Ana Bastos has lived in Brasília for 19 years and brought her 16-year-old daughter Helena Louzada to enjoy the party.

The woman from Recife confirms that the federal capital does not fall short when it comes to festivities, even if on a smaller scale compared to her homeland. “The blocks are delicious, there is excitement and tranquility.”

Messages

To communicate the preservation of the Cerrado, the animal is accompanied by a huge saruê doll, which is often harassed because it looks like a rodent.

Below the structure, the volunteer puppeteer, social educator Gabriel Ballarini says he loves bringing the allegory to life.

“Basically, I have to wave to the crowd and jump. It weighs a little, about four kilos. But, I’m feeling really proud today.”

The doll of this species of possum was a hit with little Rui, aged 1 year and four months. His parents chose to dress him up as another animal that is quite common in the biome, the capybara.

Pedro Tarcísio, who works in product design, says that his son loves percussion and is influenced by his mother, a musician.

“This is our favorite block. Showing the instruments, the animals makes him very passionate about it all.”

Aesthetics

The block’s aesthetic is marked by a mix of popular culture and psychedelia in the costumes of artists with large wings, standing on stilts, accompanied by clowns, masked acrobats and other circus performers who show the direction of the procession to the public.

A supporter of the group for a year, Vanessa Cândida Rezende came to the lawn armed with sunflowers and a watering can that sprinkles glitter on other revelers.

“I have glitter on my body, at home, in every corner. This is the joy of Carnival that we will carry with us for the rest of the year, and that’s why I’m here watering a garden of glitter.”

If in 2025, tributes to actress Fernanda Torres, for the film I’m Still Herehave multiplied throughout Brazil, in 2026, the hope of a new Oscar statuette is registered in the fantasies that refer to other Brazilian production: The Secret Agent, directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho.

Inspiration that guided a couple present at Calango: journalist Ana Chalub and musician Luiz Bragança.

The journalist was dressed up as Dona Sebastiana, played by the 79-year-old actress from Rio Grande do Norte, with the added bonus of always having a fake cigarette on hand. Ana Chalub explains that she aimed for the film’s carnival scenes.

“The beginning takes place on a carnival day and we thought it had everything to do with the political moment and being super favorable to the film. To prepare the character, I even had to learn how to put curlers in my short hair.”

Luiz Bragança opted for the pay phone costume, portrayed so many times on the streets of Recife and Brasília in the 1970s. The irreverence took shape with pieces of spaghetti-type floats and masking tape.

“Carnival is a space of time for us to try other possibilities and do something that is not in our daily lives. It is a time to celebrate our culture, our music”, he celebrated.

Sound demands passage

Under the treetops, Calango has its own fanfare. There, it is the Camaleônica Orchestra who dictated the rhythm, clearly marked by the blowing of trumpets, trombones, saxophones and powerful percussion.

The repertoire includes a lot of ciranda, frevo, maracatu and hits from Brazilian popular music (MPB). The song Profitfrom the BaianaSystem group, and Frevo Womanby Zé Ramalho, have already become classics echoed by revelers jumping to their feet.

There are no ropes or abadás. The interaction is very close between musicians and the public, like that of student Mariana Junqueira Marini, 15 years old, dressed as a character from the cartoon Backyardigans.

“My mother always took me to carnival, but I didn’t really like it. Now, I like it more because I come with my friends.”

Friend who didn’t skimp on the blue paint to look like her childhood character, as Isis Frank Rocha, 16, tells us.

“My mother helped paint me. I like playing at carnival, being funny. It’s not just to look pretty.”

Ageless vibe

Calango Careta mixes young children, young people and the elderly in the same space.

For the first time, the group’s performance hooked physiotherapist Gabriela Barcellos, who was 8 months pregnant with Henrique. Her plans are to raise her son enjoying carnival, alongside her 6-year-old stepdaughter, who goes to the block interested in throwing foam and confetti in the air.

“Here in Brasília, the carnival culture has increased a lot.”

For years, the person who has been guided by Calango’s colorful banner is retired Mara Carvalho. At 75 years old, she brought her daughter, son-in-law and grandson to another carnival. The mission is to perpetuate the tradition.

“Since I was little, I’ve really liked carnival. My mother, my sister, my brother, everyone played.”

Dona Mara’s revelry didn’t end at Calango Careta. This Tuesday, she promises to add another block to the streets of Brasília, Pacotão, famous for its political satire.

Calango Careta

Since 2015, it has been a tradition for Calango Careta’s exit to the streets to be announced hours before the procession, to create anticipation.

Calango Careta also inspired local school fables, such as The Fable of Calango Careta or the Folia de Mil Diasused in schools in Asa Norte to teach about popular culture, belonging and public occupation.

On Friday (20), the documentary will be shown in a single session at Cine Brasília Calango Careta: 10 Years of Eternal Carnival, which tells the story of a group of friends who built a giant calango to play carnival on the streets of Brasília and became one of the city’s icons. The block that became a movement, the game that became a tradition.