Despite displacement and migrations, ancestral knowledge is preserved and passed on from generation to generation, oftentimes as tradition. This is the case with Afro Brazilian communal dances Samba de Roda & Samba de Caboclo that hail from Africa and whose circular formation--like the V formation of migrating birds—provides safety in numbers, transmits ancestral knowledge, lends strength and uplifts, and connects the present and past to remind us that all has not been lost. Come learn of the significance of both Sambas. Come bridge cultures, build community, and join in this dance that is a feat of resistance and perseverance and whose steps are a call to unity and strength. Migrate from urban environs, connect with nature, and reclaim a sense of belonging at Valle del Oro National Wildlife Refuge—a gem of a bird sanctuary and communal gathering space tucked in Bernalillo’s South Valley, minutes away from Albuquerque.

With visiting Brazilian tradition-bearers Viviam Caroline de Jesus Queirós and Marcus Gonçalves da Silva aka Guellwaar Adún. Samba de Roda is an endangered Masterpiece of Humanity’s Oral and Intangible Heritage.