Mestre Verequete

Origin

Quatipuru, PA

Genres

carimbó, música regional brasileira

Instruments

voz

Biography

Mestre Verequete, born Augusto Gomes Rodrigues, was a legendary Brazilian singer, composer, and master of carimbó, widely celebrated as the King of Carimbó. Throughout his remarkable career, he dedicated himself to the traditional style known as pau e corda or carimbó de raiz, becoming a central figure in popularizing the genre within the state of Pará and projecting it nationally during the 1970s and 1980s. Leading his group O Uirapuru, he composed around 200 songs and recorded numerous albums, leaving behind enduring classics such as "O carimbó não morreu", "Chama Verequete", and "Xô peru".

Born near Quatipuru in the interior of Bragança, Pará, Augusto Gomes Rodrigues earned his famous nickname while working at an Air Force base after sharing a story about a terreiro song that featured the phrase "Chama Verequete". His artistic legacy extends beyond his recordings, as he performed alongside family members including his wife Dona Cenira, and he was posthumously honored as a Commander of the Order of Cultural Merit by the Brazilian government. Mestre Verequete passed away in Belém in 2009, but his profound influence endures through academic publications, the documentary Chama Verequete, and his lasting status as a foundational pillar of Amazonian musical culture alongside contemporaries like Pinduca.