G.R.A.N.E.SQuilombo

Samba schools are the great stars of our carnival, and since the late 1920s, they have set the rhythm of the revelry and stirred Rio's emotions.

In 1975, concerned about the direction that carnival and the samba schools were taking as they became increasingly glamorous and market-driven, singer and songwriter Candeia (Antônio Candeia Filho), one of Portela's most important composers, founded the Grêmio Recreativo de Arte Negra e Escola de Samba Quilombo, the G.R.A.N.E.S Quilombo.

Candeia, the founder of G.R.A.N.E.S Quilombo

Image description: This is a black and white photograph of a man. He is wearing a white hat and a white shirt. His right hand holds a musical instrument, while his left hand holds a stick. There is a watch on his shirt sleeve. The background is blurred, with some white dots that appear to be lights or decorations.

For master Candeia, it was necessary to preserve the Black traditions that had formed the foundations of the samba schools, without giving in to the interference and overreach of people from outside (costume designers, choreographers, visual artists, among others who were "professionalizing" Carnival), while maintaining the connection with the community and popular wisdom. The school was open to everyone who respected the traditions, but, as the school's founding manifesto letter stated: "...Here, everyone can collaborate. No one can rule."

Bringing together important sambistas such as Paulinho da Viola, Nei Lopes, and Wilson Moreira at his house, in Taquara, Candeia kicked off the Grêmio Recreativo. It was a samba and Black art school, a quilombo of resistance and preservation of tradition, but also a school for civic education about the history of the Afro-Brazilian people.

After the meetings at Candeia's house, the school's first headquarters was in Rocha Miranda, in 1975. The following year, the headquarters was moved to Esporte Clube Vega, in Coelho Neto. Parading through the streets of the suburbs, the school even closed out the champions' parade of 1978, with the memorable theme “Ao Povo em Forma de Arte,” by Nei Lopes and Wilson Moreira. With Candeia's death, at the end of 1978, Clube Vega ended the contract, and the school was left without a headquarters. After the 1979 parade, the school went through a period of difficulties and, without parading, only had a headquarters again in the 1980s.

The school pavilion in 2007. Image taken from the Quintal do Samba website

Image description: The image shows a colorful flag with a radial design in shades of yellow, white, and purple. In the center, there is a circle with a drawing of a palm tree and a shell, surrounded by text that forms a ring. The text "GRANDE SAMAR COLOMBO" is written around the central circle, and below it, "2007." The edge of the flag is decorated with golden fringes. In the background, we can see some people walking and a green tree.

Today, G.R.A.N.E.S Quilombo's president is Selma Candeia, daughter of master Candeia. The headquarters - at Rua Ouseley 810, Acari - is a space for cultural activities and samba circles, but the school no longer holds parades through the neighborhoods.