Bicharada dolls face off in football matches before Brazil games Before each Brazilian game in the first phase of the World Cup, the residents of Salgueiro, in the Sertão of Pernambuco, watch a different match. The confrontation takes place between the puppets of Mestre Jaime's traditional Bicharada, with one team representing the National Team and the other, the opposing country. The matches start 40 minutes before the official games and are held in the three streets that won the "Salgueiro na Copa" competition, promoted by the city hall to reward the most decorated places in the municipality. 📱:Download the g1 app to see news from Petrolina and the region in real time and for free “The objective is to bring people together, create an atmosphere of fun, relaxation, all these things, and be an attraction”, explains Jaime Concerva Filho, known as Jaiminho, responsible for Bicharada. After the puppet game, fans watch the Brazilian players on a big screen installed in the street. Unlike the result of the match in the United States, which ended in a draw, in the confrontation against the Moroccan dolls in Salgueiro, Brazil came out on top. "Look at the irony of Brazil. Our dummies played better than the Brazilian team's starters", jokes Jaiminho. Following the legacy of his father, Mestre Jaime, who died in 2021 at the age of 98, Jaiminho is the one who makes the characters' clothes. “Right now, I’m sitting here at the machine sewing the last suit, which is exactly from Scotland,” the artisan told g1. Bicharada's teams have five outfield players each. Because of the weight of the dolls, the matches are divided into two ten-minute halves. The “technician” guarantees that, despite the short time, the game resonates with the audience. “The dynamics of the dummy's barrages, of the guy not seeing where the ball is and looking for where the ball is, is something very interesting, very fun”, he says. The next confrontation, between the puppets of Brazil and Haiti, will be held on Friday (19), on Rua Umbelino de Sá Araújo. On the 24th, the exhibition against Scotland will be on Rua Júlio Alves da Silva. Giant Salgueiro dolls face off in matches before Brazil's World Cup games Jaime Concerva / personal archive According to Jaiminho, as it is the result of a notice from the Aldir Blanc National Policy for Promoting Culture, the Bicharada matches are only scheduled for the first phase of the Cup. “If Brazil qualifies, it’s another story,” he says. History of Bicharada Master Jaime's Bicharada celebrates 70 years of revelry Mestre Jaime's Bicharada is one of the most traditional groups of the Salgueiro Carnival. The first dolls were made 80 years ago, by artisan Jaime Alves Concerva, better known as Mestre Jaime. The puppeteer always liked carnival. As he had skills as a tailor and craftsman, he began producing dolls about five meters tall with animal masks, such as elephants and giraffes. The first were made in 1945, after the end of the Second World War. Master Jaime served in the army battalion in Olinda, on the coast of the state, but before he was called up to go to battle in Italy, the war ended. Upon returning to Salgueiro, the artist began producing the dolls. Another trademark of Mestre Jaime was the colorful suits he wore during carnival. Just like the giant dolls, the pieces were produced by them. To complete the authentic look, the carnival worker wears 18-karat gold dentures. Currently, Bicharada is still alive through the work of Mestre Jaime's children. Videos: most watched from Sertão de PE