The ‘Noite dos Tambores Silenciosos’ (Night of the Silent Drums) is a ceremony of African origins that unites ‘baque-virado maracatu’ nations, from all over the state of Pernambuco, with the purpose of praising the Virgin of the Rosary, the godmother of black people, and pay reverence to African ancestors who suffered under slavery in Colonial Brazil.
The reverential rites to ancestors is a custom that slaves brought to Brazil, such as the Coronation of the Congo ceremony, where they elect their kings and queens, lament their dead and ask for protection from Orixás (Orisha – divine guardians of nature).
In Brazil, black people denied their freedom were unable to practice their beliefs and traditions. They then carried out their lamentation ceremonies in hiding and in silence, later giving the origin of the celebration’s name: Night of the Silent Drums.
Even after the abolition of slavery, this ritual continued to be practiced. With the passing of time, all the black communities of Recife joined in and the event has always taken place on Mondays, the day of souls in religious on African origin.
This festival of evocation and reverence is carried out on the plaza of the Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Homens Pretos Church, located on Estreita do Rosário St, in the Santo Antonio neighbourhood. However, in 1965, through the initiative of sociologist and journalist Paulo Viana, a campaign began to appreciate and rescue African rites that had been going through a period of decline during the military dictatorship, making the number of participants in this type of event greatly reduced due to political pressure.
From this, the Night of the Silent Drums was created, which began with the reading of the poem Lamento Negro (Black Lament) by Paulo Viana, on the Nossa Senhora do Terço church plaza, or Pátio do Terço as it is better known, in the São José neighbourhood, musically arranged by João Santiago, in memory of the slaves who never had the right to participate in Carnival, which is the reason the event was always held in this period.
In 1968, the Night of the Silent Drums began to be held at the Pátio do Terço, the place where African festivities traditionally happen. Nowadays, the ritual is a highlight of the Pernambuco Carnival, making up part of the Carnival calendar, held in high regard by partygoers, the curious and tourist from all over Brazil and even abroad.
The ceremony begins with performances of ‘baque-virado maracatu’ groups, which are considered to be African nations (race, type, caste of people or thing). The drum has an important role in this event. According to Valente (1952-1956), the drum is considered to be the main instrument of Xangô (one of the most popular, prestigious and widespread deities of ‘candomblés’, ‘terreiros’ and ‘macumbas’ – religious cults of African religions) and has a magic role in African religions. Its sound evokes a hypnotic power over Orisha worshippers, representing a magical link between human and divine beings, a means of communication between the material world and the spiritual world of the Orishas.
At midnight the ritual reaches its peak when the lights of the São José neighbourhood are turned off and the public is gathered in silence on the plaza. Torches are lit and taken to the Church’s door by the ‘maracatu’ group leaders. A voice delivers ‘loas’ (verses of praise, either improvised or not) to praise the Queen of black people, Our Lady of the Rosary. The silence is interrupted by only the intermittent beat of the drums of all the ‘maracatu’ nations, who sing Xangô hymns. The march of the dancers is set by the beat of the drums. Standards bearing the name of the ‘maracatu’ groups and are followed by a court of appropriately dressed African kings and queens.
At this point, the ‘babalorixá’ (holy man) responsible for the ritual aligns the drumming groups and directs a chorus of holy women to pray with him, and finishes the service by blessing the members of the ‘maracatu’ groups and the public present at the ceremony.
Recife, 23 January 2009.
(Updated on 14 September 2009.)
Translated by Peter Leamy, March 2011.
sources consulted
CAMARA CASCUDO, Luis da. Dicionário do Folclore Brasileiro. Rio de Janeiro: Edições de Ouro, 1954.
FAVALLI, Marcelo. Noite dos tambores Silenciosos mistura tradição afro com folia em Recife. Rabisco: Revista de Cultura POP, 13/26 mar. 2003. Disponível em: <http://noticias.uol.com.br/carnaval/2006/ultnot/recife/2006/02/28/ult3486u16.jhtm>. Acesso em: 7 jan. 2009.
LIRA, Ana. Silêncio em homenagem aos ancestrais. Disponível em: <http://www.rabisco.com.br/14/tambores.htm>. Acesso em: 7 jan.2009.
PADRÃO, Márcio. A tradição dos tambores silenciosos. Gazeta do Nordeste, Recife, 2 mar.2000.
RITUAL afro leva maracatus ao Pátio do Terço. Jornal do Commercio, Recife, 26 fev. 2001. Carnaval.
VALENTE, Waldemar. A função mágica dos Tambores. Revista do Arquivo Público, Recife, ano 7/10, n. 9/12, p. 81-89, 1952/1956.
how to quote this text
Source: ANDRADE, Maria do Carmo. Night of the Silent Drums. Pesquisa Escolar On-Line, Joaquim Nabuco Foundation, Recife. Available at: <https://pesquisaescolar.fundaj.gov.br/en/>. Accessed: day month year. Exemple: 6 Aug. 2009.