Raízes Caboclas

Origin

Benjamin Constant, AM

Years active

1982

Genres

regional, música popular amazônica, mpb

Instruments

violão, coro, bioinstrumentos indígenas, percussão, quatro, violino, flauta doce

Biography

The Raízes Caboclas group emerged in 1982, in the municipality of Benjamin Constant, Amazonas, on the border with Peru. Their artistic proposal is the rescue of Amazonian culture, with influences from riverside, indigenous, and Andean peoples, resulting in a unique sound that blends a choir of voices, acoustic guitar, and indigenous bio-instruments. The band has released nearly 20 albums throughout their career, with their debut album, "Amazonas," dating back to 1988.

Celdo Braga, one of the founders and a member of the group, is a native of Benjamin Constant and holds a degree in literature. He is also a composer and poet, and his background in gaúcho nativist music inspired him to found Raízes Caboclas with the goal of translating the natural musicality of Amazonas. Other notable members include Otávio Di Borba, a researcher of Amazonian folklore; Júlio Lira, a percussionist with Colombian and Peruvian influences; Osmar Oliveira, a singer, composer, and educator; Raimundo Angulo, the main vocalist; Adalberto Holanda, an acoustic guitarist and flutist; and Eliberto Barroncas, a visual artist and percussionist who is also responsible for the group's visual design.

With a career spanning over 40 years, Raízes Caboclas has performed all over Brazil and in countries such as the United States, Germany, Venezuela, Peru, and Colombia, taking cabocla culture abroad. Their songs frequently address environmental themes and the preservation of Amazonian culture, reflecting concerns about deforestation, the exploitation of fauna and flora, and the valorization of indigenous and riverside peoples. The group is often associated with artists like Boi Caprichoso and Boi Garantido, who also celebrate Amazonian culture through boi-bumbá.