Happy 400th Birthday, São Luís!

This is a great time to be living in the city of São Luís. 400 years ago, tomorrow, the French Huguenot explorer Daniel de la Touche landed with a small expedition on this fair island. The ensuing four centuries saw the little city he founded fall into the hands of the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Portuguese again, and finally become a Brazilian city–thanks in part to a Scottish mercenary.
All of that history makes for some amazing cultural expressions, and we were treated to a tour de force of said cultural expressions last night at a special presentation of the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra.
In this video, a local composer mixed “Happy Birthday” together with some styles from musical history–all with some rhythms that are distinctly maranhense.

Happy birthday, São Luís!
Addendum: If you are a Facebook user (and who isn’t, right) this page has tons of photos of São Luís, past and present.

The Astonishing Adventures of Missionary Max, Parts 1, 2 and 3 are now available for Kindle and Nook!