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Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,Grande Rio's parade aimed to promote respect for Afro-Brazilian religions
A samba group which highlighted prejudices against Afro-Brazilian religions has been crowned as the champion of this year's hotly-contested carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro.
The Grande Rio Samba School won its first title with a song, costume and floats that paid tribute to Exú, a god revered by many African cultures.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,Exú is a benevolent spirit who serves as a messenger between Heaven and Earth
Afro-Brazilian religions have come under attack from Evangelical Churches, which mistakenly label Afro-Brazilian deities as demons.
Grande Rio, which is based in the poor neighbourhood of Duque de Caixas, said it wanted to show a more positive side of Afro-Brazilian religions.
Image source, EPA
Image caption,Dancers wore elaborate headdresses
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,Some dressed in white robes, the colour worn by followers of the Candomblé and Umbanda faiths
"We conceived our parade as a defence of our beliefs against religious racism and the demonisation of Exú," Grande Rio's creative director said.
Image source, EPA
Image caption,Their costumes were adorned with feathers and masks
Image source, EPA
Image caption,Beads also featured prominently
The parade was cancelled last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic and this year's event should have taken place during the carnival in February.
But it was delayed due to the impact of a new variant of the coronavirus that spread across Brazil earlier this year.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,Grande Rio had been narrowly defeated in 2020
Twelve samba schools, representing different communities of the city, compete every year at the Rio's Sambadrome parade ground for the top prize.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,It is the first champion's title for Grande Rio
Grande Rio had come close to clinching the title in 2020, when it was awarded the same number of points as the Viradouro samba school, but was beaten by the latter in the tie-breaker.
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