Amazon River Sun: Sgt. Minoptra and Tytanica share first place in annual Carnivale Parade Float Contest


Winners stand proudly upon the podium. Photos by Persephone Bolero

By Persephone Bolero

RIO GRANDE — It was a tie for first place at the annual Carnivale Parade Float Contest

There were several contestants this year, and the themes ranged from “top secret military expedition” to “erect pensises.”

Tytanica and Sergeant Sunisa Minoptra of the Amazonia Policia shared the top prize in the event this year.

Minoptra, who is also associated with the Xoco tribe, went with a “law and order” theme for her float, representing the Amazonia Policia, which is surprisingly still operational.

Sgt. Minoptra celebrates police brutality.

Her float featured a suspect who had allegedly fallen down some stairs with no witnesses around, and a police officer properly subduing the prisoner with a boot to his neck.

“Oops! Looks like the poor fellow has slipped over and banged his head on the floor. How clumsy of him!” Minoptra explained during her presentation.

A Brazilian flag was displayed over the officer and her arrestee. Minoptra explained that this was to remind everyone that the Amazonia Policia operate under Brazilian federal laws and not, “laws created by a deluded bunch of drug taking hippies who sit around a campfire all day talking about Dokkiwokki; the ancient God of Mud or whoever the fuck it is that they choose to worship this week.”

Tytanica’s float, she said, was in honor of her first days in the Amazon nearly a decade ago. The float incorporated elements the mystical Skull Cave, the ancient Temple and the fiery Volcano.

“Back then, you only had to look at a native the wrong way or look strange and you were in serious danger,” she recalled.

Akela of the Tapirape took the third place with his phoenix-inspired float, which he said symbolized “rebirth from fire.” This reflected his experience, he said, of being taken in by the Tapirape, which was his own rebirth.

Akela in a sea of phoenix feathers.

“The fire in my float is represented by countless petals, flowers and feathers gathered from the bountiful Amazon,” Akela said.

The Carnivale celebrations continue next Sunday, Feb. 24, with the Carnivale Pageant, beginning at noon.

Here's some more photos from today's event: