Do you know Brazil has a specific day for celebrating one of most popular passion? Yes, it´s true! Brazil celebrated last December 1st the National Samba Day- “Dia Nacional do Samba”. The National Samba Day is part of a giant initiative promoted by several artists, musicians, cultural producers, intellectuals and carnival entrepreneurs in order to protect and perpetuate this unique musical rhythm. Samba Schools are also supporting this beautiful project, since the samba is one of the true origins of the great Carnival done in Brazil.

Below a samba cartoon from Lan, one most famous in Brazil:



During this day, a series of samba and carnival events took place all around the country. Definitely, samba is a vibrant cause to celebrate. Brazilian National Samba Day project started a few years ago when the grand-daughter of legendary samba composer Cartola and president of the Cartola Cultural Center, Nilcemar Nogueira, proposed the Cultural Patrimony registry with Brazil´s Iphan. ( Iphan is the federal organ that serves as a base for the constitution of state and municipal organs for the protection of cultural patrimony. It was created by the Decree nº 25, on the 30th of November of 1937, and elaborated by Mário de Andrade at the request of Gustavo Capanema, minister of then-President Getúlio Vargas).

After careful analysis, the Brazilian government patrimony body declared the Rio de Janeiro Samba, or “Carioca Samba” as a legitimate Cultural Patrimony of Brazil in October 9th, 2007. IPHAN declared Rio´s samba three strands: “the partido alto”, “samba de terreiro”, and “samba-enredo”, the later being the one played at the samba schools Rio de Janeiro Carnival Parade. The Samba School Association in Rio de Janeiro LIESA, also supported this project. Nilcemar said that the project would help not only to preserve the memory of all of those who founded the Brazilian Samba in the past, but would help new generations to come understand, cherish, and cultivate the importance of this genuine Brazilian rhythm.

Samba and Brazil Carnaval legends like Cartola, Carlos Cachaça, Vinícius de Morais and Tom Jobim, (the two last ones composers of “The Girl from Ipanema”) would surely applaud this movement. So next year, December 1st 2009, make sure to celebrate the Carioca Samba! Put on a Cartola record, prepare a nice caipirinha, call your friends and enjoy this magical rhythm!