The term maracatu denotes any of several performance genres found in Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil. Main types of maracatu include maracatu nação and maracatu rural.

Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9 million people as of 2022, making it seventh-most populous state of Brazil and with around 98,067.877 km2, being the 19th-largest in area among federative units of the country, it is the sixth-most densely populated with around 89 people per km2. Its capital and largest city, Recife, is one of the most important economic and urban hubs in the country. Based on 2019 estimates, the Recife Metropolitan Region is seventh-most populous in the country, and the second-largest in northeastern Brazil. In 2015, the state had 4.4% of the national population and produced 2.8% of the national gross domestic product (GDP).