A row has erupted in Brazil ahead of the 2010 Rio carnival. One of the top samba schools in the city has decided to allow a seven-year old girl to lead its procession. The honour is normally held by a scantily clad TV star or model.
Julia Lira will become Rio’s youngest samba queen when she leads the drum section for the Viradouro samba school. Children’s rights activists have reacted angrily to the news and a local judge will rule this week whether or not she is allowed to take part.
Carlos Nicodemos, director of the Rio de Janeiro state council for the defence of children and adolescents told the Associated Press (AP) news agency: “We are not against kids participating in carnival; it’s part of Brazilian culture. What we can’t allow is putting a seven-year-old girl in a role that traditionally has a very sexual focus.”
The role of samba queen will involve Julia dancing for 80 minutes in front of thousands of spectators. The Viradouro school said that she will wear an outfit suitable for her age and her mother and father will be present with her on the day. Members of Rio’s samba community have dismissed the criticism against Julia’s family, claiming that children play an important role in the Rio carnival and that such accusations threaten the future of the carnival.
Julia’s father, Marco Lira told AP, “Any man who looks at a seven-year-old girl and feels any sort of excitement should go see a doctor….She has the aptitude to be drum corps queen… she has a seriousness inside of her when she is on stage.” During rehearsals last week Julia told a Brazilian newspaper that, “Samba is fun”.
Carnival events will run from 13 to 16 February