30/06/2016
Between June 3rd and 5th, the Caboclo Bernardo Party brought joy to the Regência village. The district of approximately 900 people received about 6,000 visitors. The event helped rescuing the tourism and stimulating the local economy. The highlight of the party was the 26th Gathering of Congo Bands, held on Sunday and, for the first time, with participants from outside the state. In all, 24 groups of congo, jongo, folia de reis and congada performed, including one from Minas Gerais.
In order to rescue and disseminate capixaba cultural roots, the Caboclo Bernardo Party exceeded expectations. “The initiative has served to raise the self-esteem of the population and show the tourist that Regência retains all its cultural and environmental richness. One could see that it is possible to get back to the way things were before”, said Carlos Sangalia, social director of the Residents Association of Regência (Amor).
The party had the cultural support of and was also held by Samarco by means of the “Tourism, Culture, Sports and Leisure Support Program”, one of the 41 constituent programs of the Agreement (link para notícia sobre o acordo) signed by the company, the Federal government, the government of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, among other government entities.
Tradition
Promoted since the 1930s, the Caboclo Bernardo Party was held by the Residents Association of Regência (Amor), the Congo Cultural Association of Regência, the Commercial Association of Regência, the Tamar Project and Samarco. The event also has the cultural support of the Government of the State of Espírito Santo, through the State Departments of Culture and Tourism, in addition to the Commercial Association of Regência, the Congo Cultural Association of Regência, the Catholic Church of Regência and the Sports League of Regência.
The party
The party included a concert of the traditional reggae band Tribo de Jah and anlso Banda Casaca, a Capixaba music group with congo roots. The people attending the event could also participate in drum and ganzá (Congo typical instruments) making workshops, check the exhibition of handicrafts and naive artists from Regência, besides watch the presentation of the Auto do Caboclo Bernardo, performed by the Cia de Artes Regência Augusta, a group of local artists who reenacted the Caboclo Bernardo’s trajectory.
See how was the party:
