Zumbi and Black Awareness Day
20 November 2026 — The berimbau's rhythm carries freedom and pride. Ginga – and onward!
On 20 November Brazil marks Zumbi and Black Awareness Day. The date is linked to Zumbi, a leader of Quilombo dos Palmares, a large settlement of people who escaped slavery in north-eastern Brazil. According to historical accounts, Zumbi was killed on 20 November 1695. The day honours the struggle for freedom and highlights the contribution of Afro-Brazilians to the country's language, music, food and religions. It became a national holiday across the whole country in 2024; before that it was observed in several states and more than a thousand municipalities. People celebrate with concerts, samba, rodas de capoeira (circles in which capoeira is played), exhibitions and talks against racism. Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art and dance, is accompanied by the berimbau, a musical bow with a single string. The holiday has a fixed date and does not depend on the Sun or Moon, but the night sky over Brazil, with the Southern Cross, is part of the country's shared culture.
Flying across the sky: An ethereal, bluish-silver star figure made of bright dots and lines, like a constellation, moving gracefully across the sky in a capoeira swing
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