ABOUT SAMBA
Samba originated in Brazil, and comes from a Brazilian interpretation of traditional African rhythms. It is commonly known as the traditional sound of Brazilian carnival because it was through carnival that samba emerged. A samba band or "bateria" is made up of many drummers playing different rhythms on assorted instruments which blend together to form the tune. In carnival they often accompany dancers in exquisite and elaborate (and in the case of many of the Brazilian carnivals, often very revealing) costumes.
In the UK and NI it is estimated that there are somewhere between 180 and 300 samba related groups, most of which play samba, with a growing number who both play and dance samba.
About Rhythms of Resistance
The Rhythms of Resistance (RoR)
network of activist samba drum bands comprises over 20 separate activist samba drum bands
all over the world. RoR is descended from the pink and silver "tactical frivolity" bloc
(aka the "silly stunts and fluffy stuff" section) of the anti-Globalisation campaigns of the 1990s and early
2000s. As such, the use
of tactical frivolity, carnival and creativity, along with a rejection of violence
and militant confrontation are a defining hallmark of bands in the RoR network (it is also why
many of the bands in the RoR network wear pink when out and about).
Rhythms of Resistance take some of their inspiration from the "blocos-afros" bands (e.g. Olodum or Ilê Aiyê) that emerged in the mid-1970s in Salvadore, in the Bahia region of Brazil. These bands were formed as expressions of black awareness, in defiance of a military dictatorship which viewed any "cultural" group as potentially "communist" and ruthlessly suppressed them. Blocos-afros bands were responsible for blending traditional samba rhythms with reggae, salsa and merengue to create the samba style now known as Samba Reggae. Today many of these bands still campaign for freedom, human rights and equal opportunities, and fight against social injustice and racism.
All the bands in the RoR network play the same tunes and try and use the same hand signals. This means at large events, different bands can join up to form a large and exuberant bateria.
RoR bands work on a decentralised and democratic basis. All decisions within each band are made by consensus. No-one is "in charge" and those who have just joined the band have the same voice as those who have been members for many years. Each band operates independently, joining campaigns and actions that they themselves support, but they may join together for national demos etc. At large events, where multiple bands meet up and play together, mestres may come from any of the bands present, swapping in and out as mood and movement takes them.
Although each band in the network is a independent entity answerable only to its members, they all share some common beliefs and values that define the Rhythms of Resistance network as a whole. These are:
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They work for social justice, freedom, human rights and equal opportunities
for all.
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They use samba, music, carnival and tactical frivolity as part of direct action and protest,
rejecting violence and militant confrontation.
- They reject and work against all forms of discrimination, repression, exploitation and oppression.
The Instruments
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The Agogo is made up of two to four small cow bells joined together, and is normally played in a pattern. |
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Shakers: These give movement and rhythm to the groove and helps give samba music its distinctive sound. They might look easy to play but require a good technique and lots of stamina! The 2 most common are the chocalho and the ganza. The Chocalho (pronounced shi-cal-lio) is made up of lots of small metal disks attached to a stick. They sound like Santa on a joy ride. A Ganza is a cylindrical metal tube filled with beads or metal balls to create a lovely swishy sound. Ganzas can range in size from small single pocket-sized ones to giant double monsters. Ganzas tend to be quieter than chocalhos. |
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The Tamborim (“Tam”) is the smallest and fastest of the drums. They're not the same as those rubbish tambourines with bells that you played at school. In samba, tams have no bells, and are hit with sticks made up of multiple flexible rods or prongs to produce a loud, sharp high-pitched “crack”. They are a lot harder to play than they look. |
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The Repenique (pronounced Hep-a-nee-key) or “hep” looks more like a "proper" drum and produces a sound similar but more mellow and tonal to the Tam. In keeping with the Samba Reggae style, RoR bands normally play them using plastic "whippy" sticks (although we also use our hands for some tunes). It is usually the heps and tams that produce the “tune”. Mestres often use the heps to signal or for call and response breaks. |
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The Caixa (ca-sha) or snare drum, is one of the most difficult to master, but provides the essential feeling of movement to the rhythms. |
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The Timba
is not seen in all bands, especially smaller ones. They are mid-sized conical
drums played with the hand or a mixture of a hand and a light stick. They sounds like a cross
between a surdo and a djembe. |
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The Surdo (sir-do) are the large bass drums in the band. They come in three tones (low, mid and high) and create the underlying beat and rhythm of the music. Look simple to play, but as they provide the tempo, they are a lot harder than they look! |
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Box of matches - WHAT?! |
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| It is totally in the spirit of samba music to improvise instruments out of whatever you happen to have. When a military junta ran Brazil in the 1960s and 1970s, street music, or indeed anything deemed "cultural" was suppressed, and sambistas were liable to be arrested. During this time, items such as pots and pans, table tops, match boxes and clapped hands were widely played as these could be put to more innocent uses if the army showed up. To put it another way - go with what you've got! | ||||||
If you can walk you can dance - Zimbabwe proverb