Maracatu Poster

Maracatu is a type of music from the north-east of Brasil. Its been played since the early 17th century by Africans in Brazil to preserve their roots.

I first heard Maracatu at a street festival in Toronto, the sounds were so contagious that I shortly found a group to join. Slowly I began learning how to play each instrument and after some time of practicing I was able to play with the troupe during summer street festivals.

Last year I decided to create a poster series that captured the energy, excitement and sound of each instrument. There are four main instruments that merge to create the powerful sound of resistance. From the top; "shekere", a gourd shaker enveloped in a net of beads, "alfaia", a wooden drum in which you can play a variety of rhythms, "caixa", a snare drum and the "gongue", a big flat iron bell.

Font: Rubber, by Levi Szekeres