King Momo Explained

King Momo or King Momos or King Momus, (Rei Momo in Portuguese or Rey Momo in Spanish) is considered the king of Carnivals in numerous Latin American festivities, mainly in Brazil and Colombia. His appearance signifies the beginning of the Carnival festivities. Each carnival has its own King Momo, who is often given the key to the city. Traditionally, a tall, fat man is chosen to fulfill the role because the original King Momo was of that physical stature.

In Argentina and Uruguay, Rey Momo is more often represented by a big, sometimes monumental, doll made of papier-mâché over a wooden or wire structure. In these cases it is carried in a tow or at the top of a truck, and presides the carnival with a royal court of dancers. While a doll, it conserves its traditional features: flamboyant and colorful clothing, a smiling or joyful face and a prominent belly. It used to be burnt at the end of the festivities, also being its climax, but this practice is being discouraged in recent times for safety reasons. Also in the former Portuguese-ruled Goa, India, at the Carnival Parade, a person is selected to play the part of King Momo. Sixtus Eric Dias from Candolim was selected in 2021.

Origin

King Momus derives from the Greek god Momus (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: μῶμος) .[1]

King Momos of Rio de Janeiro

Probably the most famous of the King Momos are found in Rio de Janeiro where the tradition of a presiding king goes back to 1933. http://www.academiadosamba.com.br/memoriasamba/reimomo.htm:

PeriodName
1933-1948 Paper Mache Doll
1949-1950 Gustavo Mattos
1951-1957 Nélson Nobre
1958-1971 Abrahão Haddad
1972 Edson Seraphin de Santana
1973 Elson Macula
1974-1982 Edson Seraphin de Santana
1983 Paolo Vicente Paccelli
1984 Roberto Barbosa de Castro
1985-1986 Edson Seraphin de Santana
1987-1995 Reynaldo Bola
1996 Paulo César Braga Champorry
1997-2003 Alex Oliveira
2004 Wagner Monteiro[2]
2005 Marcelo de Jesus Reis
2006-2008 Alex Oliveira[3] [4] [5]
2009-2013 Milton Júnior[6] [7] [8]
2014-2016 Wilson Neto[9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]
2017Fábio Damião dos Santos Antunes[16]
2018 Milton Júnior[17]

King Momos of Santos

Waldemar Esteves da Cunha (born 1920 - died 2013) [18] was King Momo of Santos from 1950 to 1956 and from 1958 to 1990, and until he was 92 and pensioned, he was the oldest Momo in Brazil.[19]

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4487:rio-carnival-worlds-biggest-extravaganza&catid=43:entertainment&Itemid=135 Rio Carnival: World's biggest extravaganza
  2. Web site: Rei Momo magro inicia reinado no Rio de Janeiro. February 20, 2004. September 19, 2013. Portuguese. September 21, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053639/http://noticias.terra.com.br/interna/0,,OI270870-EI3132,00.html. live.
  3. Web site: Alex is the King Momo for the eighth time and Queen is bi. December 2, 2005. November 19, 2013. Portuguese. December 30, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131230234854/http://www.sosamba.com.br/carnaval/rj/noticias/alex-e-rei-momo-pela-oitava-vez-e-rainha-e-bi. live.
  4. Web site: Know the New River Momo King and Queen Carnival 2007. November 11, 2006. September 14, 2013. Portuguese. March 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081225/http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Rio/0,,AA1346771-5606,00.html. live.
  5. Web site: Rio already has Rei Momo and new Carnival Queen. October 27, 2007. September 14, 2013. Portuguese. November 29, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129103949/http://www.sidneyrezende.com/noticia/7271. live.
  6. Web site: Rio knows the new King Momo and Queen of Carnival 2009. September 29, 2008. September 14, 2013. Portuguese. March 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081225/http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Rio/0,,AA1346771-5606,00.html. live.
  7. Web site: King Momo and Queen of Carnival 2013 is elected at the Samba City. November 4, 2012. September 14, 2013. Portuguese. September 21, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130921060857/http://g1.globo.com/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2012/11/rei-momo-e-rainha-do-carnaval-2013-sao-eleitos-na-cidade-do-samba.html. live.
  8. Web site: Meet the king momo, queen and princesses of Carnival 2013. November 4, 2012. September 14, 2013. Portuguese. https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053330/http://www.carnavalesco.com.br/detal_carnavalesco.php?car_id=3997. September 21, 2013. dead. mdy-all.
  9. Web site: Carnival 2014 already has its Official Court. November 9, 2013. Portuguese. November 9, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131109035805/http://www.sidneyrezende.com/noticia/219745+carnaval+de+2014+ja+tem+sua+corte+oficial. live.
  10. Web site: Queen and King Momo the 2014 Rio Carnival are elected. 9 November 2013 . November 9, 2013. Portuguese. November 9, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131109045119/http://g1.globo.com/rio-de-janeiro/carnaval/2014/noticia/2013/11/rainha-e-rei-momo-do-carnaval-2014-do-rio-sao-eleitos.html. live.
  11. Web site: ' Ecstatic ' Rio 2014 Carnival Queen celebrates coronation. 9 November 2013 . November 9, 2013. Portuguese. November 9, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131109110049/http://g1.globo.com/rio-de-janeiro/carnaval/2014/noticia/2013/11/em-extase-rainha-do-carnaval-do-rio-2014-comemora-coroacao.html. live.
  12. Web site: King Momo and Carnival Queen are elected in Rio. November 15, 2014. November 23, 2014. Portuguese. December 4, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141204162346/http://g1.globo.com/rio-de-janeiro/carnaval/2015/noticia/2014/11/rei-momo-e-rainha-do-carnaval-sao-eleitos-no-rio.html. live.
  13. Web site: Rio de Janeiro choose your new Court of King and Queen of Carnival 2015. November 15, 2014. November 23, 2014. Portuguese. November 19, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141119134203/http://entretenimento.uol.com.br/noticias/redacao/2014/11/15/rio-de-janeiro-escolhe-sua-nova-corte-de-rei-e-rainha-do-carnaval-2015.htm. live.
  14. Web site: Rio elege Rei Momo e Rainha do carnaval para 2016. G1. November 14, 2015. March 6, 2016. March 8, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160308065812/http://g1.globo.com/carnaval/2016/noticia/2015/11/rio-elege-rei-momo-e-rainha-do-carnaval-para-2016.html. live.
  15. Web site: Corte do Carnaval: Wilson Dias e Clara Paixão voltam a reinar em 2016. Claudia Dias, para o UOL. November 14, 2015. March 6, 2016. April 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160404143826/http://entretenimento.uol.com.br/noticias/redacao/2015/11/14/corte-do-carnaval-wilson-dias-e-clara-paixao-voltam-a-reinar-em-2016.htm. live.
  16. Web site: Rei Momo, Rainha do Carnaval do Rio e Princesas são escolhidos. G1. October 12, 2016. October 21, 2016. October 22, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161022084834/http://g1.globo.com/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2016/10/rei-momo-e-rainha-do-carnaval-do-rio-sao-escolhidos.html. live.
  17. Web site: Milton Júnior e Jéssica Maia voltam a reinar na corte do carnaval de 2018. 30 October 2017 . G1. 16 September 2018. 16 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180916235244/https://g1.globo.com/rio-de-janeiro/carnaval/2018/noticia/milton-junior-e-jessica-maia-voltam-a-reinar-na-corte-do-carnaval-de-2018.ghtml. live.
  18. Web site: Novo Milênio: Tempo de Carnaval (5-a) . 2021-02-21 . 2016-03-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222624/http://www.novomilenio.inf.br/santos/h0207f.htm . live .
  19. Web site: Novo Milênio: Tempo de Carnaval (5-b) . 2021-02-21 . 2015-09-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150928143146/http://www.novomilenio.inf.br/santos/h0207f1.htm . live .

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