Murga

A carnaval murga group is practicing on the plaza as I write. I remember writing about this particular weekly brain-numbing, repetitive percussion 4 or 5 years back, as the relentless drumbeat lifts straight up and slams through the apartment.

While not exactly learning to love it, I am learning some respect for the tradition and symbolism. It’s something I (grudgingly) miss when we’re away.

Splinter , that’s the cadence, all right. But what we have under our windows is huge bass drums, not tinny little snare drums.

Still, we have the dancers practicing with them too, and I’m just now learning about the slavery origins and symbolism of the various moves.

The showmen in the video have a very precise drum and dance routine, with steps reminiscent of tango. Murga groups aren’t professional drummers or dancers - - the dancers galumph around with no graceful moves at all, and the drummers just relentlessly bang on those big bass drums. But the dance tells a story of liberation from slavery, and the group itself provides a kind of unity and pride among members, who, like the guys in your video, come from the same neighborhoods.