The 38th Macao International Music Festival (MIMF) presented yesterday a special performance by Brazilian body percussion group Barbatuques*, who use the human body as a musical instrument for a unique blend of collective harmony, solos, improvisation, and interactive performance, according to a statement by the Macao Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC).
The opening ceremony for the performance, titled “Brazilian Body Beats”, was held in the lobby of the Macao Cultural Centre (CCM) yesterday evening, marking a key event under the China-Brazil Cultural Year. The event was organised by the bureau in conjunction with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao Special Administrative Region and the Chinese Embassy in Brazil.
Addressing the ceremony, Acting Commissioner Cheng Lei pointed out that the China-Brazil Cultural Year is a major cultural exchange initiative implementing the important consensus reached by the heads of state of both nations to strengthen mutual understanding.
Cheng underlined Macau’s historical role as a bridge for cultural exchange between East and West, pointing out that more than 200 years ago, the first group of Chinese tea farmers travelled via Macau to Brazil to cultivate tea and pass on their expertise. Leveraging the institutional strengths of “One Country, Two Systems”, he noted that Macau continues to serve as a crucial platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries (PSCs), adding that the Commissioner’s Office will continue to leverage diplomatic resources to promote bilateral people-to-people exchanges through Macau.
Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Deland Leong Wai Man stressed that China and Brazil share long and vibrant civilisations. She noted that 2026 has been designated the China-Brazil Cultural Year to deepen cultural ties, promote bilateral exchanges, and strengthen connections between the two peoples.
Leong added that inviting Barbatuques to make their debut at the Macao International Music Festival highlights Macau’s role as a “precise interlocutor” between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.
The People’s Republic of China and the Federative Republic of Brazil established diplomatic relations on August 15, 1974. Brazil is the biggest Portuguese-speaking country by area (8.5 million km2) and population (214 million). Brazil accounts for around 80 percent of all Portuguese speakers worldwide.
Among upcoming highlights, the Lisboa String Trio and Sofia Vitória will present “Concrete Songs and Other Stories” on October 23 at 8:00 p.m. at the CCM Small Auditorium, blending classical music, jazz improvisation, and world rhythms featuring Portuguese guitar, double bass, sitar, and vocal performance.
Additionally, outreach activities under the “Floating Notes Across the City” series, including “Street Eco-Percussion” and “Piano Around Town”, will take place in various districts across the city from October 10 to November 22 to take cultural resources directly into the community.
For more information, please visit the festival’s webpage at www.icm.gov.mo/fimm or its official Facebook page (Macao International Music Festival).
*The band’s name honours Fernando Barba, the musician who founded the group in São Paulo in 1995. In Portuguese, “barba” means “beard”. This was a fitting nickname, as Fernando was known for his prominent beard. “Batuques” is a Brazilian Portuguese term referring to percussive rhythms, drumming, or beat-making. This perfectly describes the group’s signature style, where they create music entirely using their bodies – clapping, snapping, tapping, and vocalising. Put together, Barbatuques essentially means “Barba’s beats”. The name is a tribute to the founder and encapsulates the group’s unique approach to making music. The group also coined a related verb, “barbatucar”, which means to play or make music using the body as an instrument. – DeepSeek
Acting Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC in the MSAR Cheng Lei (centre), Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Deland Leong Wai Man (third from left) and other officiating guests cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the “Brazilian Body Beats” show at the Macao Cultural Centre (CCM) in Nape yesterday evening. – Photo: Sherwin Hng
