Cavalhada of Brumal and Festa de Santo Amaro 2011 in Santa Bárbara, MG

74th Cavalhada of Brumal and Festa de Santo Amaro

From June 24 to July 3, 2011, the district of Brumal, in Santa Bárbara – MG, hosted another celebration of faith and tradition: the 74th Cavalhada of Brumal and Festa de Santo Amaro (an equestrian pageant reenacting the battle between Moors and Christians, held during the Feast of Saint Maurus). The event, already considered one of the greatest symbols of folk culture in the Serra do Caraça, brought together horsemen, devotees, artists and visitors for an intense program of religious and cultural activities.

Organized by the Santa Bárbara City Hall, in partnership with the Brumal Community Association, the 2011 edition kept alive the tradition begun in 1937, when the muleteers Jorge Calunga and Amaro Luís held the first Cavalhada in thanks for a grace received. Since then, the event has been a landmark of the town's religious life and intangible heritage.

The Cavalhada Tradition

The Cavalhada of Brumal is made up of 34 horsemen, divided into two groups representing Moors and Christians. The performance symbolizes the battles fought in the Middle Ages in defense of Christianity, culminating in the conversion of the Moors and the victory of the Christian faith.

During the show, the horsemen parade in colorful costumes and perform choreographed maneuvers amid music and applause. The ribbons braided on the Santo Amaro mast have symbolic meanings:

• Yellow: represents gold and royalty;

• Red: symbolizes the wars and the defense of Christianity;

• Green: expresses hope in a united Christianity;

• Blue: represents heaven and faith in salvation.

The festival is officially recognized as Intangible Heritage of Santa Bárbara, a title granted in 2009, and remains one of the most eagerly awaited events in the Serra do Caraça region.

Culture and Joy in the Heart of Brumal

The 2011 program began on Friday, June 24, and continued for more than a week, bringing together religious and cultural attractions for all ages.

On June 25 (Saturday), the opening featured the quadrilha (square dance) of the Grupo Reviver from the Brumal Family Health Program and a special performance by the Grupo de Santa Bárbara, which delighted the local audience.

On Sunday (26th), the Largo de Brumal hosted the Cycling Meet, with a prize draw featuring a bicycle, adding sport and leisure to the religious celebration.

On Friday, July 1, the region's schools took over the stage: the Cecília Álvares Duarte Municipal School presented its traditional quadrilha at 4 p.m., followed by the Brumal State School, whose elementary and high school students performed a lively June dance. The night continued with shows by Mauro dos Teclados (9:30 p.m.) and Toni Brás (11:30 p.m.), bringing plenty of music and joy.

On Saturday, July 2, the highlight was the show by the duo André Luís & Leandro at 8:30 p.m., representing local talent, followed by Banda Fayre, from Belo Horizonte, which kept the party going into the early hours with Brazilian hits.

The Big Day

Sunday, July 3, was the high point of the program, marked by the emotion and beauty of the 74th Cavalhada of Brumal. The day began early, at 5 a.m., with a dawn salute and fireworks, followed by musical performances: at 10 a.m., the Corporação Musical Santo Antônio (town band) opened the festivities, and at noon it was the turn of the Banda União Musical XV de Novembro, from Mariana.

At 5 p.m., the eagerly awaited Cavalhada performance took place, led by Divino Lúcio and José de Mário, with narration by Tião Crispim and the Banda Santa Cecília, from Barão de Cocais. The audience cheered the reenactment and the spectacle of color and movement that filled the Largo de Brumal.

Right after, at 6 p.m., the sky lit up with a fireworks display by Elmo de Castro, followed by the evening's musical close: at 8 p.m., a show by Thales & Felipe, a duo from Belo Horizonte, ended the festival in great style, celebrating another successful edition of faith and devotion.

A Celebration Uniting Faith and Culture

More than a festival, the Cavalhada of Brumal and Festa de Santo Amaro is a symbol of faith, perseverance and love for Minas Gerais traditions. With each edition, the event reinforces the cultural identity of the people of Santa Bárbara and the whole Serra do Caraça region, attracting pilgrims and tourists from many towns.

The 74th edition showed once again that the strength of tradition is alive in Brumal — in the horsemen who keep up the ritual, in the families who welcome visitors and in the generations who continue to celebrate Santo Amaro with pride, devotion and joy.