The street carnival in Foz do Iguaçu is not a recently invented “roda” as some people would have us believe. This story, or rather, the carnival, goes back a long way in time.
An example of this is the street carnival 40 years ago, in 1985, recorded by the newspaper Our Time. With photos by Derci Rodrigues, the Iguaçu party was featured in issue no. 157.
The street carnival, according to the news, was created as an alternative to club events, which were popular in the city. That year, the streets were decorated and the city government made investments, but not much.
Other carnivals
The number of revelers is impressive: 5 to 6 thousand people per night. Samba, percussion and the Foz do Iguaçu schools with costumes and floats on JK Avenue.
“It was sound, samba and joy from 10 pm until 4 or 5 in the morning,” wrote the report from Our Time. Tourists had fun with the residents, who had buses arriving at dawn.
“Low cost to the municipal coffers and entertainment for the people,” the newspaper continues. “People came from all neighborhoods, with very creative costumes.”
Step by step
The report says that the street carnival in Foz do Iguaçu began with the first rehearsals and grew with each edition.
“It seemed like a mere initiative aimed at provincial stagings of the great shows produced in the big carnival centers,” he explained.
Contrary to predictions, it grew and gained strength. And then? Well, there are other carnivals.
Access the edition of Nosso Tempo with the report.
History of Foz at a click
The portal Our Digital Time brings together the newspaper's entire collection, a project launched to mark the rebel newspaper's 30th anniversary. The goal is to preserve the city's memory, facilitate access to local and regional history, and democratize access to the media collection via the internet.
Access is free. The collection is a valuable resource for residents who want to delve into the history of the city and its actors, as told in the 387 editions of the newspaper that have been digitized, covering the period from December 1980 to December 1989.
