Portuguese language dictionaries define carranca as a dark, ugly-faced, and disform figure, indicative of bad mood.
According to historians, the boats that circulated along the São Francisco River were the only primitive vessels of Western peoples having figureheads or carrancas.
These sculptures emerged in the Northeastern culture, more specifically in ribeirinhos (riverside dwellers) of the Middle São Francisco river around 1875–1880 and lasted until 1940, when the cycle of vessels in Brazil ended.
The figures occupy a prominent place in Northeastern popular art, as they show artistic expressiveness and a Brazilian originality.
The appearance of carrancas in the Northeastern region has many historical versions. However, anthropological studies defend the legendary aspect of carrancas, which according to the belief and mysticism of the primitive people who inhabited the region, carrancas were amulets of protection and safeguarded the boatmen, travelers, and residents from storms, dangers, and bad omens.
They scared away animals and spirits living on the São Francisco River that came out of the waters to haunt boatmen, provoke women, and steal children during nighttime. When the spirits faced the carrancas on the bows of the boats, with their bulging eyes and huge wide-open and aggressive mouths, they were frightened and fled to their hiding places.
The primitivism and naivety of the inhabitants—extremely superstitious people that believed in various legends—explain the strong tendency to submission and belief in the supernatural power of carrancas.
Regarding the economic aspect, the emergence of these horrifying, wood-carved figures of coarse aspect was one of the most relevant reasons for the commercial, political, and social emancipation of the Middle São Francisco river region.
The predominant plastic element in all carrancas is the presence of animal physiognomies, human heads, and vice versa. The most significant characteristics of these figures are their long hair and human eyes.
The Northeastern artisans of the Middle São Francisco river region have the merit of creating a popular imaginary, mythical and decorative aspect, based on regional culture, but with strong influences of peninsular art of the Middle Ages.
In Brazil, since the decline of the barge cycle in the 1940s, these handcrafted sculptures became objects of popular art found in museums, exhibitions, craft fairs, and collections.
One of the main and most famous artisans of the barge cycle was the sculptor Francisco Biquiba Dy Lafuente Guarany, who throughout his career sowed and disseminated his artistic skills with the people. Today, the hinterlands of the Northeastern Brazil has many artisans scattered throughout the region.
Due to the great demand, the trade of carrancas has expanded greatly, becoming an alternative activity for the carranqueiros of the Northeast.
Other than a significant expression of popular art, making carrancas is a profitable activity for the craftspeople.
Recife, July 21, 2003.
sources consulted
CARRANCAS. Foto nesse texto. Disponível em: <http://cbhsaofrancisco.org.br/o-rico-artesanato-as-margens-do-velho-chico/>. Acesso em: 9 ago. 2016.
CARRANCAS são a cara de Petrolina. Suplemento Cultural D. O. PE, Recife, ano 15, p. 26, set. 2000.
PARDAL, Paulo. Carrancas do São Francisco. Rio de Janeiro: Funarte, 1979. 32 p.
______. Guarany: 80 anos de carrancas. Rio de Janeiro: Berlendis, 1981. 90 p.
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MACHADO, Regina Coeli Vieira. Carrancas do São Francisco. In: Pesquisa Escolar. Recife: Fundação Joaquim Nabuco, 2003. Available at:https://pesquisaescolar.fundaj.gov.br/en/artigo/carrancas-sao-francisco/. Access on: month day year. (Ex.: Aug. 6, 2020.)