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DISCOVER POCONÉ - MATO GROSSO
Located 100 km from Cuiabá, Poconé is a historic city. Founded in 1777, the municipality has 30 thousand inhabitants. A hospitable city with the custom of chairs on the sidewalk demonstrates the tradition of a people who value their culture.
Poconé is also known internationally as “the gateway to the Pantanal”, Mato Grosso because the Transpantaneira highway begins there.
This is the city, a mix of centuries-old traditions and natural attractions.
Approximately 80% of Poconé's territory is located in the North Pantanal. With the largest floodplain in the world, the Pantanal has an unparalleled biodiversity of plants, fish and birds. There are alligators, anacondas, hyacinth macaws, deer, tapirs, capybaras, anteaters, emus and jaguars, as well as hundreds of birds that have chosen the region as one of the most important in the world for its migratory routes.
This ecological paradise has a dry period between the months of May and September and a flood period from October to April. It is interesting to visit the Pantanal at any time of year, as the alternation of water provides unique spectacles.
In Poconé there are two entrances to the Pantanal Rodovia Porto, surrounded by the Transpantaneira park road, which goes to Porto Jofre. There are 145 km of unpaved road and 120 wooden and 2 concrete bridges. On this highway are the main tourist attractions in the Pantanal offered by the inns.
Discover the Cavalhada de Poconé
It is a cultural manifestation brought to Mato Grosso at the end of the 18th century, being especially widespread in Poconé. It is held together with the São Benedito Festival, in the month of June.
The Cavalhada is a fictional battle, through equestrian competitions between the blue Christian and red Moorish armies. An open-air show, where every detail, from the costumes to the scenery, surprises with its wealth of details. There are horses, knights, pages, a princess and a castle produced for a great event.
Cavalhada de Poconé is a festival of Portuguese origin. Cavalhada arrived in Mato Grosso in 1769, in commemoration of the arrival of Luiz Pinto de Souza Coutinho, captain general and third governor of the capital of Mato Grosso, settling in the Pantanal municipality of Poconé.
The demonstration was absent from the Mato Grosso cultural scene for 35 years (from 56 to 90), but returned in 1991 with great momentum. And in this way, Cavalhada, the stage for fierce medieval tournaments in European arenas, gained prominence in the tradition and culture of Mato Grosso. The manifestation is commonly associated with famous episodes in world history and literature, such as the Trojan War and The Crusades. Richly decorated horses and riders compete to the sound of a “box”. The Cavalhada takes place every year during the Festival of São Benedito, in June and in addition to the clash between the Moorish and Christian armies, the Cavalhada also has the Knights' Ball, the Illumination Festival (with a pyrotechnic show), the Masked Dance, siriri and cururu and ends with a great popular show. Knights and pages with very rich clothing and adornments position themselves on their horses which, with unique adornment, are decorated with feathers, ribbons and bells. They then enter the arena fighting to the sound of the "box" peal, a peculiar percussion instrument, in time with the trotting of the horses and the tinkling of the bells. Each army is made up of 12 gentlemen and their respective pages. The party begins with the entry of the Moorish army in red, and the Christian army in blue, then with the entry of the queen, and the supporters (people who command the army), then the ambassador, then the flags of the Divine Holy Spirit and of St. Benedict,
Masquerade Dance
It is a typical dance from the city that mixes European contra dances, indigenous dances and Afro rhythms. Its greatest peculiarity is that it is danced exclusively by men, with half of them wearing male attire and the other half female. The dancers cover their faces with colorful masks, as well as the vibrant colors of their clothes.
This dance is unlike any other performed in the country, its origin being mysterious even to the oldest Poconeans.
Interestingly, only men participate. Dressed in masks and colorful clothes, they are grouped in pairs, with half of the dancers wearing women's clothing .
The music played during the performances is similar to that of bandstand bands, with instruments such as saxophone, tuba, pistons, cymbals and drums.
The main point of the dance is the braiding of ribbons.
The masks used are made with wire mesh and placed on wood for modeling. They are then given a paint bath.
Presented since 1915, the Masked Dance is considered one of the oldest cultural manifestations in Mato Grosso.
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