Behind the Colorful Ribbons: the Festas de Agosto in Montes Claros/MG

Abstract

This ethnographic report, the result of fieldwork conducted during the 2023 August Festivities in Montes Claros (MG), explores the cultural and religious aspects of celebrations rooted in African, European, and Indigenous heritage, expressed by the Catopês, Marujos, and Caboclinhos groups, and complemented by a Folk Festival featuring local art, music, and cuisine. The report focuses primarily on a dissident and unofficial group, the Second Terno of São Benedito, highlighting the dynamic interaction between tradition and modernity, as the urban space is transformed into a vibrant stage for cultural expression. The August Festivities thus emerge as a microcosm of the city’s social, economic, and political struggles, reflecting the capacity of cultural traditions to shape and be shaped by the contemporary urban environment.