Las Llamadas - view

Las Llamadas (the calls) derive from the call made to gather the community, whether to celebrate or to deal with certain social issues. Each group used to have a couple of drums and get out into the streets playing the Candombe in order to get the big group together to celebrate Carnival.

Today, the Carnavaleros repeat a true tribute to their ancestors every year in the neighborhoods called Sur and Palermo. For two days a year, when the calendar announces February has just began, Las Llamadas are celebrated. These celebrations began in 1956 and ever since they have become a integral part of the city of Montevideo.

Being a part of these celebrations, I was overwhelmed by the music, dance, colours and sense of community spirit and at the centre of it the heartbeat of Candombe.