May-2015
Three Kings’ Party in Araçuaí
Conceição greeted us in a printed skirt, her hair wrapped in cloth and the baby Jesus in her arms. We sat at the table and she told us that when she was a child she would watch her father prepare for the Three Kings’ Party, but this tradition disappeared over the years.
She was invited by a friend to restart the Three Kings’ Party group in the Arraial neighborhood. They took to the streets with the only song they remembered and just one week of rehearsal and haven’t stopped since. They’ve been taking the Party to Araçuaí for eight years now.
She kept an eye on the clock as she told us all of this and, with the responsibility of a leader, said, “even if everyone else is late, I have to serve as an example, so let’s go down there, please!” We descended the hill in quick steps and at every corner we would meet a partner in a printed skirt and hair wrapped in cloth. And so the group grew with women, youngsters and men with instruments.
The walk lasted about 30 minutes, until we arrived at the first house. Still outside and with the doors shut, the group settled and began to sing:
Boa noite meu senhor Good evening, sir
Aqui cheguemos cantando, oh We’ve arrived here singing, oh
Por que é véspera de festa Because it’s the eve of the party
E entrada de um novo ano And the start of a new year
Santo Reis a sua porta The Saint Kings at your door
Sua esmola veio buscar, oh Came to receive your alms
“Good evening, did we wake you, ma’am?” “No, I wasn’t asleep,” answers the woman of the house. “May we come in to sing the Three Kings’ Party?” “Yes, you can come in!” One by one they enter, not paying attention to the size of the house. “The house is small but it’s like a mother’s heart, you can always fit one more.”
Senhora dona casa Homemaker lady
É a flor da melancia, oh It’s the watermelon blossom, oh
Que parece a estrela dalva That looks like the morning star
Quando vai romper o dia, oh As the day breaks, oh
Quando vai romper o dia As the day breaks
Santo rei pede esmola King Saint is asking for alms
Não é pra ganhar dinheiro, oh It’s not to make money, oh
É pra cumprir a promessa It’s to fulfill a promise
No dia 6 de janeiro, oh On the 6th of January, oh
As house with a manger gets an extra song, the ones without only get those two.
Besides the alms, the housewife offers the group a snack consisting of a good mineiro cheese, cookies, cake and soda.
There goes the group to the next house, the next donation, and the next offering. After going up and down the town, we arrived at the last house, that of Dona Lira and Frei Chico.
There the Party entered further into the house, took over the backyard and went into the more profane part of the festivities. What followed were sing-alongs, singing games and some stories.
That’s where the year started for us, in the rhythm of those songs, with the union of these people around a strong culture that stubbornly resists with a faith that pulls you, takes the leading step and organizes the group. Everything was so enthralling we forgot it was a Sunday and the men in the group, most of them construction workers, had to get up early the next day. Not forgetting her place of leadership, Conceição thanked everyone and finished singing with a lovely smile.
“Thank you everyone and until next year!”
Text: Renata Meirelles and Sandra Eckschmidt
Photos: Renata Meirelles
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