Researcher of Afro-Brazilian history and culture, professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Helena Theodoro criticized the choice and lack of representativeness of the judges appointed by the Liga Independente das Escolas de Samba do Rio (Liesa) to choose the best associations of this year’s carnival. The counting of votes was yesterday (22). “It’s absurd to have 36 jurors and not have a single black person to evaluate a demonstration that is, basically, African-based. tradition that is being represented there “, highlighted Helena. Bachelor of law and pedagogue, master in education, doctor in philosophy and postdoctoral in comparative history, the teacher said that, to judge samba school, it is necessary a body of judges that get to know the schools and also the fundamentals of the associations. “Because they were all created by pai de santo and madre de santo. It’s another culture, and the gaze of a dancer from the Municipal Theater will never understand the dance of a master of ceremonies and a flag bearer, or a passista from a samba school, who represent elements of nature that are air, water, earth and fire. It is another culture, and there are different perspectives.” The black African cultural tradition in Brazil, according to Helena, is always put aside, considered inferior, when there is a process of more than 10,000 years that is of a very high intellectual and erudite level. “We work with territory, with the community, with concern for nature, for children. And all of this is within the samba schools”, he said. Brasilidade For Helena, The samba school translates the way of being and living of the Africans who came to Brazil “None of this is known or understood by the jurors”, says professor Helena Theodoro.According to the professor, if Brazil had an education that valued all existing cultures, it would not be a problem for the majority of jurors not to be black, because “But what happens is that the training received is from a university that comes with a totally European influence and is tied to hierarchical values dating back to the 19th century, which considers black and indigenous cultures a minor thing and that even has not the slightest respect for the way of life, nor of thought, nor of ancestry, of blacks and Indians.” Helena said that the role of the samba school is to tell a story and recalled that, in addition, it brings social problems, it brings people’s history. Liesa should have other criteria when choosing the judges. We have so many old-school people, so many good people from the world of samba who could be judging the schools.” In Helena’s opinion, traditional schools such as Mangueira, Portela and Império Serrano should not enter into dispute and should parade hors concours, that is, outside of judgment, because they have a representative history. reference for the world and that the samba schools clearly represent Brazil, as well as feijoada, samba, baianas and other manifestations of black origin. Rádio Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, broadcaster by Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), recalled that the majority of whites among the judges of samba school parades is a phenomenon that has been happening for some time. “In the time of Zacarias Siqueira [vice-presidente da Liesa, morto em 2020)], he even invited a friend from the beach. People without the slightest responsibility sit there in that box and will judge what they don’t know”, said Rubem Confete to Agência Brasil. He stated that Liesa’s regulations are a true treaty, created in 1988 by physician Hiram Araújo. At the time, Confete already said: “You are building a treaty that is difficult to interpret and invite people to, suddenly, in two or three sessions, learn that. It’s not going to work. I’ve been complaining about this for many years. Now other people are coming to complain too.” For Confete, it is difficult to invite a friend to be a judge, even if he has an academic background, because it could be completely outside the parameters of the art of samba. The jury should be made up of people who know the samba schools, the issues they are dealing with, he said. “That’s because, indisputably, the show is incredibly grandiose, and the judges evaluate it without having the slightest idea of what’s going on.” Liesa In a note sent to Agência Brasil, Liesa said that she is proud of “having experienced and talented professionals from various areas of expertise on the official jury” and that she makes “a wide and rigorous selection based on CVs, knowledge of Carnival and career history , without any distinction to skin color or gender identity”. it is traditionally done by men in a culture that is now beginning to change. In this way, Liesa’s board states that “it is aligned with and attentive to the commitment to promote diversity and inspire good examples for other carnival institutions and for society in general”.
Agência Brasil
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