In addition to being the largest commercial hub in the Zona Norte and the second largest in the entire city of Rio de Janeiro (losing out only to SAARA, downtown), Madureira is also one of the greatest birthplaces of carioca samba. Although a long time has passed since the neighborhood's involvement with the famous carnival blocos began, to this day we see famous traditions - such as that of the popular Bloco das Piranhas, where men dress up as women and go out to celebrate carnival - being carried on by our society.
The Bloco das Piranhas is the highlight of Madureira's street carnival - Carnaval. Source: extraonline
Image description: This is a photograph of a festive scene, possibly from a Carnival street bloc. From left to right, we see the legs of two people wearing fishnet stockings and colorful short skirts, predominantly pink and purple. In the foreground, a white hand holds a small brown teddy bear. The skirts have pink and purple fringes, adding movement to the scene.Carnival is a celebration where you can be and do whatever you want, where you can dress up as a woman and go out dancing without being discriminated against, since it's all just one big joke. At the Bloco das Piranhas in Madureira, men dress up as women without fear. It's something that has become a tradition since it began. Men, even married heterosexual men, go out to have fun and joke around. Of course, back when it all started, there were people who didn't like the idea, just as there were those who didn't even like Carnival. But all the men, or most of them, played around, danced, and had fun without fear of being discriminated against or judged for their feminine clothing or behavior. Even women and children took part, and they still take part today. The Bloco is also seen as an act of courage for those who wish to come out, since it's a way of facing society and letting out the woman they have inside them. One can think of the Bloco das Piranhas not only as a fun celebration, but also as a refuge for all gay men and trans people, who can finally dress however they want without fear of prejudice. It's an implicit symbol of resistance.
Men dressed up as ballerinas enjoy the Bloco das Piranhas at the Madureira carnival Photo: Nina Lima / Extra / Agência O Globo
Image description: This is a photograph of three people wearing colorful miniskirts and fishnet stockings. The person in the center is holding a soda bottle. Everyone is smiling and appears to be taking part in a festive event. In the background, there are other people walking and some objects on a table.For 25 years, the Bloco das Piranhas was one of the biggest Carnival street groups (Blocos Carnavalescos) in the city. And not just that, since it was one more bridge between football and samba, marking the lives of many people and especially of many players, such as Zé Roberto Padilha, who says: "Ever since Moisés, the defender known as Xerife, at the time a Vasco player, with the help of a few teammates, among them Alcir and half the Olaria team, went out on a Carnival Saturday dressed as women through the streets of Madureira, the Bloco das Piranhas became a permanent part of the lives of all of us football folks. So much time later, we still go out as Piranhas, just like yesterday, incorrigible, irreverent, and ready to party. Since that episode, which took place in the early 1970s, I only missed going out with the bloco once. In 1975. Because right on that year's Carnival Saturday, Francisco Horta, our president, decided to schedule a match at the same time as our outing. And of all places, at the Maracanã, against Corinthians. The reason? He was presenting Roberto Rivelino, a three-time champion whom not even a diehard Corinthians fan wanted anymore." Although football and Carnival are no longer as inseparable as they once were, there is still a fond memory of the time when Madureira was yet another meeting point between Carnival revelers and players. (Museu da Pelada)
Parade of the Bloco das Piranhas, in the streets of Madureira in 1979. Source: flickr - Caminhos de Cascadura
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of an excited crowd in front of a bus. On the left side, several people are raising their arms, some holding objects. In the center, a woman with short hair is singing or shouting. In the background, the bus displays the number "908" and the word "GUADALUPE" on its upper section. The spatial arrangement is dynamic, with people filling the space in front of the vehicle, creating a sense of movement and celebration.During festive periods such as Carnival, it is common to see trios elétricos, streets packed with people, drumming and music at deafening volumes, but there are obviously negative consequences to this overexposure to loud sound. The maximum recommended exposure limit is 85 decibels, and if this amount is exceeded, there is a risk of hearing loss. During this time, falls and traumatic accidents caused by car crashes also become more frequent. And, on top of all this, with the arrival of Carnival, two relevant public health issues deserve special attention from authorities and society itself: Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), especially HIV, and teenage pregnancy. All educational prevention campaigns are intensified during this time of year, seeking to reverse an increasingly growing and real situation.
Adding yet another gradual and terrifying danger that couldn't be missing on these occasions, especially in Madureira, which is already crowded enough on its own, there are also the infamous "pickpockets." The flow of people becomes even more intense during Carnival, making these thieves' job easier.
um ex-brincante que utilizava tinta guache e spray para produzir suas fantasias, cujo serviço contava com o auxílio de uma figura um pouco inusitada para a época. 'Certa vez, algumas pessoas abordaram meu pai na rua para avisá-lo que o filho era a rainha do Bloco das Piranhas. «Tranquilo», ele respondeu. «Eu o ajudo a vestir as fantasias»' (...). Na opinião do ex-brincante, o Bloco representou um foco de resistência contra o machismo e preconceito.
Reveler at the Bloco das Piranhas parade. Source: extraonline
Image description: The image is a photograph of a woman dancing samba. She is in the center of the image, with afro hair adorned with yellow flowers. She wears a black blouse with white details, black pants with white details, and white socks with green stripes. She is holding a green soda can in her right hand. In the background, there is a large white sign with the text "SAMBA" in green. To the left, other people are standing still, some looking at her.It looks like the source text you intended to include is missing — only "Referências:" (References:) was provided, with no content to translate. Could you please share the full text you'd like translated? Once I have it, I'll provide the English (US) translation following all the formatting rules (preserving markers, links, and placeholders exactly as specified).
