Rio Carnival: Tribute to black women crowned winner - BBC News

Samba school Viradouro is crowned champion of the highly contested event held at Rio's Sambadrome.

3 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsRio CarnivalImage source, PABLO PORCIUNCULA/AFPThe Viradouro samba school has won Rio de Janeiro's hotly contested Carnival parade competition with its tribute to black women.

Image source, Ricardo Moraes/ReutersViradouro was the last samba school to parade in the two-day contest held before Ash Wednesday. Viradouro said it wanted to honour a cobra which is considered sacred in some parts of the African country of Benin.

Image source, ANDRE COELHO/EPAThe group said it wanted to highlight Brazil's historic ties with Benin, from where many of the people who were taken to Brazil as slaves came from.

Image source, ANDRE COELHO/EPASnakes featured heavily in their parade, not just in the form of floats...

Image source, ANDRE COELHO/EPA...but also in the dancers' headgear.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-68304463

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