BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro's fictional King Momo receives the symbolic keys to the city and declares Carnival officially open

Record ID: 537123

  • Title: BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro's fictional King Momo receives the symbolic keys to the city and declares Carnival officially open
  • Date: 21st February 2009
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CARNIVAL KING MOMO, MILTON JUNIOR, SAYING: "I declare officially open the Carnival of our marvellous city of Rio de Janeiro."
  • Embargoed: 8th March 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVAC96HB747UGQE0CXPXUIJK8TA7
  • Story Text: Rio de Janeiro's Carnival officially kicked off on Friday (February 20) after the symbolic keys to the city were handed over to the fictional King Momo, the Lord of Misrule.
    The event took place at Rio's Copacabana fort, which looks over the city's most famous beach, where a band played traditional samba tunes known as "marchinhas".
    King Momo, played by Milton Junior, danced next to his samba-dancing entourage and called on his reveling subjects to have fun without violence.
    Wearing a flower necklace, mayor Eduardo Paes gave his Carnival substitute a large glittery key and said he was would no longer be available to solve the city's problems.
    "Do not look for Eduardo Paes because I'll be with Candonga's family (family who guards the city's symbolic keys) drinking cravinho (a drink made with cachaça), therefore look for the King Momo to complain and give explanations," he said.
    The highlight of the Carnival celebrations are two parades on Sunday and Monday night by 12 samba groups, each featuring up to 6,000 dancers in the Sambadrome stadium.
    "I declare officially open the Carnival of our marvellous city of Rio de Janeiro," announced King Momo.
    Brazil's most popular parades are in Rio de Janeiro, and in the northeastern cities of Salvador and Recife. Carnival will run through Ash Wednesday.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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