“In the time you could celebrate” popular culture at the party de Santo Antônio

Abstract

The Festa de Santo Antônio takes place annually in the city of Barbalha, starting on the last Sunday of May or the first Sunday of June. The event opens the festive cycle in the Cariri region, starting with the cutting of the tree that, later on, will be known as the pau de Santo Antônio. At the opening of the festival, there is the procession of Pau da Bandeira, a moment where the trunk of a tree runs through the main streets of the city. This moment is considered by the players and devotees as being the most significant occasion of the party, as it is time to raise the flag of the matchmaker saint, announcing to all Cariri that the festivities for Santo Antônio have started. After its opening, Trezena a Santo Antônio begins, at which time masses are held in praise of the saint. During this period there are also dancing festivities, kermesses and artistic presentations. In 2015, the festival was registered as an intangible cultural heritage of Brazil by the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (Iphan), with its image linked to popular culture. The party usually receives an audience of 250 thousand people, approximately. In 2020, the celebration, which has been taking place since 1928, was postponed to the month of October, which was later canceled entirely, taking place only in virtual format. Faced with the pandemic context experienced, this essay seeks to offer the reader an insight into the Feast of Santo Antônio supported by popular groups and how these were impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic.