Feliz 2006

New Year's celebration on Copacabana were celebrated on the night of 31 December 2005 under the threat of a great thunderstorm. Lightning was coming down from the direction of the Baia de Guanabara. This is a view in that direction, from the Fort of Copacabana. Sugarloaf mountain (Pão de Açúcar) is on the left.

Along the beach, one passes many groups of religious celebrants, mainly of Afro-Brazilian religions such as Umbanda. Adherents dance in a circle, and sing hymns, often in call and response style, to a percussion ensemble of hand drums (atabaques), double bell (agogo) and metal rattle. This group danced around a shrine to Iemanja, goddess of the sea, who sat on a boat that indicated the name of this Umbanda community, of Vovó Maria Conga de Aruanda.


Above: Iemanja on a boat created for her, which was dedicated to the sea after the ceremonies; and in a different form, on a table shrine among the same group of Umbanda adherents.

Pai do Santo ("father of saints," or pastor) Zezinho do Ogum (Ogun, or god of iron and war, an orisha from West African religious traditions), introduced himself in a very friendly manner. We were joined in a photo by the enthusiastic young Wendell.

At around 10 pm, the Pai do Santo blessed participants, who then donned Amerindian style headdress along with their colorful long skirts, and danced in trance and semi-trance while puffing on cigars.


Above: A pair of women pray around a small fire. In front of them, two roses are planted before the sea--two of many floral gifts for Iemanja, for the hopes of 2006.