While the debate over if there should be 12 or 15 schools in the Grupo Especial at next year’s Rio carnival continues, we already know the themes of two of the schools.

Oyá, a Candomblé deity also known as Iansã, who represents wind, lightning, storms, transformation, and the marketplace, will be the theme of Estação Primeira de Mangueira’s “Oyá Por Nós”. Oyá has already featured for Mangueira in its 2016 winning theme, “A Menina dos Olhos de Oyá” (The Apple of Oyá’s eye), which paid tribute to Maria Bethânia.

Paraíso do Tuiuti will develop the theme “Ciata: The Black Mother of Samba” for its parade in 2027. The school will portray the life story of one of the matriarchs of samba, Hilária Batista de Almeida (1854-1924), known as Tia Ciata, a key figure in the early days of samba in Rio, who is also recognised for her role as a Black community leader and guardian of Afro-Brazilian culture.

In 2027 the parades of the top schools will take place on the nights of 7, 8 and 9 February and both schools will be looking to bounce back from poor results in 2026 when they came 6th and 9th respectively out of the top 12 schools.