Artur Queiroz
The Carnival of Luanda on 40 and 50 years was genuine in everything, even in malice. The carnival groups did not dance and sing for money, only money that was paid well known because of who sings his woes, amazing. The axis that runs from the Workers Quarter Sambizanga, through the neighborhood of S. Paul, wedged between the beaches and the city of musseques asphalt, the territory of assimilated mestizo and white revelers disqualified, the party won the dimension of joy.
The streets were ours and no one could be king, all the valet could be created or mistress. The girls were the life guard princesses who lived in the deep sea of the island of Cape Town. The songs were pearls carnival imagination and humor acid "will all know, the envious, the bacaiau robaste there in Arfândiga!" Cidral, envied, Kazukuta, Kabocomeu. Among the steps di slow or insinuations of Massemba, Cape Verde was playing. And the revelers the air with unbridled puitis Guiros, cans, horns and drums.
Agostinho Neto walked there, a friend of cola and ginger Liceu Vieira Dias, the genius who one day got in carnival songs and put them in a dress so exuberant that soon the Ngola rhythms (rhythms, to us) became the soundtrack flag homeland. Or do not hesitate to give the color of the old songs semba Portuguese without color or smell, or taste. For example: Theodore not go to sound! Even today chills just thinking about the sound of high school teacher and his companions.
The Carnival in binge Workers Quarter were a blast. If at that time knew what I know today I would say that was multicultural. Merengue in strength, semba of nostalgia, mambos and boleros shaken. Agostinho Neto was there, in a fraternal embrace to Ngola rhythms and a unique character, bosom friend of Liceu Vieira Dias, intellectual, drunkard, who worked in the audit of the City of Luanda but spent most of the time of his life to monitor the bars the Workers Quarter. His name is Queiroz and only talk about him now because I've seen in a book presented as a pariah, drunk without a penny, but no. It was a mastermind of Ngola Ritmos, lived with Agostinho Neto and was in good families. His only mistake was refusing colonialism and especially the Salazar and express their choices aloud. He never missed the festivities of Carnival, while the shows were not banned on the grounds that could serve as a cover to "terrorists."
Neto one days left for Puto and when he was already a doctor, had his family and huge responsibilities to the homeland and its people. Was recently among us, was forced to leave, chained and banished. But it was in the hearts of all who were able to dream of freedom.
The return of Agostinho Neto in Luanda was the biggest Carnival party that my eyes have seen. I think he was surprised at the sea of people who broke all barriers of safety in the airport, with millions of people who gathered in the streets of Luanda to show our President that we have survived because they never doubted that he would one day return to help dry the tears.
Agostinho Neto was so well received by his people that it scared their opponents. He returned in February 1975 and although the carnival was still far, just around the festival began many years suppressed, hidden, cursed.
But as always, the occupiers have done everything to rob us of joy. And soon the party is over and the light went out. But unlike the poem, the people disappeared. We were all next to Agostinho Neto for the supreme softness of life triumph over death and torture.
One day, out of many dangers and wars, the struggle, the Angolans got the last soldier invader in South Africa of apartheid leave the national territory, the southern border. Agostinho Neto then remembered that the carnival that day of his miraculous return to the old city of Luanda was suspended. And he proclaimed that the day that the invading armies were forced to leave Angola, was our Carnival Victory. Thereafter, the Angolans began to hit the streets in March - the month of many charms, the last rain and furious that devastate the grass - to celebrate Carnival. This is still the day when I do the party. Colonialism was invincible and Agostinho Neto were able to "kill the mangy dog." The forces of defense and security of South Africa of apartheid were invincible and we, along with Agostinho Neto, the invincible put to flight, the liberated Zimbabwe, Namibia and Nelson Mandela. Say there if we have reason to celebrate the Carnival Victory, not only in March, as proclaimed Agostinho Neto, but every day of all our lives.
