Profile
The Sereia do Mar carimbó group was founded on May 9, 1994, in the rural community of Vila Silva, located in the municipality of Marapanim, northeastern Pará, Brazil. The group emerged from the spirit of unity and resilience of local women, led by Mrs. Raimunda Vieira Freire de Carvalho (affectionately known as Dona Bigica) and Mrs. Maria Cristina Monteiro, both farmers and prominent leaders of the Mothers' Club.
The group’s origins are deeply rooted in the community’s desire to celebrate Mother's Day in 1994. With the local male carimbó group unable to perform, Dona Bigica and Maria Cristina took the initiative to ensure the festivities could still go on. Determined to honor the community's matriarchs, they gathered women from the area to form their own carimbó group, creating a powerful symbol of female representation. Maria Cristina named the group Sereia do Mar (Mermaid of the Sea), a nod to Marapanim’s coastal identity and the strength of the women leading the initiative.
With the support of neighbors, friends, and family members, the women of Vila Silva came together to form Sereia do Mar, filling the event with music, dance, and cultural pride. Since then, the group has been a vibrant force in preserving and promoting carimbó, a traditional rhythm and dance of the Pará region, celebrating the resilience and creativity of the women who keep this tradition alive.