Afro-Brazilian cleansing ritual precedes Rio carnival festivities

Afro-Brazilian religious followers conducted a vibrant cleansing ritual at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, just one week before the official Carnival festivities begin.

The magnificent stadium, designed by world-renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer, was specially built to accommodate the crowds jostling for a place in what has become a world-class spectacle.

This year marked the 15th anniversary of this traditional cleansing ceremony.

“Enjoy Carnival! It’s the largest event and the biggest open-air celebration in the world. Today is a day of blessings for Carnival,” stated Nilce Fran, an Afro-Brazilian practitioner and coordinator at Portela Samba School.

Dressed in traditional attire, practitioners of Umbanda and Candomblé danced down the avenue, wielding brooms made from rue, a plant celebrated for its cleansing properties.

Women known as Baianas, dressed in traditional African-Brazilian clothing, joined the ritual parade alongside flag-bearer couples and elder members of the samba schools.

The special group Samba Schools in Rio de Janeiro will perform at the Sambadrome on March 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.