since the first half of the 20th century, ilha do governador (governor's island) has had several samba schools and blocks presenting every year a lively and colorful carnival parade.

in light of this, a trio of friends, maurício gazelle, joaquim lara de oliveira and orphylo bastos decided they would create one organization to represent their neighborhood, cacuia.

and so they did, in 1953 the plainly called união (union) was founded, led by the three friends and 59 more associates - at the time, the possibility of partaking in the great festivities in the center of rio de janeiro was still an impossible dream.