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| Brazil |
| Culture |
| Brazilian culture has been shaped not only by the Portuguese, who gave the country its religion and language, but also by the country's native Indians, the considerable African population, and other settlers from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. | |
| Brazilian music has always
been characterized by great diversity and, shaped by musical influences
from three continents and it is still developing new and original forms.
The samba, which reached the height of popularity during the 1930s,
is a mixture of Spanish bolero with the cadences and rhythms of African
music. Its most famous exponent was probably Carmen Miranda, known for her
fiery temperament and fruity headdresses. The more subdued bossa nova,
popular in the 1950s and characterized by performers such as João
Gilberto and songs such as 'The Girl from Ipanema', was influenced by
North American jazz. Tropicalismo is a mix of musical influences
that arrived in Brazil in the 1960s and led a more electric samba.
More recently, the lambada, influenced by Caribbean rhythms, has
become internationally popular.
Among Brazil's writers of fiction, Machado de Assis stands out with his terse, ironic style. The son of a freed slave, Assis worked as a typesetter and journalist in 19th-century Rio. Brazil's most famous 20th-century writer is the regionalist Jorge Amado, whose tales are colorful romances of Bahia's people and places. Brazil is officially a Catholic country, but in practice the country's religious life incorporates Indian animism, African cults, Afro-Catholic syncretism and Kardecism, a spiritualist religion embracing Eastern mysticism, which is gaining popularity with Brazilian Whites. Portuguese, infused with many words from Indian and African languages, is spoken by all Brazilians. Accents, dialects and slang vary regionally. The staples of the Brazilian diet are white rice, black beans and manioc flour, usually combined with steak, chicken or fish. Brazilian specialties include moqueca, a seafood stew flavored with dendê oil and coconut milk; caruru, okra and other vegetables mixed with shrimp, onions and peppers; and feijoada, a bean and meat stew. On many street corners in Bahia, women wearing flowing white dresses sell acarajé, beans, mashed in salt and onions and then fried in dendê oil. The fried balls are filled with seafood, manioc paste, dried shrimp, pepper and tomato sauce. Brazilian Folklore |
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| Brazilian folklore
literature is very influenced by European, native and African traditions.
The folklore has conserved myths and tales from Africa, mainly under the
religious aspect. The strongest folklore expressions are found in the
Northeast, where tradition, individual creativity, songs, tales and myths
are mixed in the everyday life of its people.
The Brazilian popular music |
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Although the most popular rhythm is the "Samba", made known world-wide by the famous singer Carmen Miranda, the Brazilian music today is represented by the "Bossa Nova". The percussive rhythms from Africa have generated a number of dances and styles such as the Candomblé and Afoxé (Bahia State), Frevo and Maracatu (Pernambuco State), Xaxado (Northeast States), Carimbó (Pará State), and variations from the Samba itself in the Rio de Janeiro region: Samba de Gafieira (Indoor dances), Samba Canção (slow pace samba), Samba de Carnaval (Theme songs for the Carnival Parades), Samba batucada (full percussive), Chorinho (played by small combos with guitars, mandolins, tambourine and a flute or clarinet). Some of the top Brazilian songwriters are Milton Nascimento, Tom Jobim, Jorge Benjor, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Ivan Lins, continuing Carmen Miranda's task of making the Brazilian music known around the world. Undoubtedly, the Brazilian carnival is the most popular celebration in the entire world, and the country really stops for almost a whole week. The period is variable, from February to March, starting 4 days before Ash-Wednesday. Rio de Janeiro, where the famous samba-schools parade takes place, attracts thousands of visitors every year. This celebration in Recife - where its peculiar brass bands play songs under the wild rhythm of the "Frevo" - and in Salvador - the "electric trios" in Salvador attract thousands of people to the city streets. Of course, Carnival takes place everywhere in Brazil, but the 3 mentioned cities would be the recommended spots for a first time experience. Another yearly celebration that gathers more and more people is the New Year's Eve celebration in Rio de Janeiro. Copacabana Beach gathers almost a million people. They come to the beach to watch the fireworks while members of afro-related religions deliver their offerings and gifts to the sea-goddess Yemanjá. Handicrafts |
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| Embroideries, potteries, ceramic,
wood-carvings, dolls are examples of the immense variety that can be found
at local markets and street fairs.
For more information on Brazilian Culture, go to: |
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