The soccer field in the city of Pirenópolis, in the interior of Goiás, becomes, for a few days, an arena for clashing and joking.

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The arena where everyone goes to watch the famous Cavalhadas, on the days of the Holy Spirit Festival. The arena where the public will interact with the characters of this re-enactment of the battle that marked the expulsion of the Moors from the Iberian Peninsula and, in some way, the victory of the Christian faith.

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A story of a holy war, retold year after year, as a way of reaffirming the faith of Brazilian Christians. A staging that makes a lot of sense during this celebration, since the knights of Charlemagne, as well as the Holy Spirit, had the mission to travel the world taking the word of salvation promised by God to everyone.

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The horses are the central figures of the event. They are the ones who take the 24 knights (12 Christian and 12 Moor) to battle, richly adorned. They are also the ones who lead the Mascarados, good-natured figures who wear colorful clothes and papier-mâché masks with long horns adorned with crepe paper flowers. Boots and gloves complete the look. They never take off their masks and always speak in hoarse voices in an ongoing effort to remain anonymous.

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They represent the people (in an act that reminds them that not everyone has access to the pomp of knights, the elite and power). They give lightness to the party, break the heavy atmosphere of the battle of life and death that takes place there. Thanks to them, the holy war represented here is decorated with the delicacy of flowers, colors and textures of the Brazilian cerrado.

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The band plays lively marches. And the masked people, with their jokes and their weird costumes, amuse the public.