Sfinks Mixed welcomes a special guest on Sunday. With Margareth Menezes, the Brazilian Minister of Culture will be on stage in Boechout. The 61-year-old singer from Bahia was appointed by President Lula at the beginning of 2023, after Bolsonaro dissolved the Ministry of Culture during his presidency.
Friday, July 26, 2024 at 1:23 PM
Margareth Menezes is in Boechout on Sunday to do what she has been doing for decades. Since the eighties she has scored in her own country and internationally with traditional Afro-Brazilian music. ‘She brings the explosive energy of carnival to the stage’, writes Sfinks on their site.
Despite a successful music and acting career, Menezes still has energy left. In 2023, she entered politics. As Minister of Culture, she is known for her commitment to social issues. She also fights for the preservation and dissemination of Afro-Brazilian culture.
Menezes was appointed after a four-year hiatus without a Ministry of Culture. Jair Bolsonaro immediately implemented major reforms upon his appointment as president of Brazil in 2019, including the abolition of the Ministries of Culture and Labor. Lula, who is serving as president of Brazil for the third time, reversed that decision after his election. He personally asked Menezes to become a minister. “I had to think about it, but he said it was an important opportunity for a black woman to work for the culture of my country,” she said in an interview. The singer is expected to take off her political hat on Sunday and just stick to music. She does not speak English, so communicating with the audience will have to be in the language of the music.
Sfinks Mixed started on Thursday and will last four days. On Saturday, Maya Kamaty and Elin Valery will perform, while on Sunday Black Uhuru and Siti & The Band will be on the program. Sfinks Mixed is a free festival.
