Midnight Man: The Olinda Carnaval Tradition

Believed to represent an ancestral spirit, the 12 foot-high puppet has been at the center of Olinda's carnaval for 93 years.

I spent the last two weeks covering Carnaval for TeleSur and will upload a view from the ground overview of the whole event this weekend. In the meantime, here is my story on the mysticism behind the Homen da Meia Noite, one of the most beloved figures in Olinda’s Carnaval. I’ll post the full script below.

Script

Narrator: It's impossible to talk about carnaval in Olinda without talking about the ritualistic dolls and puppets, called "calungas" which, according to West African traditions carried down through the centuries, are believed to channel spirits. It's also impossible to talk about carnaval in Olinda without mentioning the most famous Calunga of them all: The Homem da Meia Noite, or Midnight Man.

Rúbia Lóssio - Sociologist, Pernambuco Folklore Commission

Midnight Man comes out at midnight, following an entire ritual full of magical symbolism. This is because it's related to the divinity of our ancestral spirits, and this is respected here.

Narrator: Midnight Man is 4 meter tall calunga which comes out every year with a new outfit on at the stroke of midnight on Carnaval Sunday, to the delirium of a huge, cheering and singing crowd. Then it's off, leading them on a 5 kilometer stroll through the cobblestone streets of historic Olinda, which was home to the mysterious figure who inspired the creation of Midnight Man in 1931.

Adilson Correia - President of Midnight Man Association

There are two stories about him and both are inspired by real people. One is that he was an elegant man who would go out every night at midnight to fight crime. Our second version is that our group's founders liked to go out gambling and every night around midnight they'd see a very elegant man dressed in a green suit come out for romantic encounters with lonely maidens.

Narrator: During the 93 years since its founding, Midnight Man has become a symbol of Carnaval in Pernambuco. His image can be found on refrigerator magnets, T-shirts and coffee mugs. None of this commercialization, however, has diminished the feelings that revelers experience the moment he comes out at midnight on Carnaval Sunday.

Daniel Evarejo - Carnaval Reveler/Nurse

It's incredibly moving. We come every year and there's no way of explaining Midnight Man. It seems like a living soul. When he comes out - it's inexplicable. We love Midnight Man. Me and my partner here, we always come out to see him.

Narrator: For the last 93 carnavals the streets of Olinda have echoed with the song of Midnight man, which in English, goes: Here comes the Midnight Man Walking down the street. His costume is green and white to liven up the carnaval

Brian Mier, TeleSur, Olinda