Rio Carnival: Tribute to black women crowned winner

The Viradouro samba school has won Rio de Janeiro's hotly contested Carnival parade competition with its tribute to black women.

Viradouro was the last samba school to parade in the two-day contest held before Ash Wednesday. Viradouro said it wanted to honour a cobra which is considered sacred in some parts of the African country of Benin.

The group said it wanted to highlight Brazil's historic ties with Benin, from where many of the people who were taken to Brazil as slaves came from.

Snakes featured heavily in their parade, not just in the form of floats...

...but also in the dancers' headgear.

The group also celebrated voodoo beliefs, its artistic director told Brazilian news site G1.

Drums featured heavily as the group paraded through the Sambadrome, the venue which hosts the annual competition.

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