Rare musical recordings of the Esmolas from the Marmelada community in Gilbués, Piauí. The Esmolas are a traditional singing ritual dedicated to the saints, led by foliões and foliãs—master musicians in song, drum, tambourine, rabeca (traditional fiddle), and, more recently, the accordion. The Esmolas take place as part of the procession of flags and saints through the communities during patron saint festivities, as well as in the fulfillment of vows. These 1988 Esmolas were recorded on a tape recorder by Domingos Vilarino and Maximiano Rodrigues on May 15, 1988, Whitsunday (Pentecost Sunday). The digitized material was processed and edited by the Experimental Cycle of Popular Arts (CICLOPES) of the Federal University of the São Francisco Valley (UNIVASF); despite being degraded, a large portion of the original audio was successfully recovered.
