Greased Pole
Greased pole – Engraving by Alcides Oliveira
Image description: The image is a painting depicting a festive scene typical of a Festa Junina (June Festival). On the left side, we see two people walking, one holding the other's hand. In front of them, a man stands looking upward. In the center, there is a vertical pole with a human figure hanging from it. On the right, two other men are walking. In the background, there is a structure that appears to be part of a stage or decoration. Along the top of the image, two strings of colorful little flags are hanging. At the bottom of the image, it reads "PAU DE SEBO." The work is by Alcides Oliveira, dated 2020.Born in Portugal, the greased pole (or cocanha mast) arrived in Brazil along with the Feast of the Divine Holy Spirit. The game comes down to retrieving the prize tied to the top of a mast eight meters high, greased with fat or grease. Anything goes to get up there, from climbing onto someone's shoulders to using clamps and nails on your shoes. Whoever manages to climb the mast, besides taking the prize, rings a bell announcing victory. In the original tradition, if there was no winner, the prize was donated to a parish or charitable institution.
Sack Race
Along with the greased pole, the sack race is one of the most popular games at June festivals, church fairs and gincanas all across Brazil. The activity consists of competitors racing against each other, hopping with their feet inside a potato or burlap sack. There is a variant of the game that involves two participants but does not use the sack: the players have one's right foot and the other's left foot tied together and run toward the finish line.
Sack race – Engraving by Alcides Oliveira
Image description: The image is a colorful illustration depicting the "Sack Race," a traditional game from the Festa Junina. From left to right, we see three people with their backs turned, each holding a cloth sack. In front of them is the starting line, marked by a yellow rectangle. To the right, there are two figures: a woman with her arms raised, signaling the finish, and a small child also seen from behind. Above the yellow rectangle it reads "CHEGADA" (FINISH) and below it, "LARGADA" (START). In the upper left corner, it is signed "Alcides 2020".Egg-and-Spoon Race
Also widely played at June festivals and church fairs by people of all ages, the egg-and-spoon race consists of covering a certain distance while balancing — guess what! — an egg on a spoon. Without letting it fall, of course. One of the variations of the game that demands greater skill from participants is the one where they hold the spoon with the egg gripped between their teeth. Often, to avoid the mess caused by constant drops, the eggs are boiled.
Egg-and-spoon race – Engraving by Alcides Oliveira
Image description: The image is a black-and-white engraving. It shows a rectangular field with two people running toward the right. On the left is the inscription "Partida" (Start), pointing to the beginning of the field. On the right is the inscription "Chegada" (Finish), pointing to the end of the field. In the lower right corner, there is a hand holding a spoon with an egg on top of it. At the top of the image is written "Corrida do ovo na colher" (Egg-and-spoon race).
