My friends and I arrived at Marina da Gloria, a small harbor in Rio de Janeiro’s Zona Sul, nursing our hangovers from the night before with aspirin and Heineken. The day was hot and sunny, mountains dusted with rainforest rising above us, and the marina was full of families and groups of friends boarding rented boats for outings. Each passenger group held a distinct and recognizable subcultural vibe: There was a bachelorette party, family reunions, and a few packs of awkward coworkers making small talk. The line to board our boat, however, snaking down the dock, looked more than a little out of place — bleached hair, spikes, BDSM wear, tattoos, piercings, and the type of slender toned bodies that only come from a strict diet of cocaine and dancing. These children of the night had ventured into the harsh light of the afternoon for Barko Do Kbral, an epic funk dance party centered around Rio’s vogue community aboard a rickety pirate ship.
The party, which recently concluded its fourth edition, began as a birthday party for founder Pedro Kbral. “I called some friends for a boat trip and after the event, everyone asked me for another edition,” explained Pedro. “So we did another and another…” Utilizing his connections within Rio’s dance and music communities, Pedro built this party up from scratch, prioritizing queer Black bodies and voices, and creating an experience that is quintessentially Carioca and uniquely debauched.
The second the boat left the dock, madness ensued. The funk started blaring, drinks started spilling, powders were poured out onto cell phones and sniffed in secret under towels, and the air filled with the smells of sweat, saltwater, and sunblock. A follower of mine commented on my story: “A hundred uncut dicks on a boat. Seems like heaven.”
The crowd was mixed and included Berghain-weary European travelers, Balenciaga twinks, and the who’s-who of Rio’s queer Black community.
This diversity was not an accident. Pedro has made it his mission to ensure that the attendees are from a wide array of backgrounds, with a common interest in art, music, fashion, and fun. “I love meeting new people from different cultures and I think that influences Barko’s vibe,” he said. “Everyone who attends the event is always very open-minded to meeting new people.”
The mix of people, the music, and the sun made the event feel like anything could happen. At one point, a DJ who had shown up late and missed disembarkment rode up next to our ship on a speedboat. To a chorus of cheers, she jumped from one boat to the other and ran over to the decks to begin her set.
The boat laid anchor and everyone started jumping off the sides, in flips and cannonballs. The saltwater washed the sweat and lime juice from our bodies as we swam and splashed. Adding a sense of childlike wonder to the party, the swim reinvigorated our spirits and cooled us down in the blistering heat.
We headed back towards land and I was exhausted. We had now been on the water for hours, but the rest of my shipmates showed no signs of slowing down. The bar had to cut us off, and I thought there might be a riot. Instead, everyone turned their attention to the physical: dancing, kissing, and grinding. Unfortunately the below deck didn’t turn into a makeshift darkroom, but I’m sure it will happen on some later expedition.
Barko do Kbral was, in a word, magical. The scenic views, good music, and beautiful people were, of course, important, but the party, in a way too few functions do, invited its guests to play, be silly, and frolic. The secret to this sauce, in my estimation, was Pedro’s attention to detail and intention. He promises that as the party grows and changes he will continue to “work hard to maintain Barko’s quality standards, focusing on good DJs and prioritizing the Black LGBTQIAP+ community.”
Julian Wildhack is an international art and counterculture writer specializing in travel, music, food, nightlife, drugs, queer issues, performance, sex, and fashion. A contributor to DoubleBlind, Reel Talk, LadyGunn, On the Record, Drome, The Line, and Office Magazine, the bulk of his writing can be categorized as creative nonfiction. The work aims to maintain a commitment to traditional literary standards and devices, in both essays and interviews, with an emphasis on character development and sensory detail.
Comments