Solidarity and Resistance

 It’s midsummer in the middle of February and the festival of resistance that defines the real spirit of carnival is in full swing. When hardly a day passes without headline news of another atrocity or outburst of hatred, to spend three days immersed in iridescent colour and explosive samba, surrounded by expressions of solidarity, is a reminder that all is not lost. Carnival restores faith in our common humanity and is a bulwark against those who perpetrate the politics of intolerance and division. The drum baterias of the different schools of samba dance down the sambódromo, the brightly lit avenue built for carnival parades. The tribal competitiveness is fierce as they do battle to catch the judges’ attention. It is chucking it down, but the monsoon weather does little to dampen the enthusiasm of both spectators and participants. Emblazoned with the slogan, “Against State Terrorism,” the voluminous white dresses of the Maes de Maio swirl past. Behind them trundles a float that supports a giant open book and a manifesto that reads; “health, education, employment, dignity, housing, family.” As in previous years the struggle against racism and for the rights of indigenous peoples is a common theme. So is the celebration of diverse identities and the ongoing battle to recognise the African roots of so much Brazilian culture. In these dark times, the exuberant sensory assault is a demonstration of the rebellious creativity that necessarily lies at the heart of the struggle against fascism and authoritarianism. To quote the writer Conceição Evaristo, carnival “is a time to tell stories that have not been told or to tell another version of history. It is a time when the history of the people brings to light what has been omitted. It is not leisure for leisure's sake. It is leisure with this burden of resistance.”