By DANIEL COSTA*

The Vai-Vai characters are a synthesis of the Bixiga neighborhood, especially the part of the neighborhood that continues to resist the attacks that try to change the character of the traditional São Paulo region.

the beginnings

When we think about the occupation of the floodplain regions in the capital of São Paulo, it is essential to consider the Saracura Valley region. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, with the occupation of the region of Avenida Paulista and Consolação by the coffee-growing elite, the employees of these families, usually black women who worked as cooks and laundresses, and immigrants who performed domestic work, began to occupy the region with their families.

At that time, one of the main ways for this population to socialize and have fun was on the local fields. It was not uncommon to see mixed teams playing on the fields in the region. One of these teams, Cai-Cai, gave rise to the Vai-Vai group in 1930, which would later become a samba school with a long tradition and the biggest champion of the São Paulo carnival. Shortly after its founding, Vai-Vai was already standing out as one of the city's main groups, rivaling the Barra Funda Group for carnival prominence. According to accounts from the time, it was not uncommon to see conflicts between the members of the two groups.

Still on the subject of the occupation of Bixiga by the black population, Olga von Simson explains that the streets Rocha and Marques Leão were home to the majority of the region's black population. The first Vai-Vai parade departed from the house of Benedito Sardinha (Rua Rocha, 547), a Light motorman, in 1930. In a statement to the author, Seu Livinho, founder of the group at the time, reported that, as a child and teenager, he lived in a house located at the intersection of Marques Leão and Santo Antônio streets.

Another important activity for Vai-Vai during that period were the dances, defined by von Simson as “activities that brought together this group from Bixiga, more precisely from the slopes of Vale do Saracura”. Initially, the dances took place at Seu Sardinha’s house, but the space became insufficient, and Vai-Vai began to rent the hall of Lusitânia, a local football club also located on Rua Rocha.

With the consolidation of the dances, other spaces in the neighborhood were also used, such as halls located on Manoel Dutra and Frei Caneca streets, close to the Church of Divino Espírito Santo.

However, until the 1960s, only the black community paraded in Vai-Vai. Scholars of carnival and São Paulo samba point out that this characteristic may have been a crucial factor in the consolidation of Vai-Vai as a point of reference and resistance for São Paulo samba.

In a statement given to Olga von Simson, Pé-Rachado, one of the mainstays of the Bixiga group, stated: “Back then, Bela Vista didn’t have this infinity of apartments, it didn’t have this transformation. So, the people were Vai-Vai; they liked it.” Dona Conceição, who never paraded in the group and knew Vai-Vai since her second decade, confirmed this acceptance to the author: “Nobody stayed home when Vai-Vai came out. Everyone went out onto the street.”

Residents helped as much as they could in preparing the parade: wealthy neighbors offered generous donations, such as Américo, who lived on Rua dos Franceses. “He helped a lot. In fact, he was the president of Vai-Vai. He was one of the people who helped the group the most,” according to Pé-Rachado. Those who were less well-off contributed smaller donations, such as “thread and needle.” The important thing for everyone was to ensure that the group paraded with distinction, competing with other groups in the city.

Almost a century after the consolidation of the process of occupation of these regions by the black population and the subsequent attempts at erasure by the elites, researchers Vitor Silveira and Leonardo Antan state that, “in a vision influenced by Afro-religious thought, it is possible to say: Exu charged”.

Religiosity

Regarding religiosity at the school, I bring the testimony of two bastions given to journalist Cláudia Alexandre. Fernando Penteado, director of harmony and great-grandson of one of the founders of the group at the time, says that: “My aunt Antonieta, who was a mother of the saint, was the first standard-bearer; Aunt Ana paraded as Carmen Miranda, she was the school’s first baiana; Aunt Dirce led the school’s song, singing in the chorus in the parades. My family is rooted here at the school; we have twenty-eight people between baianas, children’s wing and wing support. My sister, Cleuzi, has been head of the children’s wing since 1968. My daughter Laura was the children’s queen when she was seven years old, queen of the drum section when she was ten years old and today she is a standout at the school; my other daughter Paula was the standard-bearer for twenty-five years. She carried the school’s first flag designed by my great-grandfather, Frederico Penteado.”

For Fernando Penteado, every gesture of the association represents the orixá. “Our divinity begins with the sound of the bass drum; the surdo represents rum – the largest atabaque drum that plays for the orixás in the terreiros”.

In her research, Cláudia Alexandre also heard from people who represent the generation that witnessed the birth of the school's religious tradition. Among them, Paulo Valentim, a journalist and member of the school's old guard, said that he arrived at Vai-Vai as a boy. Born in the Bixiga neighborhood, Valentim spent time with people like Pato N'Água, composer Geraldo Filme and the school's iconic percussionists, such as Caveirinha, Teleco and Flavinho.

In a statement to the journalist and researcher, Valentim reinforces the school’s connections with Candomblé: “My grandmother, Dona Joana Zimbres, also took me to Pirapora. I was about twelve or thirteen years old. But I can confirm that the party there was serious. Samba dancers from all over would come, but when we got there, we would form a single group. There were people from Vai-Vai, Geraldo Filme; Seu Carlão from Peruche; Xangô from Vila Maria. They already had a background and a connection with Candomblé, they had their mysticism. We would get there, there would be drumming, sambas, prayers, they would sing the orixás’ points, they would have songs. But the highlight was the choruses and verses. One would lead, and the other would respond. It was a serious thing. We would all stay in the barracão. The priests didn’t like it very much, they thought that was the party for black people. But in the end, it really was. The big Pirapora party took place in the shed (…) At Vai-Vai, we are the majority to step onto the grounds and perform our duties. There is a lot of respect, it is part of our school, of Vai-Vai. There, the children already know how to do it from home. Education is from the cradle, everything is passed down. The children know how to bang their heads together.”

Fighting to preserve the memory of the black population of Bixiga, of those who lived in Quilombo Saracura and in the region's slums – which can be considered quilombos of the 20th and 21st centuries – and ensuring the permanence of Vai-Vai in the neighborhood is more than just making a commitment: it is a legacy.

As journalist Cláudia Alexandre states in her fundamental work to understand the presence of Afro religions in the association: “In Vai-Vai, religiosity reinforces the community’s ethnic-cultural identity, constitutes a link with ancestral tradition and a form of political resistance against the racist structure. In addition, it marks how negotiations and clashes with other cultural traditions in the neighborhood, originating from Italian immigrants and migrants from the Northeast, took place.”

The remarkable sambas

In a samba school, the amalgamation of the traditions present, the bond of belonging and the idea of ​​community is forged around the samba-enredo that the school presents each carnival. In addition to the anthem of the school and the exaltation sambas (an increasingly rare tradition), the samba-enredo is the element that unites the school, both among the revelers who parade and those who contemplate the procession.

Ultimately, the samba theme determines the school's destiny each Carnival. A good samba not only strengthens these connections with the audience, but also facilitates the development of evolution and harmony, thanks to good lyrics and melody. In addition, the harmony of the drums and the dance of the master-of-ceremonies and flag-bearer couple are enhanced. On the other hand, an unfortunate choice can jeopardize the entire work of a year.

Historian and researcher Luiz Antônio Simas, in collaboration with composer Nei Lopes, defines samba-enredo as “a type of samba that consists of lyrics and melody created based on a summary of the theme chosen as the theme of a samba school”. Furthermore, the duo emphasizes that the first sambas sung by the schools in their carnival performances were freely created, addressing the samba environment itself and the reality of the samba dancers. Writer and journalist Alberto Mussa offers a broader perspective, defining samba-enredo as “the only epic, non-lyrical, genuinely Brazilian musical genre, born and developed without the influence of any other epic, literary or musical type”.

In a group like Vai-Vai, having a composers’ section closely linked to the school’s daily life was essential for the creation of legendary sambas, whether for the school or for the São Paulo carnival. In a statement given to historian Bruno Baronetti, musician and composer Osvaldinho da Cuíca describes how the composers’ section was founded: “I worked harder than ever in my life within Vai-Vai. I started rehearsing in Jaçanã. There was the largest section of Vai-Vai, the section of Dona Paula, a priestess, a black woman who performed a very important social service within samba. She had a very large terreiro in her house. She took in street kids and gave them shelter, gave them food, put them in school and really educated them. Then I started rehearsing with those kids and created the first frying pan section, with seventeen frying pans in Vai-Vai’s drum section. Individual frying pans already existed. I played the frying pan in Tucuruvi, but as an individual. There was no frying pan section that sometimes acted as a tambourine. I organized the cuiqueiros, because there were already very good cuiqueiros, like Caveira, Maninho and other old guys in Vai-Vai. I also introduced harmony instruments. I wrote the rules for the composers' section, because Penteado was one of the oldest, he became my deputy, Lírio, who had no experience in samba schools, but was a good technician, Galo became secretary, people who had a vocation for the role as good composers. The rules said that those who played harmony instruments did not need to do an internship. Those who did not play did a two-year internship in the section to prove that they loved the organization, the pavilion and also for us to evaluate the person's conduct and work as a composer. And we did a wonderful job. We worked hard. It was the first section to be named with a ceremony in São Paulo. The leader was Evaristo de Carvalho, and it was created by Jota Muniz de Souza. And from then on, it gained great status. In 1978, we broke a streak of four titles for Camisa Verde e Branco. How we managed to win this title was with my influence, and the theme was fantastic: Noel Rosa. And I won the samba-enredo. I competed with the greatest composers of São Paulo. There were Geraldo Filme, Edson and Aloísio, who I took to Vai-Vai. Talismã competed with me, Zé Di, a great champion with Salgueiro, there was the duo Osvaldo Arouche and Walter Pinho. Before Noel, I made a samba with Papete, José Ribamar, a great percussionist from Maranhão. I took him to the composers' wing of Vai-Vai in 1974. The first samba I won at Vai-Vai was in 1975, a partnership between me and Papete, the carnival was still at São João.”

Osvaldinho's testimony shows, in addition to its importance, the effervescence of a lively group of composers, who work in harmony with the group as a whole. We now turn to recall memorable themes of the black and white group from Bixiga. In 1971, Vai-Vai took to the streets singing “Independência ou morte”, a samba composed solely by Zé Di. The following year, the composer would hit the XNUMXth anniversary of independence with “Passando pelo Brasil, o samba mostra o que é seu” (Passing through Brazil, the samba shows what it is).

For the 1975 and 1976 carnivals, the school would come out with sambas by the aforementioned Osvaldinho da Cuíca. “O Guarani”, in partnership with Papete from Maranhão, was sung by Osvaldinho himself. The following year, now without a partner, Osvaldinho would perform “Solano Trindade, o menino do Recife”, sung by Geraldo Filme, who was a member of the school at the time.

Continuing with tributes to great black figures in the country, the year 1977 would be remembered for the mention of Father José Maurício with “José Maurício, musician of colonial Brazil”, a samba composed by Odair Fala Macio and which would mark the debut of one of the school's figures on the sound car, the great Sol do Vai-Vai.

The 1978 carnival would be marked by yet another victory for Osvaldinho da Cuíca and a new title for the black and white team from Bixiga with “Na arca de Noel, quem entrar não sai mais” (In the Ark of Noel, Whoever Entered Didn’t Leave Again), a samba sung by Carlão da Vila. The title signaled new times for the Bixiga community, with the arrival of Almir Guineto from Salgueiro, who, alongside Luverci Ernesto, would win the 1979 and 1980 competitions with “Festa de um povo em sonho e fantasia” (Feast of a People in Dreams and Fantasy) and “Orgulho da Saracura” (Orgulho da Saracura), a samba in honor of the school’s XNUMXth anniversary.

For the 1982 carnival, the novelty would be the presence of actor and singer Aldo Bueno as the school's official interpreter, defending the samba by Osvaldinho da Cuíca and Serginho, “Orum Aiyê. The eternal dawn”. In tune with the transformations of the Rio carnival, especially the carnival made by figures such as Rosa Magalhães and Fernando Pinto, the school presented, in 1984, “Ao sol da onça Caetana ou mirages do sertão”, a samba written by the quintet formed by Tadeu da Mazzei, Jacó da Carolina, Mário Sérgio, Penteado and Elisbão do Cavaco, interpreted by Chuveiro, who was also responsible for the sound car in the previous year's carnival.

Returning to less abstract themes, Vai-Vai presented, in 1986, the classic “Água de cheiro” (Xererê), by the duo formed by Nadão and Turquinho, a samba sung again by the charismatic Sol do Vai-Vai, who would once again be the school’s interpreter at that carnival. The following year would mark the debut of Thobias da Vai-Vai as the school’s official interpreter. Thobias would become one of the school’s main characters, even becoming president of the group between 2008 and 2012. His debut would be with the classic “Do jeito que a gente gosta”, by the trio Walter Babu, Alemão and Chuveiro. The following year, it would be the turn of a new trio to have their samba hit: Nadão, Ademir and Marino made their name with “A volta ao mundo em oito minutos”. For the 1988 carnival, Osvaldinho da Cuíca, alongside Macalé do Cavaco and Namur, would be featured in “Amado Jorge, the History of a Brazilian Race”.

The 1990s would be marked by classics such as “O negro em forma de arte” (The Black in the Form of Art), by the quartet formed by Mariano, Showxão, Afonsinho and Sorriso, for the 1991 carnival; in 1993, political criticism would set the tone with “Nem tudo que regles é ouro” (Not Everything That Glitters Is Gold), written by Zeca do Cavaco, Nayo Denay, Marquito and Afonsinho. With Agnaldo Amaral replacing Thobias, the 1994 carnival would mark the return of the duo formed by Tadeu da Mazzei and Jacó da Carolina, now in partnership with André, presenting “Inã-Guê: pegando fogo” (Inã-Guê: pegando fogo).

In 1995, with Thobias resuming his position, the school presented the theme “Deu poesia na terra da garoa” (Poetry in the Land of Drizzle), by the trio formed by Wagner Santos, Edson Silva and Amauri; the following year, Wagner Santos would release a new samba, this time with Borrão, “A rainha, a noite, tudo se transforma” (The Queen, the Night, Everything Transforms). The 1998 carnival would mark the meeting of the Afro-Italian tradition of Bixiga with the Eastern community of São Paulo, “Banzai! Vai-Vai” (Banzai! Vai-Vai), written by Zé Carlinhos, Afonsinho and Zeca do Cavaco. The parade would give the Bela Vista school its ninth title in the São Paulo carnival. It is worth noting that, in the previous year, the school had come out with “Liberdade ainda que Vai-Vai” (Freedom Even though Vai-Vai), written by Vilma Corrêa and Washington da Mangueira, the only winning samba written by a woman.

With the victory of the previous year, the school prepared a grand parade for the 1999 carnival, with large floats and beautiful costumes. In the musical sector, the sound car would feature Thobias, who had already established his name in the São Paulo carnival, in addition to the return of Agnaldo Amaral and the participation of Wantuir. The trio was in charge of the herculean task of defending the samba also composed of a trio, Zeca do Cavaco, Zé Carlinhos and Afonsinho, but “Nostradamus” did not repeat the success of the previous carnival.

In 2004, to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the city of São Paulo, the school presented the inspired “Do you want to know São Paulo? Come to Bixiga to see…”, by the trio formed by Zeca do Cavaco, Nayo Denay and Zé Carlinhos, a samba sung by Agnaldo Amaral. We also highlight the samba from 2010, responsible for remembering the eightieth anniversary of the school, composed by the quartet formed by Zeca do Cavaco, Afonsinho, Fábio Henrique and Ronaldinho FDQ, with “Eighty years of art and euphoria, good at samba, good at leather. Long live the double jubileu de carvalho”, a samba sung on the Grande Otelo catwalk by the carioca Gilsinho.

For the 2015 Carnival, the singer Elis Regina would be honored with “Simplesmente Elis – A fábula de uma voz na transversal do tempo”, a samba composed by Zeca do Cavaco, Zé Carlinhos and Ronaldinho FDQ. Once again defended by Gilsinho, with the tribute to the singer from Rio Grande do Sul, the black and white singer from Bixiga would win her last title in the special group to date. The 2017 Carnival would be marked by the samba “No xirê do Anhembi, a Oxum mais bonita nascer… Menininha, mãe da Bahia – Ialorixá do Brasil”, composed by Edegar Cirillo, Marcelo Casa Nossa, André Ricardo, Dema, Leonardo Rocha and Rodolfo Minueto, performed on the avenue by Wander Pires.

After the second relegation to the access group, the school decided to re-release the samba “Eu também sou infinito” (I am also immortal), first performed in 2005. The parade would culminate in the group’s return to the special group, to the elite of São Paulo’s carnival, a place it should never have left. For the 2025 Carnival, the school promises to present a beautiful tribute to playwright José Celso Martinez Corrêa, creator of the Oficina group and, like the school itself, a symbol of the neighborhood. The chosen samba was the result of a partnership between two generations of composers from the group: Nayo Denay and Francis Gabriel.

Despite so much information, what has been presented so far is only a tiny part of the trajectory of this unique school. Reliving the trajectory of Vai-Vai is to pay homage to characters such as Seu Chiclé, Seu Livinho, Henricão, Benedito Sardinha, Frederico Penteado, Geraldo Filme, Pato N'Água, Dona Olímpia, Dona China, Aunt Cleuzi, Solon Tadeu, Aldo Bueno, Sol do Vai-Vai, Thobias do Vai-Vai, Elizeth Rosa, Chuveiro, Sahra Brandão, Chicão, Ademir, Nadão, Osvaldinho da Cuíca, Carlinhos Duvai, Flanela, Paula Penteado, the masters Tadeu and Beto, Luiz Felipe and Madu Fraga, representatives of the new generation that continues to honor the land consecrated by Exu, Ogum and by Our Lady of Achiropita and so many other figures who passed through and pass through this territory, building its memory and forging its identity.

The old guard

“Who preserves the history of samba?” asks the composer and Vai-Vai stalwart Fernando Penteado in the song “Tributo à Velha Guarda”. The composer himself then answers: “It’s the Velha Guarda, my friend”. Anyone who regularly attends samba school rehearsals or circles has certainly noticed those figures who, with elegance, wisdom, joy and, when necessary, a little energy, convey not only the formal liturgy of this universe, but also pass on the codes written between the lines. In other words, they teach everyone how to behave in a circle, how to welcome those who enter the space for the first time, how to respect the musicians and other people present and, of course, how to ensure the smooth running of the drumming.

According to the composer and researcher duo Nei Lopes and Luiz Antonio Simas: “In the world of samba, Velha Guarda is the expression that defines the group of veteran samba dancers, the oldest and most respected. While, specifically in schools, it would be the group or wing that was once responsible for presenting the parade, playing the role of front commission”. In a similar sense, historian Fernanda Paiva Guimarães defines Velha Guarda as a group of samba dancers and people involved in the daily life of the samba universe and also of carnival, claiming a place in the present of the associations, but maintaining a constant relationship with the past. According to Fernanda Paiva: “Understanding the construction and daily life of these groups within the associations means understanding how a tradition was developed or even 'invented', in the sense used by the British historian Eric Hobsbawm”.

Still trying to explain to the reader of the following lines the meaning of “being” Velha Guarda, researcher Maria Lívia de Sá Roriz Aguiar, author of works that have become references on the subject, explains that: “In the past, the Velha Guarda, as the front commission, opened the parade. Until the end of the 1970s, there was no possibility of having another commission other than the one that brought together the founders of the samba schools and/or the oldest ones. The commission had no choreography: it was a group that walked slowly in front of the samba school, wearing suits, ties, shirts, vests, shoes and hats that were strictly identical, and who presented the school to the audience. On the forearm of each one, the pennant with the emblem, colors and name of the group. Elegant and serene, in certain parts of the parade, they removed their hats and saluted the audience”, an attitude that is still preserved, even with the parades becoming faster and faster.

Three big shots from Bixiga

After this brief explanation, I invite the reader to travel to the streets of the São Paulo neighborhood of Bixiga, specifically to Rua Treze de Maio, number 507, where, at Bar do Jilson (yes, with a “J”), a true open class of the purest samba takes place on Saturdays. However, in addition to the samba led mainly by members of the Composers’ Wing of the black and white Bixiga, those who pay a little more attention to what is happening around them will be able to absorb the teachings of true masters who make the history of São Paulo samba.

And here I will highlight a trio that could be considered responsible for the revival and consolidation of this roda, which has become a Saturday afternoon tradition in the area: Ildefonso Medeiros, known as Pato Roco; Luiz Carlos Ferreira, known as Baya; and, rounding out the trio, João Vieira, the self-proclaimed Malokeiros da terceira idade. Each one, in their own way and manner, contributes not only to the progress of the batucada, but also to ensuring that the environment is respectful among those who regularly visit the place. As good hosts, they also take care of those who step onto the terreiro, or rather, onto the sidewalk for the first time, and even those who are just passing through the region.

Another character who has been involved since the beginning in this process of reviving samba in the region is the composer and also a member of the Vai-Vai Composers' Wing, Carlinhos Duvai. A samba singer by birth, as he likes to say, Carlinhos joined the Composers' Wing in 2003 and, since then, he has also been strengthening his ties with members of the Velha Guarda, many of whom ended up becoming his partners. Among them, I highlight Fernando Penteado, Chicão, his most frequent partner, and Pato Roco himself, with whom, alongside fellow composers Wagner Guitão, Cagoba and Jair de Paula, he participated in the samba-enredo competition for the 2024 carnival, when the group presented the theme “Chapter 4, Verse 3 – From the Streets and the People, Hip Hop: A Paulistano Manifesto”.

Regarding the groups at Jilson's Bar and the interaction with our characters, Carlinhos recalls that, although today the space can be small due to the large crowd, in the beginning it wasn't quite like that: “I found myself at Jilson's Bar playing samba for pleasure, with these partners and friends from samba and life. Pato Roco, João Vieira and Baya, all members of the Vai-Vai Old Guard”. Duvai then goes on to tell how the groups began: “When we started, sometimes it was just João, Baya, Pato and I playing at Jilson's bar. At that time, I was the only one playing harmony; when I couldn't show up, it was even difficult to lead the samba”. Regarding our trio and the Velha Guarda, Carlinhos is categorical in stating that: “I have great appreciation for the three of them, they are truly part of the samba Old Guard, many years of Vai-Vai; Only Pato, for example, if I'm not mistaken, has been parading for the school for sixty years, that is, everyone has a lot of history there. Vai-Vai, for me, is my being, the being of my being. Vai-Vai is my love, and it is always something more, it is part of my life, and I learn a lot, whether living at the school or living with the three of them.”

In a simple and objective way, we can say that our characters are a synthesis of the Bixiga neighborhood, especially the part of the neighborhood that continues to resist the attacks that try to de-characterize the traditional region of São Paulo. In her master's dissertation, journalist Adriana Casarotto Terra, in addition to seeking to discuss the construction of identity and the relationship of residents with Bixiga, conducted a series of interviews with several residents of the region. Among them, audiovisual producer Paulo Santiago, in one passage, explains that: “Bixiga has three very consolidated groups: the Italians, the blacks, the Northeasterners”. And what we can see when visiting the circle and the surroundings of Treze de Maio is that symbols such as Vai-Vai, the Achiropita Church and Bar do Jilson itself serve as hubs that provide this sociability, awakening a series of affinities between people with diverse backgrounds.

So, between one conversation and another, we discover a little about the trajectory of these three characters, united by samba, the neighborhood and Vai-Vai. At just over eighty years old, Pato Roco is a figure well-regarded by everyone. It is rare to see someone who arrives at the venue and does not go to his table to greet him. Thus, between one samba and another, a wealth of stories spring up, from the time when many of the neighborhood's streets were still dirt roads and the then young reveler decided to try his hand at the Breton sport. Yes! In addition to samba and carnival, Pato also ventured onto the lawns of Pauliceia.

While Pato would be a sort of host, Baya (nickname given to him by his samba partner Pato Roco in his youth), a member of Vai-Vai's drum section for many years and now a member of Velha Guarda, plays the role of conductor, ensuring the rhythm and pace of the circle, ensuring that the samba does not stagnate. Baya is the “maestro”, responsible not only for the rhythm of the drumming, but also for the dynamics of the circle, replacing one or another drummer when necessary. He also always keeps an eye on the clock and the bell of the Achiropita Church, because when the bell rings to announce the beginning of mass, it is time for the samba to go into pause mode, returning after the liturgical ritual.

Finally, we have the third member of the group. A born drummer, João Vieira divides his time between playing his cuíca and timba, while also keeping an eye on what is happening around the circle, ensuring that if any scoundrel tries to go beyond what is allowed, he will be asked to leave the space. After all, the circle has its codes, and respect among those who share the precepts of samba is fundamental.

And, among the fundamental principles of the samba universe, we have one that, despite being relevant, seems to be increasingly forgotten, especially by those who are just starting out and even by the boards of many of these groups. Knowing the history of your school and respecting its strongholds is not an obligation. Exalting the Velha Guarda and its roots means respecting and continuing the struggle of hundreds of men and women who gave part of their lives for the consolidation of their schools, carnival and samba itself. In a statement given to Maria Lívia de Sá Roriz Aguiar, a member of the Velha Guarda of a Rio de Janeiro group explains what it means to be Velha Guarda: “We are the pillar of the school. The pillar of the school is the Velha Guarda. The pillar of the school, the queen of the school, is the Velha Guarda. Sometimes, the people from the Velha Guarda have already left all segments of the school. So, at a certain age, we have to look for the place where we feel good, I think, right? For me, now, if I had the Old Guard open the parade, I would give preference to the Old Guard. Now the front commission has that choreography.”

Remembering some stories from Vai-Vai

Understanding that it is essential to present the reader with a little more of these stories, I bring below testimonies from some researchers and strongholds of the black and white school of Bixiga. Let's see:

About the rehearsals in Bixiga: Dona Odete, former member of Vai-Vai, in a statement to Olga von Simson, says that: “We had rehearsals, it was right on the street, we rehearsed all over Bixiga, there was no venue, there was nothing, but everyone helped, everyone cooperated. Real rehearsals! We rehearsed, we enjoyed it, we went all over Bela Vista. We went to Saracura, we went to Piques. And we really rehearsed, we felt it, we learned the music, everything properly”.

The arrival of one of the great stalwarts since the time of the group: Sebastião Amaral, known as Pé Rachado, one of the cardinals of samba in São Paulo and leader of Vai-Vai. According to Zélia Lopes da Silva, Pé Rachado was “a protagonist in all of Cordão’s difficult occasions, occupying different roles, such as percussionist, drum leader, president of Cordão and its representative whenever necessary”. In a statement given in the 1980s to the Museum of Image and Sound, he tells how he came to the group at the time: “I joined Vai-Vai through my friend Cota. I waited in line to join the drums. I waited two years to join the surdo. Then I started playing bass drum, replacing a young man who died. Then I became a whistler. I had no interest in being a whistler when Pato N'Água retired. I spent three years leading the drums”.

Solidarity among the Bixiga community as a means of making costumes for Carnival viable: According to Olga von Simson: “Members who wore more elaborate costumes, thus requiring more resources than those provided by the group’s management, invented alternative ways of obtaining them. A Vai-Vai leader, whose costume included puffy satin shorts, would go out in parades, or even alone through the neighborhood, doing pirouettes and acrobatics dressed in the wide, puffy shorts of the previous year’s costume. His supporters and admirers would then give him money and coins, which he would accumulate in the puffy legs of his shorts. As the donations increased, his movements became more difficult and expectations grew among the loyal Bixiga audience. Thus, his performance, in addition to entertaining the public, allowed him to raise money for the costume.”

Memories of the first parades of the cordão in the early 1930s: Based on the accounts of people who experienced the first parades of the cordão, Iêda Marques de Brito sought to reconstruct how this first outing took place: “As such, they left Benedito Sardinha’s house, in the traditional formation of the cordões from São Paulo, with the side rows, but already incorporating the ‘novelties’ that the other cordões from São Paulo had introduced. The banner, for example, was carried by a woman, Dona Iracema, an innovation from 1921 of the Cordão Desprezados da Barra Funda, led by Neco. At the front, opening the procession, were the beacons, present Dona Sinhá, then twelve years old, the only woman among ten boys. Soon after came the standard bearer, followed by a committee situated between the side rows, and in the middle, the flag bearer. Later, during the XNUMXs, Vai-Vai introduced court characters in the form of a queen and a lady who, in keeping with the colors of the group, also wore black clothing, nicknamed the 'lady in black'. This was the idea and performance of Dona Olímpia, one of the first female extras in Vai-Vai. These figures were popular for a long time, among several groups.”

About the female presence in the first years of the cord: Commenting on von Simson's work, Zélia Lopes shows that, despite the strong female presence, unlike Lavapés, where the figure of godmother Eunice was prominent, in Vai-Vai, leaders like Dona Olímpia would be established as leaders over the years: “In the book Carnival in black and white. Popular carnival in São Paulo – 1914–1988, Olga von Simson dedicates a few pages of reflection to the subject, in the topic 'Women's participation in the carnival cordons'. In relation to the Vai-Vai cordon, she mentions some women, starting with Dona Sinhá, still a child, who was the only female person to join the first Vai-Vai parade as a guide. If in the first parades this presence was small, years later, the author highlights Dona Odete, Dona Iracema and Dona Olímpia among the members of the cordon, in addition to Sinhá, who stood out in another cordon. She mentions other names that stood out for their unique presence in the cordon's trajectory, for their performance as guides. In other words: [...] in the 40s, the women of Vai-Vai conquered a position that until then had been the privilege of men and children: that of guide. Some women became famous as beacons, for their lightness and acrobatic flexibility, but also for their courage, in assuming all the risks inherent to this role: Ondina, Risoleta and Alzira are still remembered today when we talk fondly about the old days of the 'Orgulho da Saracura'. Analyzing the participation of women in the origin of these groups is a significant challenge due to the lack of sources. In the Vai-Vai group, it was no different from the other groups. The core of the group were men who performed the activities of leaders, musicians and composers. As for the women, apart from being standard bearers, they had little prominence in this first appearance. In addition to Dona Iracema, who carried the standard, the girl Sinhá was part of the beacons group, along with ten young men. Years later, Dona Olímpia, the lady in black, was a highlight in their parades.”

I conclude this short tribute by praising all those who, since 1930, have contributed to Vai-Vai reaching the highest level of São Paulo and Brazilian samba. To speak of these characters is to recognize and celebrate the work and struggle of so many stalwarts that, if they were mentioned today, we would not finish so soon, and we would even run the risk of omitting someone.

* Daniel Costa He is a master's student in History at the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp).

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