On this pre-Carnival Sunday, February 4th, the Dona Yayá Block holds its traditional parade through Bixiga, concluding at Casa de Dona Yayá, the headquarters of the Cultural Preservation Center of USP (CPC).
The Dona Yayá Block was created 24 years ago by the Women’s Union of São Paulo, a non-governmental organization based in the Bela Vista neighborhood, which has been advocating for women’s rights for over 30 years. Initially, the proposal was to demand public use of the Casa de Dona Yayá. The property, donated to the University of São Paulo, underwent a long process of recovery and restoration since the 1990s—after which it became the headquarters of the Cultural Preservation Center of USP, hosting various free cultural and university extension activities.
The block continued to parade in the following years with the refrain “Women, where is Yayá? Yayá went for a walk!” and with Casa de Dona Yayá as the final destination of the procession. The parade did not take place during the COVID-19 pandemic, between 2020 and 2022.
Each year, the block highlights a theme to inspire the parade and the songs, all composed by its members. The theme this year is the right to Legal Abortion, which is allowed in Brazil in cases of rape, risk to the mother’s life, and anencephaly. Recently, this procedure was suspended without justification at one of the reference hospitals in the city of São Paulo, leaving several women without proper care.
Last year, the block highlighted collective movements that have been fighting for the preservation of the black memory of Bixiga and paid homage to Madrinha Eunice, a samba singer and activist of the black movement, born in 1909 and deceased in the 1980s.
Another ever-present theme is mental health, which is part of Sebastiana de Mello Freire’s life story, Dona Yayá, who lived in the house that bears her name for over 40 years in a patient condition after being diagnosed with mental imbalance.
Invitation:
Anyone who wants to join the fun this Sunday (02/04) can come to the Women’s Union headquarters at Rua Coração da Europa, 1395, at 9 am for concentration.
Or wait for the block at Casa de Dona Yayá, starting at 11 am.
The procession will follow through Conselheiro Carrão, Treze de Maio, Manoel Dutra, Rui Barbosa, Manoel Dutra, Prof. Laerte Ramos de Carvalho, and Rua Major Diogo, 353.
Listen to the invitation from singer Elaine Guimarães, the lead singer of the Dona Yayá Block.
Listen to the invitation from singer Elaine Guimarães, the lead singer of the Dona Yayá Block.
Dona Yayá Doll that parades in the Women’s Union block. (Photo: Kássio Massa, 2022)
“Bonecão” da Dona Yayá. (Foto: Kássio Massa, 2022)