Rio de Janerio Byd Pws

-Of all the celebrated, beautiful,

-romantic cities in the world...

-..to me, one name stands out.

-People have composed songs about it.

-The world's stars

-come here on their holidays.

-Novels have been written

-about this city.

-But more than anything,

-Hogia'r Wyddfa sang about it.

-The city's name?

-Rio de Janeiro.

-# Y Ferch Ar Y Cei Yn Rio #

-Hogia'r Wyddfa

-Thanks, Hogs. Next!

-Yes! Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

-Famous for sun, music, dancing.

-The people are exciting,

-friendly and extrovert.

-But more than anything,

-famous for the carnival.

-That's why we're here.

-We're with a samba school

-called Paraiso Do Tuiuti.

-The Bird of Paradise school

-has taken part in 45 carnivals.

-Last year, the Tuiuti

-was elevated to division one.

-Their dream this year

-is staying there.

-See that? My drum teacher said

-I sounded just like Ginger Rogers.

-I think he meant Ginger Baker.

-He said I danced like Ginger Baker!

-Carnival is important to everyone,

-inspiring people of all ages.

-They rehearse

-song and dance routines...

-..or bang drums non-stop all day -

-and most of the night as well.

-I was gradually

-drawn into the experience.

-The beat was starting

-to get a hold on me.

-Rehearsals aren't child's play,

-either.

-Everyone takes it deadly seriously,

-concentrating on each note.

-Although I'd only been there a few

-days, I started to feel part of it.

-I worried

-whether they'd succeed or not.

-The people's enthusiasm

-was getting to me.

-So many beautiful people!

-And they could all dance!

-If that was a practice, I'm

-looking forward to the real thing.

-Goodness!

-The Tuiuti centre

-is under this busy flyover.

-They ingeniously hire it out as

-a car park to raise carnival money.

-This wall chronicles their history.

-In 1994, they came tenth in Group C,

-one of the inferior groups.

-They improved from 5th to 3rd and

-eventually became group winners.

-They were promoted to group B.

-They were elevated to group A

-in 2000, winning by half a mark.

-They've now joined 'Grupo Especial.'

-It's a special group of 14 schools.

-Their goal this year

-is to stay in Grupo Especial.

-Excitement fills the air. Everyone

-contributes in one way or another.

-Guess what?

-I've been invited to join them

-in the carnival.

-It involves so much work

-and nearly 3,000 people.

-They all need their own costumes.

-Here's the list.

-Each one has a number.

-I'm looking forward

-to discover what I'll get.

-Waltinho is the creative director.

-He interprets the themes

-and keeps the momentum going.

-My costume has arrived.

-This year's theme

-is 'Moor in the Castle'...

-..inspired by

-Paulo Georges Bourdoukan's book.

-There are five days to go.

-I wouldn't say they're panicking

-but they work 10-12 hours a day.

-Good grief!

-Bourdoukan recounts a Moor captain's

-voyage from Africa to Brazil.

-They have seven floats and seven

-sections in the procession.

-Each reflects a different aspect

-of the Moor's life.

-The theme's only one

-of ten different elements.

-They include samba, song,

-costume, flag waving, decoration...

-..and drums. Each element

-wins marks on the big night.

-Samba and carnival

-belong to the African culture.

-It started amongst plantation slaves

-in the last century.

-The only location remaining

-for slaves to build houses...

-..was the worthless, steep hills

-surrounding the city.

-Samba developed

-in the favelas - the shanty towns.

-Pedro De Sao established the first

-official samba school in the '20s.

-Influenced by European emigrants,

-it's become vital to the culture.

-It evolved into a magnificent,

-world famous pageant.

-Favelas are still out of bounds

-to gringos like me.

-But our hosts looked after us...

-..as we talked to residents

-about the carnival.

-I'm 40 and I've been part of

-the Tuiuti procession for 30 years.

-I'm an army fireman. I once escaped

-in order to take part.

-I was imprisoned for 30 days.

-But it was worth it, because the

-Tuiuti were the champions that year.

-The carnival

-makes life worthwhile.

-I've taken part for 25 years.

-I started as a drummer before

-joining the Maria Augusta section.

-Drug gangs have made this place

-hazardous to strangers.

-But I'm safe with Dona Iolanda.

-She's a member of a well known

-family in the area.

-She's appeared in the carnival

-every year since she was a child.

-I'm so used to being part of

-the school, I'd be lost without it.

-It fills my heart.

-According to Dona, the Tuiuti's

-success is down to one person.

-Amarildo Felipe, the presidente.

-The area and school

-are steeped in history.

-The samba school was popular amongst

-the people from the very beginning.

-We forged links

-with local businesses...

-..to raise money

-in order to take part.

-The Carnival is an expensive

-business and we were poor.

-There's nothing for the people

-in the favela, nor in the city.

-If the school closed,

-there'd be mayhem.

-People would die as a result.

-# The girl from Allt-y-Blaca

-out walking

-# I ask her, "How are you doing?" #

-No.

-# The girl from Pontlotyn

-# Stepping out

-with a bloke from Scotland #

-What's this place called, Hughes?

-Ipanema.

-Ipanema.

-# The girl from Ipanema out walking

-# I ask her how she's feeling #

-That's better, isn't it?

-# The Girl From Ipanema #

-Any boy's dream, on any beach,

-anywhere in Brazil...

-..is scoring a goal

-for his country here...

-..the world's biggest stadium -

-The Maracana.

-The football last night was good.

-Tonight, we've a choice, Hughes.

-A lecture about traditional

-folk dancing in the museum.

-Or the Erotic Ball in La Scala.

-Hm.

-Tonight's the carnival's big night.

-The Gay Ball.

-This is where we've come.

-Not that I'm gay myself.

-I help out when they're busy.

-Come on, Hughes.

-Did you have to wear that skirt?

-As you can see, Gwyn Erfyl's

-conducting a few interviews.

-Emyr Wyn's behind me, surrounded

-by prominent Gorsedd members.

-I thought tomorrow

-was meant to be wild!

-

-The big day finally arrives.

-The Passarella do Samba day

-or Sambadromo.

-Everyone's clutching a costume

-with eager anticipation.

-What will the boys say,

-back in the rugby club?

-Some people who've worked for

-a year on the floats and costumes...

-..can't afford to come into

-the Sambadrome itself.

-They come here to wish us well.

-It's terribly hot

-and there are two hours to go.

-Like the two blokes in the sauna.

-One has high blood pressure,

-the other has water on the brain.

-One says, "It's hot in here."

-The other whistles like a kettle!

-The Sambadrome

-has a 60,000 capacity.

-14 schools compete over two nights

-for the first prize.

-Problems.

-My costume's coming apart.

-OK, love?

-OK, love?

-

-These pieces... Don't you 'love' me.

-I can see them watching this

-in the rugby club.

-As new arrivals

-to the first division...

-..Paraiso Do Tuiuti will lead

-the procession. That's unfortunate.

-We'll have to warm up the crowd.

-We've heard rumours some members

-are late. They'll miss the start.

-I'm too nervous to waffle on here.

-And the hat isn't going to stay on,

-I know that now. See?

-I'll put it on the other way.

-PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

-Oh, I'm all nerves now.

-I still haven't learnt the song.

-# Lleucu Llwyd #

-They'll never know, will they?

-# Lleucu Llwyd #

-You know...

-..these floats are OK

-but it's us, the performers...

-..who make the carnival come alive.

-We're off!

-Off we go!

-That's it!

-I've been waiting for

-him

-for about an hour.

-It takes an hour

-for the procession to pass through.

-I enjoyed that -

-it was worse than a rugby game.

-I've cooled down

-after sweating buckets.

-I want to know

-what people thought of us.

-I reckon we looked alright.

-The crowd reacted.

-Better than being

-in the national stadium.

-What did the people think?

-Amazing. What did you think?

-We'll stay in the first division.

-The crowd responded well.

-Maybe we won't get a good result...

-..but it was a great experience

-and very good for our community.

-I feel a little sad.

-We could have been better.

-We'll have to wait for the result.

-My heart's racing.

-I think things went well

-but there were problems.

-Our lack of experience at competing

-at the highest level showed.

-But I feel the Tuiuti demonstrated

-their nature and character.

-I've been running around all day

-and arrived here feeling stressed.

-Maybe it's just me

-who feels a little low.

-I hope they stay

-in the first division.

-It's the competing that counts,

-isn't it, Hughes?

-No, you're right.

-Winning's important.

-We later heard

-the Tuiuti were unsuccessful.

-They drop out of the first division.

-A great disappointment to us all.

-This year's champions

-were Imperiatriz Leopoldinese.

-And fair play to them,

-they deserved to win.

-But there you go,

-their day will come.

-And next year, who knows?

-In the world of the Sambadrome -

-anything's possible.

-Goodnight, children.

-S4C Subtitles by

-GWEAD