Maracatu Estrela do Mar
We are a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to teaching and performing rhythm, song, and movement.
Our style is rooted in the lineage of traditional Maracatu "nations" such as Aurora Africana, Leão Coroado, and others. By sharing this living tradition locally, we aim to promote social inclusion, break cultural barriers, and foster community building & engagement.
Our name, Starfish Maracatu, is inspired by a song from the renowned Nation Maracatu Estrela Brilhante titled "Horizonte" (Horizon). The starfish symbolises the journey of cultural influence and resilience that spans continents—from Africa to Brasil, and now to Naarm and beyond.
We take pride in representing this vibrant cultural heritage within a local context, using it as a platform to spark conversations about immigration, diversity, and the multicultural future of Australia.
Do you Maracatu?
In Brazil, Maracatu is not only a music style, but also a group which plays, dances and sings Maracatu. You can also call an event a Maracatu, which is arranged by a Maracatu group. "Let´s go to the Maracatu tonight"
The Maracatus exact moment of origin and its culture cannot exactly be defined, but it reaches back several hundreds of years in Brazilian history. The oldest, still active Maracatu group which has continuously been playing ever since, is Leão Coroado, nowadays based in Olinda. Leão Coroado celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2013. Most probably, the first Maracatu groups originated a lot earlier.
In the late 17th and early 18th century, black communities all over Brazil started to develop, usually with a religious and social background. This shows a carefully growing appearance of consciousness within the black and partly still enslaved population.
These groupings chose a leader for whom the expression Rei do Congo – the Congo's King – established itself. On the one hand, those leaders were excellent personalities of the black communities and therefore of great domestic political importance, but also they filled the gap of the missing link between the usually white upper class and the black population. In order to celebrate an appointed Congo King or a Congo Queen and for the celebrations of the Saints, those groups, the Congadas, would parade through the villages accompanied by music.
What are the Instruments?
The defining instrument of Maracatu is the Alfaia, a bass drum originally made from old wine or brandy barrels, now crafted primarily from plywood or Macaiba palm wood for better resonance. Alfaias are tuned using a traditional tension string technique, creating a unique thunderous sound rather than precise tonal tuning, unlike Samba.
Other essential instruments include the caixa de guerra and tarol (snares), the mineiro (a shaker filled with seeds), and the gonguê (a large iron bell). The shekeré, with African roots but not traditionally part of Maracatu, has been incorporated more recently, along with experimental uses of the timbal.
Rhythms and Chants
Maracatu rhythms trace back to Bantu traditions from southern Central Africa, with four primary rhythms: Martelo, Luanda, Arrastão (or Toque do Elefante), and Baque Parado. A precentor leads the songs (loa), with a call-and-response pattern joined by the drum orchestra. Early precentors used makeshift megaphones before electronic amplification. Traditional songs convey themes of religion, history, and group identity, sometimes addressing rival Maracatu groups during parades.
Drum rhythms follow a system where the Marcante (basic pattern) provides a steady beat, while the Repique (solo) adds intricate variations, and the Meião complements the base pattern. Snare instruments traditionally played distinct patterns, but now typically follow a unified rhythm. The gonguê provides the foundational beat, with the gongueiro guiding and adding subtle variations. Historically rare, shakers like the mineiro have become standard, providing a rhythmic base akin to Samba, while shekeré players add visual flair through dynamic movements
Afro-Brazilian Percussion and Music Workshop Series
Percussion and music classes in the style of Maracatu de Baque Virado
Our classes focus on the rhythms, technique, songs and language of Maracatu.
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No music experience required
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All instruments provided
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Not suitable for childrens
Every Tuesday ¹ at 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm² at Multicultural Hub
506 Elizabeth St - Melbourne VIC 3000 - opposite Queen Victoria Market
Up on arrival, please make your way to Victoria St and go around the building until you see a small entry with a door and Maracatu Estrela do Mar sign. There will be a doorbelll for you to press and someone will be with you
A few notes ...
¹ As we rely purely on volunteers to run our project, we reserve the right to cancel the classes at any moment. Always better to make a reservation using the button below so that we are expecting you
² It is a 6:15 pm arrival for a 6:30 pm start. We may not be able to open the door after 6:30 pm, please be on time and have some tolerance in case our volunters are running a bit late
³ Consider sign up for a membership. We are more interested in long term commitment and therefore have design our cost based on that, the longer your commitment, the cheaper your regular classes will be.
Our Services
We offer a variety of services from community development to high impact performance. We also have a regular workshop series happening on a weekly basis
Music & Dance Workshop
We can design an experience that suits your event. From birthday party to team building activities we have done all. If you are after something on going, check our regular workshop series below
High Impact Performance
We have a variety of formats to cater small to large scale festival and events at a variety of cost. We will work together with you to better understand your needs before recommend a presensation
Community Cultural Leadership
We can give inspirational and educational talks where we share the principle behind our sucess. The power of the utilisation of arts in building resiliant communities that can self express
We are open, accessible, and always eager to connect. If there's something you’d like that isn’t explicitly mentioned here, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
As an independent not-for-profit organisation entirely run by volunteers, we rely heavily on our services to sustain our project. While we occasionally receive government funding support from grants, we have been primarily self-funded since the beginning through our offerings of services.
By considering us for your next event, you are not only bringing vibrant cultural experiences to your audience but also directly supporting our mission to foster community, promote cultural inclusion, and keep this beautiful tradition alive.
Thank you for your continued support
Thanks to our previous supporters
