With dance and Brazilian cultural heritage, xaxado keeps the soul of the Sertão alive 88 years ago, on July 28, 1938, Virgulino Ferreira da Silva, Lampião, Maria Bonita and nine other members of the band were killed during an action by the Alagoas flying force in Grota do Angico, in Sergipe. ?Join the g1 Alagoas channel Almost nine decades later, the route taken by the cangaceiros continues to attract people from different parts of the country. Tourists embark in Piranhas, in the Sertão of Alagoas, cross Velho Chico and follow a trail of rocks and vegetation from the Caatinga to the place where the attack that marked the end of the so-called king of cangaço took place. (Watch above) Rota do Cangaço Reproduction/ TV Asa Branca Alagoas It was to Piranhas that the heads of Lampião, Maria Bonita and the other members of the group killed in Grota do Angico were taken after the ambush. The journey to the site begins by catamaran. During navigation, guides tell stories about the occupation of the region, the old canoes and the characters involved in the band's last moments. One of these reports is presented by Célio Rodrigues, a sailor who guides visitors along the São Francisco. According to him, two of his uncles unwittingly participated in the story when they were tortured by flying force and forced to reveal where Lampião was hiding. Célio Rodrigues, sailor who guides visitors along the São Francisco. Reproduction/ TV Asa Branca Alagoas "It was from here that my uncles, Durval and Pedro, were tortured by Lieutenant João Bezerra. Forty-eight men tortured them and took them to where Lampião was," he said. Disembarkation takes place on the Sergipe bank of the river, in Canindé de São Francisco. From there, visitors face a walk of approximately 700 meters through the Caatinga. The distance seems short, but the steep terrain, made up of rocks and natural obstacles, makes the route challenging. The area is protected and is part of the so-called Rota do Cangaço. Tourist Ednaide Pimenta felt the strain on her legs, but continued until the end. "My heart is more or less because I'm hypertensive. Now, my legs are the worst part. They're wobbly. This trail isn't easy, no. But, as I'm from the Sertão da Bahia, I'm kind of used to it", he joked. Tourists take the Cangaço Route in Piranhas, Alagoas. Reproduction/ TV Asa Branca Alagoas For her, knowing the scene in person helps her understand an important part of Brazilian history. “It is extremely important that this is publicized and taught in schools,” he stated. Public servant Rafael Holanda also suffered during the climb. The desire to get to know the place, however, was greater than the tiredness. "It's for those who want to know history. It was an accomplishment. I studied history in books and wanted to know it. I also brought my grandson, who is enjoying it and loving it", he said. Crosses mark the location of the ambush At the end of the trail, crosses and a sign identify the 11 bandits killed in 1938: Lampião, Maria Bonita, Luiz Pedro, Quinta-Feira, Elétrico, Mergulhão, Enedina, Moeda, Alecrim, Colchete and Macela. Crosses and a plaque identify the 11 bandits killed in 1938. Reproduction/ Asa Branca TV Alagoas The place became known as Grota do Angico because of a plant that was common in the region during the cangaço period. Currently, few specimens are found in the stretch visited by tourists. Teacher and singer Elvira Rios walked the route for the second time. Born in Santo Amaro, Bahia, she grew up hearing stories from her grandparents about Lampião and the São Francisco River. "My grandparents were from Sertão and told many stories about Lampião and the São Francisco River. I'm in love with Sertão. I came once, I was enchanted and wanted to bring my friends", she said. For Elvira, the experience goes beyond visiting the place where the cangaceiros died. "The history is fascinating. There are cultural presentations and an animation that seems to spring from the river", he said. After the walk, the itinerary ends with a bath in the São Francisco and regional food. The return route takes place along the same river that accompanied the movement of cangaceiros, police forces and country communities during the years the band was active. In Piranhas, the memory of cangaço remains in the facades, in crafts, in museums, in the stories of the residents and in economic activities linked to tourism. Xaxado transforms memory of cangaço into dance Xaxado transforms memory of cangaço into dance. Reproduction/ TV Asa Branca Alagoas One of the manifestations that preserve this history is the xaxado. The dance emerged in the first decades of the 20th century and was practiced by cangaceiros, mainly during celebrations after clashes considered victorious by the group. The name is related to the sound produced by espadrilles dragging on the ground. The squeaking of shoes sets the rhythm, while the choreography, costumes and props reproduce elements associated with cangaço. In Piranhas, groups perform xaxado on the streets and in tourist areas. One of them is coordinated by the guide, actor and cultural producer Fábio Moura, who plays Lampião. He says he identifies with the character through a series of coincidences. "Lampião was married to a Bahian woman, and so am I. Lampião had a limp on one leg, and I also limp. I still have a problem with one of my eyes", he reported. Recognized as Brazil's cultural heritage since 2021 (as one of the traditional sources of forró), xaxado has undergone transformations. If in cangaço the dance was initially associated with men, today women are the majority in some groups. Tour guide and physiotherapist Zezé Leite states that the presentations are also used to question machismo. "In xaxado, we show that machismo has no place and has no place. Our group today is made up more of women. We show the determination of the cangaceira woman of 1938 and also of women of today", he stated. The demonstration also became a space for diversity. Maria Eduarda, a trans woman