Caxambu and Candongueiro: Discover the Rhythms of Black Culture in Minas Gerais
Caxambu and Candongueiro echo like living beats of Afro-Minas Gerais history, instruments that carry centuries of resistance and celebration.
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In the heart of Minas Gerais, these drums are not just musical objects, but symbols of a culture that survived oppression and reinvented itself with power.
This text delves into the essence of these instruments, exploring their origins, role in cultural manifestations, and relevance in 2025, the year in which the appreciation of Black culture gains even more ground.
Why do these drums continue to beat so strongly? Let's find out together, unraveling stories, rhythms, and meanings that connect past and present.
The caxambu dance, also called jongo in other regions, is one of the most emblematic expressions of African heritage in Brazil.
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Originating from the Bantu peoples, brought by slaves from Angola and Congo, it took root in the Southeast, especially in Minas.
The drums Caxambu and Candongueiro are the protagonists of this manifestation, guiding the song, dance and community spirit.
In 2025, with initiatives such as the Iepha-MG Afromineiridades program, these instruments will gain prominence in festivals, workshops and public policies, reinforcing their cultural importance.
This article is an invitation to discover these sounds that span generations.
The Origin of Drums: African Roots in Minas Gerais Soil
The drums Caxambu and Candongueiro were born of the Bantu diaspora, carrying rhythms and spirituality from Angola and Congo. Enslaved people played them in rare moments of communion.
In the slave quarters, the caxambu was more than an instrument; it was resistance. Its coded beats conveyed messages, organized escapes, and kept cultural identity alive.
In Minas Gerais, the caxambu dance took hold on coffee farms, especially in the Paraíba Valley. Today, it is an intangible cultural heritage, registered by IPHAN in 2005.
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The artisanal construction of these drums reflects ancestral knowledge. The larger caxambu drum is made of cowhide stretched over a hollowed-out trunk, producing deep, low sounds.
The smaller candongueiro complements it with high-pitched timbres. Together, they create a rhythmic dialogue that sustains the jongo circle, uniting voices and bodies.
In 2025, artisans like Mestre Zé do Tambor, from Sabará, preserve this tradition, teaching young people to build drums using centuries-old techniques.
The Role of Drums in Dance and Community
In the jongo circle, Caxambu and Candongueiro are the beating heart. The soloist leads the song, and the choir responds with enigmatic verses.
The dance demands agility. Couples in the center improvise steps, challenging each other in choreographies that celebrate life and ancestry, to the beat of drums.
Beyond music, these instruments connect generations. In communities like Chapada do Norte, grandparents teach grandchildren to play, perpetuating collective memories.
The caxambu also carries spirituality. Before the circle, the drums receive offerings, honoring the ancestors in a ritual of deep respect.
See more: How to Preserve Handmade Percussion Instruments
In 2025, events such as the Festa da Cultura Negra in Santana do Caatinga highlight jongo, reinforcing its relevance in quilombos in Minas Gerais.
Workshops in schools, such as those at Ponto de Cultura Pérola Negra in Uberlândia, bring the sound of drums to children, promoting anti-racist education.
Afro-Mineirities: The Current Valorization of Black Culture
The Afromineiridades program, launched by Iepha in 2022, is a milestone. It maps and protects manifestations such as jongo, where Caxambu and Candongueiro shine.
According to Iepha, 70% of Minas Gerais' cultural manifestations have African influence, highlighting the centrality of black culture in the state's identity.
Festivals in 2025, such as Palmares Canta Conta e Dança, in Brasília, inspire Minas Gerais to expand events that celebrate these drums.
See also: Samba de Roda Tools: A Dive into the Roots
Quilombola communities, such as Santana do Caatinga, use caxambu in religious festivals, uniting Catholic faith and African rites in a living syncretism.
Public policies, such as the Cocar Award, encourage jongueiro masters, ensuring that knowledge about the drums is passed on.
In Belo Horizonte, the Circuito Liberdade promotes exhibitions and workshops, connecting the urban public to the rural rhythms of Caxambu and Candongueiro.
The Influence of Drums on Samba and Beyond
Jongo, driven by Caxambu and Candongueiro, is considered a precursor of samba, influencing urban rhythms in the early 20th century.
In Carnival 2025, schools like Salgueiro, in Rio, pay homage to the caxambu, bringing its beats to Sapucaí, in choreographed wings.
In Minas Gerais, the samba de roda of Diamantina incorporates touches of the caxambu, demonstrating how these drums shape different musical expressions.
Contemporary artists, such as the group Tambor Mineiro, fuse jongo with jazz and rap, bringing the ancestral sound to new audiences.
Recent recordings, such as the album “Raízes Vivas” (2024), highlight the candongueiro in modern arrangements, proving its timeless versatility.
Shows in venues like Palácio das Artes in Belo Horizonte amplify these instruments, connecting young people to their Afro-Minas Gerais heritage.
Challenges and Future: Preserving the Legacy
Despite its appreciation, jongo faces challenges. Religious intolerance threatens rodas in some communities, demanding dialogue and cultural respect.
Masters grow old, and the oral transmission of knowledge about Caxambu and Candongueiro depends on engaged young people, like those from the Renascer group, in Sabará.
Urbanization distances rural communities from terreiros, but initiatives like the Pontão de Cultura do Jongo, at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, strengthen the preservation network.
In 2025, the Minas Gerais government plans to expand incentives for cultural centers, guaranteeing resources for workshops and events featuring these drums.
Technology also helps. Tutorial videos and livestreams, such as those on the "Toques Ancestrais" channel, teach caxambu rhythms to global audiences.
School projects, such as the one by the teacher from Palmas (TO), which integrates capoeira and jongo, show that education is key to the future.
The Symbolic Power of Drums: An Analogy
Imagine a river that flows for centuries, carrying stories in its waters. That's how it is Caxambu and Candongueiro, flowing with the Afro-Minas Gerais memory.
Each beat is a wave that connects past and future, uniting ancestors and youth in a continuous flow of resistance and celebration.
In 2025, these drums don't just play; they scream for recognition, defying oblivion and inspiring new generations to dance.
Practical Examples: How to Experience Caxambu Today
Join a jongo circle in Sabará, where Mestre Zé do Tambor teaches rhythms of Caxambu and Candongueiro in free workshops.
Visit the Museu Mineiro in Belo Horizonte, which hosts exhibitions on Afro-Brazilian syncretism, with replica drums and live performances.
Table: Characteristics of Caxambu and Candongueiro Drums
| Instrument | Size | Sound | Material | Function in the Wheel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caxambu | Big | Serious | Trunk, ox leather | Rhythmic base, leadership |
| Candongueiro | Small | Acute | Trunk, ox leather | Counterpoint, dialogue |
Conclusion: The Uninterrupted Pulse of the Drums
The drums Caxambu and Candongueiro They are more than instruments; they are the voices of a people who resist, sing and dance against erasure.
In 2025, with the strengthening of cultural policies and community engagement, these sounds will echo louder, uniting Minas Gerais with its African essence.
Whether in quilombola terreiros, urban stages, or classrooms, jongo lives on, and its drums continue to tell stories of struggle and joy.
How about hearing these beats up close? Join a circle, feel the rhythm, and connect with a legacy that never stops beating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What differentiates caxambu from candongueiro?
The caxambu is larger, with a deep sound, while the candongueiro, smaller, has a high-pitched timbre, creating a rhythmic dialogue.
Where can I learn to play these drums?
Workshops in Sabará, with Mestre Zé do Tambor, or at the Pérola Negra Cultural Center, in Uberlândia, are great options.
Is jongo a religious dance?
Not necessarily. It's a cultural manifestation with spiritual elements, but focused on celebration and resistance, not religion.
How does caxambu influence samba?
Its rhythmic beats and circle formation inspired samba de roda and urban samba, especially in the Southeast.
Reference:
Iepha-MG. “Afromineiridades: Valorization of Black Culture in Minas Gerais.” 2022.
