Maracatu Afro-Brazilian Percussion Workshop (LA FIESTA 2025)

As part of LA FIESTA - Canberra's Latin American Festival (info here)

Join us for a 45 min session during LA FIESTA and learn about MARACATU, a unique type of Brazilian cultural expression with this talk/workshop by BAQUE VOADOR. They will also be performing as part of LA FIESTA at 2:15pm and 7:15pm!

Humberto Porto and Baque Voador will give you an overview of Maracatu - the history as well as some understanding of the rhythmic language peculiar to Maracatu, notably Maracatu Estrela Brilhante do Recife, where most of Humberto’s influence comes from.
In the workshops, attendees will have the opportunity to hear and learn the basic patterns for some instrument; Gongue, Shekere and Alfias!

You don't need to bring anything, just your own body and an open mind! You'll get a chance to play a traditional Maracatu drum, clap and use your voice as an instrument.

LA FIESTA TALKS + WORKSHOPS:

1:00pm : TALK | Colombian Pico Soundsystem (45 mins)
The origins and context of El Gran Mono Sound System. Explore how and why it became the first “Pico” style sound system outside of Colombia. 

3:00pm : WORKSHOP - Afro-Colombian Percussion (45 mins)
A hands-on session where participants get a taste and context of Cumbia and other Colombian percussion styles.

4:45pm : WORKSHOP | Maracatu Afro-Brazilian Percussion (45 mins)
A cultural overview and practical introduction to Maracatu percussion, giving participants the chance to play and engage with the rhythms directly.

_________________

Who is Humberto Porto?
Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Humberto is a percussionist, musician and educator who grew up in Brasilia and had contact with several forms of Brazilian street cultural expressions in Brasília and Pernambuco where he found him self several times during holidays. He lived in Toronto for the last almost 20 years where he performed in music venues and street festivals as a musician playing Brazilian strings, as a percussionist playing a diversity of percussion instruments and traditions from Brazil, in many different groups. Based in Melbourne since beginning of 2021, Humberto founded Baque Voador, a project intended to spread Afro-Brazilian culture through workshops and performances. He has also idealised Lamparina band. A music group performing a distinct type of music from northeast of Brazil called forró. Baque Voador and Lamparina band have been growing rapidly in public attention and performing consistently in Melbourne suburbs and surroundings towns