Olokun's Drums: The Sea is the Way

Get ready for the explosive rhythms and colourful pageantry as the syncopated beats of alfaias, caixas, and gonguês reverberate through the air, channelling the orixas (deities) and embodying the royal and ancestral figures of Afro-Brazilian folklore.

Together, Alexandre Garnizé (director and founder), Nyandra Fernandes (dance artist) of Tambores de Olokun in Rio de Janeiro, along with Syed Ahmad of Bloco Singapura weave a powerful narrative of resilience, identity, and joy, drawing from candomblé’s spiritual practices and maracatu’s rich street traditions. This performance is not just a show; it’s a celebration of African roots, Brazilian culture, and the unity found in the shared language of rhythm, dance, and spirit.

Experience the magic of this international collaboration, where the sacred meets the celebratory, and witness a performance that transcends time, bringing the past to life in an explosion of sound, colour, and movement!

Maracatu de Baque Virado is a spiritual, traditional, musical and cultural expression that originates from the state of Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil. It combines Afro-Brazilian rhythms, vibrant dance, and theatrical elements.

The style is performed in public parades, often during Carnival in the centres of Recife and Olinda, Brazil. It features a large ensemble of percussion instruments such as alfaias (a large wooden rope-tuned drum), gonguê (a large metal cowbell), tarols (a shallow snare drum), caixas-de-guerra ( “war-snare"), abê (a gourd shaker enveloped in a net of beads), and mineiro (a metal cylindrical shaker filled with metal shot or small dried seeds). It focuses on strong, structured, and intense driving beats, emphasising the rhythm's power and complexity. Chants are sung as call-and-response between the soloist and the chorus of the drummers.

Maracatu has significant influences from candomblé, the Afro-Brazilian religious tradition that originated with enslaved African people, primarily from Yoruba, Bantu, and Ewe-Fon ethnic groups. Candomblé is a spiritual practice that involves rituals, music, and dance to honour orixas and ancestral spirits.