Continental Drift #11: DJ's, Devotion and a Riotous Religious Revival - Sao Paolo, Brazil

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RELIGION: "Something a person believes in and follows devotedly," Random House Dictionary

PARTY: "An advantageous or pleasurable situation or combination of circumstances of some duration and often of questionable character," Random House Dictionary

When it comes to religion, most conjure up images of saints and sinners, messiahs and messengers. For most, the word religion suggests organized movements such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism or Hinduism. I must admit that until a few years ago, I also viewed religion as a membership in one of a few major movements, as though every religious being belongs to one of these super-popular belief systems.

But in my extensive travels, I have come into contact with many alternative religions. Though these less-conventional religions may lack the organization and resources common to major religions, they are no less sacred or less important to their followers. One example is the Mentawi indigenous tribe I lived with on a remote jungle island off the coast of Sumatra; these hunter-gatherers are animists who worship the spirit inherent in all of nature's creations. The Mentawis are covered in full-body tattoos, testimony to their dedication to a religion that is unknown off of their tiny island. At the time, I seemed to think that only a tribe hidden from the world was capable of establishing its own religion.

That was before I attended the 2003 Skol Beats Electronic Music Festival in Sao Paolo, Brazil. In the heart of the world's second-largest city (far from the jungle or any natural setting at all), I found myself immersed in a chaotic mix of sweat, drugs, more tattoos, and pounding electronic music. Some would call this massive assembly a party, but to those in attendance it was more of an annual pilgrimage.

Around the world, there still exist many ecstatic religions that combine repetitive music, conditions of heat and sensory deprivation, and a variety of mind-altering substances to allow religious adherents the opportunity to enter into a trance. The purpose of these trances is to connect with the spirit world or reach a higher level of consciousness. Anthropologists have studied the sweat-lodges of the American Sioux and the indigenous religions that still rely on hallucinogenic peyote and ayahusca, but it seems they have missed a new religion being born right in their cities, right under their noses.

Though I am not an authority, or even an adherent of this unnamed religion, its presence and growing popularity is unavoidable. Parties such as Skol Beats, which take place all over the world, especially in meccas such as Goa, Ibiza and Thailand, are major holidays and feature quite a display of religious fervor. They are indicative of the recent surge in rave culture taking place throughout much of the world. As in any religion, there is a range of devotion among its followers. Just as some Christians attend church every day, while others make only a Sunday visit and some never go, there exists a similar delineation among these believers. The hard-core supporters rely on LSD and ecstasy to take them to this higher level of consciousness. Placing a tab or pill on their tongue (much like the Catholics and their communion wafers), these followers undertake a journey into the spiritual world. For them, the Skol Beats gathering is not a mundane celebration, but a twelve-hour trip into another dimension. There are thousands of less devout followers that are more intent on observing the mind-blowing music and feral festivities that take place amongst the swarm of humanity that gathers for such an event. And there are also those that guzzle beer all night, stumbling around blindly in search of the "big party," for as any follower will attest, there exist many a "wolf in sheep's clothing."

Set on a sprawling outdoor venue, the Skol Beats celebration consists of several tents, or "musical chapels," each featuring a different style of electronic music. For the truly devout, there is the organized chaos of Movement, the drum'n'bass tent, while tents with names such as Gatecrasher and The End offer the adherent a healthy mix of house, tech-house, progressive trance and jungle that their parent clubs in the UK are famous for. This is a personalized religion, one without any set rules and devoid of any leaders or central authority. In fact, even at an event as important as Skol Beats, those individuals with the most power do not speak a word; instead, these deejays use their hands to spin the magical melodies and bumping beats that speak to the thousands of revelers in a manner words could never suffice.

So, what can be said about a religion that has yet to be named? While some would undoubtedly criticize its adherents for their propensity to drug use, it must be recognized that for thousands of years, religions around the globe relied on psychotropic and hallucinogenic substances to bring the earth-dweller to a higher state. Some even argue that the disconnect many people feel with the organized religions of today is due to their inability to connect with the spirit world the way followers of earlier religions were able to do. As a casual observer to this religious gathering, I couldn't help but notice the high level of tolerance and openness amongst those in attendance. As bodies became entangled amongst the monstrous crowd, fights were avoided, kisses were shared, and there was a general feeling of euphoria in the air.

But more importantly, this un-named religion marks a significant departure from centralized religions; with no leader or canon urging them follow a strict code of regulations, the believers are able to undertake a more personalized journey into their sacred world. By providing the venue, the mesmerizing music and the throng of thousands, Skol Beats has created a Mecca for the ravers of Brazil and the world.

So, as sinful Saturday night and sacred Sunday morning converge here at dawn in Sao Paolo, the lines between holy and unholy are once again blurred. Whether anthropologist, philosopher or mere reveler, events such as this make it clear there is no such thing as objective reality...


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