Governor's Island Union

The History of the Union of Governor's Island

União da Ilha do Governador remained for some time between the second and third groups and in 1974, when it was champion of the second group, it gained access to the main group, starting the following year.

From 1977, with the theme Domingo, to 1980, when it came in second place with the theme Bom, Bonito e Barato, União da Ilha had good parades. The samba É hoje (1982) is one of the best known and most re-recorded in the history of Carnival. The school took to Sapucaí light, cheap and lively parades. This would be União da Ilha's trademark, maintained to this day. Their costumes are usually light, without great splendor, making the parade easier for the member. The school also manages to communicate well with the public, being considered one of the most friendly in Rio's Carnival. Amanhã was the theme samba of 1978 and, in that same year, it was recorded by Elizeth Cardoso, but it was with Simone's first recording, in 1983 (CD Delírios e Delícias and re-recorded on the CD Simone ao vivo), that it became popular.

In more recent years, União da Ilha's most memorable parade was in 1989. The samba theme Festa profana had the chorus “I'm going to get drunk on happiness, I'm going to shake it up and I'm going to make fun of the whole city”. This samba is still sung all over the country. That year, the school came in third place. It is believed that the school lost the carnival because the drum section paraded without hats.

In 1991, the school paid tribute to Didi, the poet who won 22 samba-enredo competitions. The samba featured the verses “Today I’m going to get drunk, don’t help me, because I’m happy” and “I drink, I drink, I go, like the tide, it sways but doesn’t fall, it’s a bohemian”, as well as phrases like “Waiter, waiter, put a cold beer here on the table”. Without a shadow of a doubt, a great carnival under the voice of the great master Aroldo Melodia.

The last good result was obtained in 1994, with “Abrakadabra”, in which he came in fourth place, his last participation in the Champions Parade. Since then, he has not obtained good placements.

1995 was Aroldo Melodia's last year as a performer and, apart from that, Ilha did not achieve the same results as the previous year, finishing in 9th place. The following year, Aroldo had a stroke, and the performer became his son, Ito Melodia, who has the same timbre of voice as his father.

1998 parade that brought the Golden Standard for best theme to Cacuia for the first time.

In 1997, Ilha came to talk about the wonderful city, a dream of Pereira Passos, but Ilha was not lucky enough to open the way, it did not come and the lack of money that was already affecting several schools such as Estácio de Sá, which was relegated that year. In short, Ilha came in 12th place, almost falling to access A. Many critics condemned the choice of this theme, because former Mayor Pereira Passos expelled a large portion of the needy population of his time from the city center and since the samba schools are the result of the creation of this segment of the population, paying homage to this personality would not be comfortable.

In 1998, Ito Melodia left the school, and Rixxah, formerly of Portela, took his place. The Union spoke of Fatumbi, the Island of All Saints. However, one of the Indians from the second float fell before the start of the parade because of a heavy prop and a crack in the neck of the prop, causing damage to the school. That year, the Island came in 9th place with 255.0.

In 1999, the island suffered a fire in its warehouse close to Carnival. Even so, it rebuilt the floats and managed to parade, finishing in 10th place with a total of 253.0.

In 2000, with “Pra não dizer que não falar das flores”, União da Ilha came in eighth place, addressing one of the most nebulous periods in Brazil's 500 years: the military dictatorship, from 1964 to 1985.

In 2001, bringing Wander Pires as Interpreter, presented the Theme “Union Makes Strength”, despite the exciting parade, the precariousness of some floats, made the school stay in the penultimate place, just ahead of Paraíso do Tuiuti, which was also relegated that year.

In 2002, back in the Access group, talking about the city of Duque de Caxias, she had a beautiful parade, and was highly praised, but she was unable to reach first place, remaining in the Access, even having paraded in the same group with her smaller sister Boi da Ilha, also having the return of the interpreter Ito Melodia to the School, where she remains to this day.

In 2003, paying homage to the writer Maria Clara Machado, a candidate for the title, she only came in second place.

From 2004 to 2008, it had ups and downs due to lack of resources, holding fashion shows to support itself. Despite this, in 2005 it won second place in Access A.

In 2008, even without many resources, the school put on a spirited parade and re-edited É hoje, which earned it fifth place.

In 2009, the island school chose the theme “Traveling is necessary – extraordinary journeys through known and unknown worlds”, by carnival designer Jack Vasconcelos, becoming champion of the Access Group A carnival with 239.9 points, returning after its relegation in 2001, to the Special Group in 2010.

After 9 years in the Access Group, União da Ilha returned to the Special Group.