Bezerros, Pernambuco - Creative Center & Unique Carnival

The Northeast of Brazil is extremely rich in folklore and the arts. It is a musical paradise with with rhythms like ciranda, maracatu, caboclinho, coco, frevo, and more.
 
I found the video below on a blog post by Eyes on Brazil. The video brings pictures of carnival in Bezerros, Pernambuco. Bezerros is about 100 km from Recife and has a population of approximately 50,000. It is very popular for its street Carnival and the Papangus and Mamulengos, the big puppets that you see in the video. You will find great arts & crafts there, too.

 
The song in the video is by Lenine, from Recife. It is called Leão do Norte (Lion of the North). The lyrics are about Pernambuco, a state very rich in folklore, music, and dance. Basically each line of the song mentions a regional rhythm, dance, or artist. The lyrics of this song could very well justify one entire semester of Northeastern Brazil culture, so please do not feel discouraged if you cannot translate it. The best way to know what it says is to talk with someone from Pernambuco who can explain you everything. Of course, there is always Wikipedia and Google to help you out :)
 
Here are the lyrics to the song:
 
Sou coração do folclore nordestino
Eu sou Mateus e Bastião do Boi Bumbá
Sou o boneco de Mestre Vitalino
Dançando uma ciranda em Itamaracá
 
Eu sou o verso de Carlos Pena Filho
Num frevo de Capiba
Ao som da Orquestra Armorial
 
Sou Capibaribe
Num livro de João Cabral
 
Sou mamulengo de São Bento do Una
Vindo num baque solto de um Maracatu
Eu sou um auto de Ariano Suassuna
No meio da feira de Caruaru
 
Sou Frei Caneca no Pastoril do Faceta
Levando a Flor da Lira
Pra Nova Jerusalém
 
Sou Luiz Gonzaga
E eu sou do mangue também
 
Eu sou mameluco
Sou de Casa Forte
Sou de Pernambuco
Eu sou o Leão do Norte
 
Sou Macambira de Joaquim Cardoso
Banda de pife no meio do canavial
Na noite dos tambores silenciosos
Sou a calunga rebelando o Carnaval
 
Sou a folia que desde lá de Olinda
O Homem da Meia-Noite
Eu sou puxando esse cordão
 
Sou jangadeiro
Na festa de Jaboatão
 
Eu sou mameluco
Sou de Casa Forte
Sou de Pernambuco
Eu sou o Leão do Norte
 
You can read more about Bezerros here.