King Momo contest, Carnival 2009 in Rio de Janeiro

King Momo contest, Carnival 2009 in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro - Every year, the choosing of King Momo, the majesties of the Carnival is one of the most important step for the celebration of the most popular "Festa" in Brazil: the Carnival. This year the party will be held from 20 to 25 of February in Rio de Janeiro and in the rest of the country. This year, the bank clerk Milton Rodrigues Da Silva Júnior, 29 years old, was chosen in the dawn of this Saturday King Momo (Rei Momo) of Carnival 2009 in a great party held in the City of the Samba( Cidade do Samba), the temple of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival. The queen of the Carnival will be Jéssica Maia de Freitas, the first princess Shayene Cesário Vieira and the second princes is Charlene Valnice da Costa.
About 2000 people were present at the election, most of them were supporters coming from the city's districts where the candidates live.
Queen and King Momo gained 12000 reais each. The first princess was prized with 9000 reais, and the second princess with 8000 reais.
They were present at the event between 10 candidates for King Momo and 12 for the queen. Before the spreading of chosen ones, a samba concert was held by the famous Brazilian singer, Alcione Nazaré and the "Bola Preta" (Black Ball) band, the most popular Carnival music group in Rio de Janeiro.
The winners of the King Momo contest will open the Carnival parades of the schools samba in the avenida Sapucai, in the famous Sambodromo, the stadium projected by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, where happens the contest for the best school samba 2009 in Rio de Janeiro.
King Momos, King Momus, (Rei Momo in Portuguese or Rey Momo in Spanish) is considered the king of Carnival in numerous Latin American Carnival festivities, mainly in Brazil and Colombia. His appearance means the beginning of the Carnival festivities. Each carnival has its own King Momo, to whom is given the key to the city. Traditionally, a tall and fat man is chosen to fulfill the role of the king because the original King Momo was of that physical stature.
The figure of Rei Momo has been even used by the American singer David Byrne's first solo album.

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