Rei Momo (Carnival character)
Encyclopedia
King Momo or King Momos or King Momus, (Rei Momo in Portuguese
or Rey Momo in Spanish
) is considered the king of Carnival
s in numerous Latin America
n 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.
where the tradition of a presiding king goes back to 1933. http://www.academiadosamba.com.br/memoriasamba/reimomo.htm:
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
or Rey Momo in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
) is considered the king of Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
s in numerous Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n festivities, mainly in Brazil
Brazilian Carnival
The Carnival of Brazil is an annual festival held forty-six days before Easter. On certain days of Lent, Roman Catholics and some other Christians traditionally abstained from the consumption of meat and poultry, hence the term "carnival," from carnelevare, "to remove meat." Carnival celebrations...
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
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
Rey Momo is more often represented by a big, sometimes monumental, doll made of Papier-mâché
Papier-mâché
Papier-mâché , alternatively, paper-mache, is a composite material consisting of paper pieces or pulp, sometimes reinforced with textiles, bound with an adhesive, such as glue, starch, or wallpaper paste....
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
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
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.
King Momos of Rio de Janeiro
Probably the most famous of the King Momos are found in Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
where the tradition of a presiding king goes back to 1933. http://www.academiadosamba.com.br/memoriasamba/reimomo.htm:
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 1933 & 1948 | Paper Mache Doll |
| 1949 | Gustavo Mattos |
| 1950 | Gustavo Mattos |
| 1951-1957 | Nélson Nobre |
| 1958-1971 | Abrahão Haddad |
| 1972 | Edson Seraphin de Santana |
| 1973 | Elson Gomes da Silva (Macula) |
| 1974-1982 | Edson Seraphin de Santana |
| 1983 | Paolo Vicente Paccelli |
| 1984 | Roberto Barbosa de Castro (Roberto) |
| 1985-1986 | Edson Seraphin de Santana |
| 1987-1995 | Reynaldo de Carvalho (Bola) |
| 1996 | Paulo César Braga Champorry |
| 1997-2003 | Alex de Oliveira |
| 2004 | Wagner Jorge Vanderson Santos Monteiro |
| 2005 | Marcelo de Jesus Reis |
| 2006-2008 | Alex de Oliveira |
| 2009 | Milton Rodrigues |
| 2010 | Loren Moreino |