Manoel Salustiano Soares, known as Mestre Salustiano or Mestre Salu was born in Aliança, in the northern Pernambuco sugarcane zone on 12 November 1945.

Vitalino Pereira dos Santos was born on 10 July 1909 in Sítio Campos, in Caruaru, Pernambuco. He lived in Alto do Moura, a town approximately six kilometres from Caruaru.