In 1970 the artist and writer Ariano Suassuna launched the Armorial movement at a ceremony in Recife, in Brazil’s Northeast Pernambuco state. The movement gathered themes of Brazil’s Nordeste in music, art, literature, and magical beliefs. He and his partners in the venture wished to elevate and celebrate what was then regarded as the culture of simple people, helping Brazil herself appreciate the remarkable artistry with deep roots in the region that spans the Amazon to the state of Bahia in Brazil’s midsection, a tapestry woven with stories handed down from Afro-Brazilian enslaved people, Indigenous people, and White settlers. Suassuna wanted the next generations to respect and return to their unique roots as Brazilians, as exemplified in Nordeste art, music, and legends.

The term “armorial” is linked to heraldry and makes the connection to medieval art from the Iberian peninsula that has deep roots in the Northeast of Brazil. Armorial registries were books used to document the members of the nobility in medieval Europe. To Suassuna, the name was a beautiful sounding word that represented the connections of poetry, music, dance, and art.

Suassuna, who was originally from the Northeast state of Paraíba, developed the concept of ilumiaras, sacred spaces with the power to engender creativity, and he expanded his view to mean places that celebrated Brazilian culture and expression. He designated several places in Brazil’s Northeast as ilumiaras, connected to ancient cultures and probably used for worship. Suassuna served as Secretary of Culture for the Northeast state of Pernambuco and used his position to recognize and protect such spaces.

I was in Brasília in the fall of 2022, when in the midst of presidential elections and the World Cup a remarkable exposition of the Armorial movement was launched at the Centro Cultural do Banco do Brasil (CCBB, the Bank of Brazil cultural center). The collection, curated by Denise Matta with consultation of Suassuna’s son Manuel Dantas Suassuna, brought together for the first time the many beautiful examples of this Brazilian treasure. The exposition had been scheduled for 2020, marking fifty years of the movement, but the pandemic that devastated Brazil and the world forced it to be delayed for two years.

I visited the exhibition at CCBB on a chilly Sunday during one of Brasília’s legendary downpours, sitting in the car with my friend Cristina until the rain let up a little bit, racing from the parking lot to the CCBB building. After paying a modest entrance fee, we proceeded to the exhibit. It was an awe-inspiring experience from the first moment; entering the space we were confronted with Onça Caetana, a representation of death in the nordestino culture. Caetana is a woman’s name and is used by people in the Northeast to refer to death. The leopard-spirit seduces with her charms, then rips the life out of you with her claws. Suassuna’s father was assassinated for political reasons when he was young, and his mother had to flee with her children, so death must have had special meaning for him.

Armorial gave new voice to the tradition of Cordel literature, stories told in a few pages of rhymed verse with black and white woodcut prints for covers. The pamphlets were hung from draped cords with clothespins, hence cordel. They were based on archetypal stories handed down through generations and were often set to music to improve sales. The instruments were Brazilian guitar, fiddle, and flute, and the rhymed verses were sung as they had been for generations. The woodcut imprints are emblematic of the Armorial tradition, and stylized versions have been used in publicity graphics and branding across a variety of sectors over the years, being immediately recognizable as uniquely Brazilian.

Suassuna also created a Sertanejo alphabet, based on the symbols used to brand cattle to identify their ownership. The branding irons enabled identification of livestock as they mostly roamed free, unencumbered by fences. A father’s initials would be adapted to add a flourish representing the son as the animals were passed along to the next generation. The alphabet was seen immediately on entering the exhibit hall in the introductory poster giving credit to the curator and Suassuna’s son as consultant. Apologies for the poor lighting—but you can see the arrows and flourishes integral to this “branding” alphabet.

There were several key characters from Nordeste folklore and Afro-Brazilian religious traditions that were on glorious display at the Armorial exhibition. The first is Caboclo de Lança, a towering figure with a giant multicolored, domed wig of cellophane strips and cape embellished with sequins and glass beads. Every aspect of the costume has meaning, and Caboclo de Lança is associated with Carnaval in the state of Pernambuco and specifically with Maracatu Rural, of which he is the prime symbol. Preparation for assuming the role and costume is heavy with secret meaning. He is a warrior who protects his people, armed with a 2-meter lance and performing specific dances.

The Reisado is another personage, this time associated with the birth of the baby Jesus, celebrating the Magi, or three kings who brought gifts to the child. The period of celebration is from 24 December to 6 January, the day that the Magi arrived in Bethlehem. January 6th is the day that Christmas decorations are traditionally taken down, and families participate in religious events with music and dancing. The kings are usually represented in groups, with each participant playing an instrument or carrying a standard.

There were several artists’ works displayed, exemplifying Suassuna’s blend of the erudite and popular, but one room was dedicated to Gilvan Samico (1928-2013). Samico incorporated magical spirits in his paintings and woodcuts, featuring saints, prophets, firebirds, dragons, serpents, enchanted bulls, and horses. Samico was primarily known for his woodcuts.

Gilvan Samico woodcut, wall decoration at the exhibit

Samico’s spectacular paintings are less well known, so this exhibit was a real treasure.

Gilvan Samico, Woman and Peacock (study), 1972

The Armorial movement continued, with later examples continuing to evoke its elements.

No discussion of Armorial would be complete without Auto da Compadecida, a film based on Suassuna’s play that was released in 1969. It was the first color film ever produced in Brazil, directed by George Jonas, with costumes by Suassuna’s perennial collaborator Francisco Brennand. The sets were designed by the groundbreaking architect Lina Bo Bardi, though much of the movie was filmed outdoors in the interior of Pernambuco state. The plot is impossible to summarize, but it involves a couple of poor guys who run a series of scams on local people to try to get ahead, with non-stop slapstick situations. The two guys and a series of other sinners end up asking the Compadecida (the Virgin Mary,) who magically appears, for forgiveness. It doesn’t sound like much as I describe it, but it is laugh-out-loud funny.

The film was remade as a miniseries for Brazilian television in 1999, and then in 2000 as a multi-award-winning film featuring accomplished film actors, including Fernanda Montenegro. Here is a picture of my CD set with both the miniseries and the film. I don’t have a CD player anymore, but I can’t bear to part with it.

Finally, my apologies for the quality of my photos taken at the exhibition. I had planned to return and get better shots, but the presidential runoff election happened, and the transition groups from the Lula and Bolsonaro governments were meeting at the CCBB in Brasília, the location of the exhibit. I found out later the exhibit was still going on, but well . . . you know. For those who would like more information and high quality photos of all of the paintings, woodcuts and sculptures in the exhibit, along with full background history in both Portuguese and English, you can download the exhibit catalogue, Movimento Armorial 50 anos here.

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