Notte de Beleza Negra : Ile Aiye

Photographer

Drewal, Henry John

Date

• February 8, 1998

Summary

• Ile Aiye is a Bloco Afro, an Afro-Brazilian Carnival dance troupe. Their efforts extend far beyond Carnival. Year round they host community events that counter racism by promoting black culture and enhancing self esteem. Here is a contestant for their annual beauty pageant, Notte de Beleza Negra, during which they select their new Queen. The Queen epitomizes and celebrates an Afro-centric aesthetic of female beauty. Contestants dress in African style costumes and perform dances derived from rituals honoring Afro-Cuban deities and to music whose lyrics extol black female beauty.