There are almost one hundred bumba-meu-boi groups in the state of Maranhão, subdivided in several sotaque.
Each sotaque (which stands for "accent") has its own characteristics that are manifested in clothes, in the choice of instruments, in the type of cadence of music and in choreographies.
The sotaques are: matraca, zabumba, orquestra, from the Baixada Maranhense, and costa de mão, that appear especially in the month of June, in the Festas Juninas, in places called Arraiais.

It involves several characters as the owner of the farm (amo or master), Pai Francisco (vaqueiro, a cowboy, or a slave), his wife Catirina, cowboys (vaqueiros), índios, índias and caboclos (indigenous people), the ox and cazumbás.
The plot recalls a typical history of the region's social and economic relations during the colonial period, marked by monoculture, extensive cattle breeding and slavery, mixing European, African and indigenous cultures.

The most famous groups of Maranhão are: Boi de Maracanã, Boi da Maioba and Boi da Pindoba (sotaque of matraca); Boi de Nina Rodrigues, Boi de Axixá, Boi de Morros, Boi de Rosário, Boi Brilho da Ilha and Boi Novilho Branco (sotaque of orquestra); Boi de Leonardo, Boi de Vila Passos, Boi da Fé em Deus, Boi Unidos Venceremos and Boi de Guimarães (sotaque of zabumba).
Boi União da Baixada, Boi de Pindaré, Boi Unidos de Santa Fé and Boi Penalva do Bairro de Fátima (sotaque of Baixada); Boi Rama Santa, Boi Brilho da Sociedade, Boi Soledade and Boi Brilho da Areia Branca (sotaque costa de mão).

The bumba-meu-boi involves the devotion to the saints of June São João, São Pedro and São Marçal, and is the most important manifestation popular culture in the state, attracting thousands of people.
The Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Marçal marks the end of the Festas Juninas.
On the Feast of St. Peter (29/06), various groups of ox go to St. Peter's Chapel to thank the June season for blessings.
On the feast of São Marçal (St. Martial, 30/06), there is a large batalhões of bumba meu boi of matraca (two small pieces of wood, beaten against each other, to produce the rhythm) in the neighborhood of João Paulo, in São Luís, capital of Maranhão.

Other typical dances of Maranhão are: Cacuriá and Tambor de Crioula.
The present model of presentation of the bumba meu boi in Maranhão does not tell all the story of the 'auto', replaced by a simplified story, with greater emphasis on songs ("toadas") and dances.
There are almost one hundred bumba-meu-boi groups in the state of Maranhão, subdivided in several sotaque. Each sotaque (which stands for "accent") has its own characteristics that are manifested in clothes, in the choice of instruments, in the type of cadence of music and in choreographies. The sotaques are: matraca, zabumba, orquestra, from the Baixada Maranhense, and costa de mão, that appear especially in the month of June, in the Festas Juninas, in places called Arraiais.
It involves several characters as the owner of the farm (amo or master), Pai Francisco (vaqueiro, a cowboy, or a slave), his wife Catirina, cowboys (vaqueiros), índios, índias and caboclos (indigenous people), the ox and cazumbás. The plot recalls a typical history of the region's social and economic relations during the colonial period, marked by monoculture, extensive cattle breeding and slavery, mixing European, African and indigenous cultures.
The most famous groups of Maranhão are: Boi de Maracanã, Boi da Maioba and Boi da Pindoba (sotaque of matraca); Boi de Nina Rodrigues, Boi de Axixá, Boi de Morros, Boi de Rosário, Boi Brilho da Ilha and Boi Novilho Branco (sotaque of orquestra); Boi de Leonardo, Boi de Vila Passos, Boi da Fé em Deus, Boi Unidos Venceremos and Boi de Guimarães (sotaque of zabumba). Boi União da Baixada, Boi de Pindaré, Boi Unidos de Santa Fé and Boi Penalva do Bairro de Fátima (sotaque of Baixada); Boi Rama Santa, Boi Brilho da Sociedade, Boi Soledade and Boi Brilho da Areia Branca (sotaque costa de mão).
The bumba-meu-boi involves the devotion to the saints of June São João, São Pedro and São Marçal, and is the most important manifestation popular culture in the state, attracting thousands of people. The Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Marçal marks the end of the Festas Juninas. On the Feast of St. Peter (29/06), various groups of ox go to St. Peter's Chapel to thank the June season for blessings. On the feast of São Marçal (St. Martial, 30/06), there is a large batalhões of bumba meu boi of matraca (two small pieces of wood, beaten against each other, to produce the rhythm) in the neighborhood of João Paulo, in São Luís, capital of Maranhão.
Other typical dances of Maranhão are: Cacuriá and Tambor de Crioula. The present model of presentation of the bumba meu boi in Maranhão does not tell all the story of the 'auto', replaced by a simplified story, with greater emphasis on songs ("toadas") and dances.
Bumba Meu Boi