Northeast Brazil celebrates traditional 'pega de boi' festivals

Regional cultural traditions in Northeast Brazil were celebrated through recent 'pega de boi' (cattle catching) festivals in Alagoas and Paraíba.

In Girau do Ponciano, Alagoas, the 62nd Festa do Vaqueiro drew approximately 10,000 people to the Serrote do Japão village. The event featured the traditional Missa do Vaqueiro procession and a competition with R$ 170,000 in prizes. The festival serves as a tribute to the late Epitácio Rodrigues, known as Yoyô do Japão, a prominent figure in the local vaquejada scene.

In Boa Vista, located in the Cariri region of Paraíba, the second edition of a local 'pega de boi' event saw participation grow to 60 vaqueiros. Organized by the municipal government, the event included traditional music and community meals. This initiative is part of a new Municipal Circuit of Pega de Boi no Mato, aimed at promoting rural tourism and preserving sertaneja culture.