Lula sanctions law that includes Luiz Gonzaga among national heroes

The president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) sanctioned without vetoes the law 14,793which includes the name of the King of Baião, Luiz Gonzaga, in the Book of Heroes and Heroines of the Fatherland. The new law was published at the Official Diary of the Union on Monday (8.Jan.2024). The musician from Pernambuco popularized baião and is one of the greatest symbols of national culture.

The law originated from a project (PL 1,927/2019) of the former senator Jarbas Vasconcelos (MDB-PE), approved by the Senate Education Committee in August 2019 and, later, also by the Chamber of Deputies, in 2023. For the author of the proposal, Luiz Gonzaga spread northeastern culture throughout Brazil through forró , xote and baião, becoming known and respected in all regions.

“Throughout its history, there is no doubt that the tribute intended to be paid to Luiz Gonzaga, an authentic representative of Brazilian popular culture, an illustrious spokesperson for the people of the Northeast and a tireless promoter of the difficulties faced by his people, is worthy”said Jarbas Vasconcelos.

The committee's rapporteur, senator Stevenson Valentim (Podemos-RN), issued a favorable opinion considering the proposition an act “noble and in recognition of this artist who dedicated his life to Brazilian culture”.

Biography

Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento was born in the city of Exu, in Pernambuco, in 1912. He learned from an early age with his accordion player father, Januário José dos Santos, to work in the fields and rehearse his first chords on the accordion. He grew up alternating his life between working in the fields and performing at the region's forrós.

After seeing his forbidden love story with a colonel's daughter abruptly end, Luiz Gonzaga fled to Ceará and enlisted in the Army, where he served as a soldier for 9 years. Later, in Rio de Janeiro, his career began to take off, after appearing on Ary Barroso's program in 1941, when he played the instrumental Vira e Mexe, which would also become his first recording.

In 1945 he met lawyer Humberto Teixeira, who would be his songwriting partner for the rest of his life. This partnership resulted in many hits written by both and sung by Luiz Gonzaga. The song that made him most famous was Asa Branca, considered an anthem of the Northeast.

In 1980, Luiz Gonzaga sang for John Paul II, during the pope's visit to Fortaleza. After a successful career, he returned to his homeland, to raise cattle and live as he did in his origins. He passed away in Recife, on August 2, 1989.

In his 60-year career, he recorded more than 600 songs, having received several awards for his work. He is the father of singer and composer Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento Júnior, known as Gonzaguinha, who died in a car accident in 1991.

In 2012, on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of the King of Baião, Luiz Gonzaga was honored by the samba school Unidos da Tijuca, champion of that year's Rio carnival, with the samba-enredo The Day All the Royalty Disembarked on the Avenue to Crown King Luiz do Sertão. In the same year, the Post Office issued a stamp in honor of the new hero of the country.

With information from Senate Agency.