Jongo Festival in Brazil Celebrates Heritage and Calls for Support

Tiradentes Square in Rio de Janeiro came alive for three days with the rhythms of drumming, songs, and traditional dance steps rooted in the heritage of enslaved ancestors from Congo and Angola. The celebration showcased Jongo, an Afro-Brazilian cultural expression once used as a secret form of communication and today recognised as part of Brazil’s cultural heritage and a forerunner of samba.

Organisers of the festival said the event was designed not only to highlight the dance but also to call for stronger support and resources for the communities that keep the tradition alive. Among the festival’s highlights was the display of 200-year-old Jongo drums, carefully preserved by quilombo groups in Rio State, which bear testimony to the resilience and continuity of Afro-Brazilian culture.