Mourao

Northeastern Brazil has a musical tradition based on the accordion accompanied by a zabumba (drum) and a triangle. This music spread throughout Brazil as workers escaping the droughts and poverty of the North migrated to jobs in the South. Northeastern Brazil is also known for a distinctive form of literature called "literatura de cordel", which is a type of ballad that includes elements incorporated into music such as "repentismo", an improvised lyrical contest based on themes suggested by the audience. The style known as "forró", is rapid and eminently danceable, and became one of the foundations for "lambada" in the 1980s.