Video produced by members of the PBL111 class
Samba was created in Brazil, and its origin lies in the batuques brought by enslaved Black people, mixed with European rhythms such as polka, waltz, mazurka, minuet, among others.
Since the 19th century, even before the abolition of slavery (1888) and the establishment of the Republic (1889), many Black people headed to what was then the imperial capital in search of work.
However, any Afro-diasporic expression - such as capoeira and candomblé ceremonies - was viewed with suspicion and criminalized by Brazilian society.
The Museum
Located at the foot of Mangueira hill, the museum was founded in 2001 as the Cartola Cultural Center, by the grandchildren of Dona Zica and Cartola, seeking to promote and preserve the memory of samba.
The museum has a unique collection with more than 45,000 items.
Who was Cartola
Antenor de Oliveira, better known as Cartola, was born in Rio de Janeiro, in the neighborhood of Catete, on October 11, 1908. While still a child, he received his first guitar from his father, but it was only when he was over 60 years old that he released his first record.
Among his greatest hits are “As rosas não falam,” “O mundo é um moinho,” and “O Sol Nascerá.” Antenor's life of revelry grew stronger when he met Carlos Cachaça, who introduced him to the roguish world of samba and drink. Surrounded by several friends, the samba musician created the bloco dos Arengueiros, which was the first step toward the formation of Estação Primeira de Mangueira, founded in 1928.
In the end, Antenor ended up taking on the role of the school's first harmony director. The mangueira tree emblem and the colors were created by him. In the 1930s, Cartola began to become known outside the samba schools' environment, and, as a result, several partnerships emerged.
In the early 1960s, Cartola grew close to Dona Zica, the sister-in-law of his friend Carlos Cachaça. The two decided to be together and later created the bar called Zicartola, which became a meeting point for several musicians. Cartola and Zica decided to formalize their relationship in 1964. After that, Cartola composed the samba "Nós dois" for his beloved.
Unfortunately, on November 30, 1980, Cartola passed away from cancer, at the age of 72, in Rio de Janeiro.
Video produced by members of class HPD301
Text written by the HPD301 class group
