Parana ê Parana

History and sentiment behind song

A southern state of Brasil, which borders Paraguay and whose river (also called the Paraná) was fought over in a war with Paraguay in the 1860s. Many slaves (among them, capoeiristas) were sent to fight in this war, with the promise of earning their freedom. As such Paraná has come to represent freedom and is used symbolically in many capoeira songs. Aruande and Luanda (the capital of Angola) are often used similarly representing freedom, or even heaven, and often carry a feeling of nostalgia. This would have been a common theme among slaves singing of desired freedoms.