Reel Brazil at the Film Archive

Brazilian drumming will introduce a four-day season of new documentary films from Brazil at the New Zealand Film Archive tonight. The season is titled Reel Brazil.

The popular Wellington Batucada drumming group will be performing from 6.15, and there’ll be complimentary caipirinhas before the first screening at 7pm – Empress of Carnaval.

Then on Thursday, Friday and Saturday there’ll be two or three sessions each day, followed by a fund-raising screening for the drummers.
Wellington.Scoop, 26 August 2009

World Refugee Day 2009

Wellington Batucada will perform at the Kids4Kids event acknowledging World Refugee Day which is recognised globally on June 20. This year’s theme from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is Real People, Real Needs.

The day is designed for kids between the ages of 5-12 to ‘take them on a trip around the world’ and learn about different cultures, teaching them about refugees and humanitarian issues and have lots of fun while doing it.

This event is on Saturday 20 June, from 10am to 3pm. Wellington Batucada plays (and the dancers dance) at 12 noon.

Visit kids4kids on World Refugee Day – Dominion Post for more details.

Cuba Street Carnival 2009

Tim Cooke, of percussion and dance group Wellington Batucada,
thinks their giant anglerfish has a fighting chance
in the Cuba St Carnival float competition
Photo by Phil Reid, Dominion Post

Cuba Street Carnival pre-coverage from TV3

Carlos Ferreira is a samba master that is being sponsored by the embassy of Brazil to travel around the Batucada groups in Auckland, Tauranga, Rotorua and Wellington and lead percussion workshops with each of the groups.

All of the groups will then travel to Wellington to take part in the Cuba Street carnival’s illuminated night parade on February 21 and after the parade there will be a big Batucada clash in the streets of Wellington with around 400 drummers and samba dancers.

TV3, 18 February 2009