Brazilian culture: society, celebrations, family, food and arts

We can say that the Brazilian culture it is a consequence of mixing various ethnic groups, in this article we will talk about a landing covers this, check it out:

The language is one of the strongest elements of the national unity of Brazil, with Portuguese being the language spoken by almost 100% of the population.

The only exceptions are some members of Amerindian groups and immigrant pockets (mainly from Japan and South Korea), who have not yet learned Portuguese. The main families of the indigenous languages ​​are Tupí, Arawak, Carib and Gê.

There is a difference between the Portuguese spoken in Brazil and that spoken in Portugal comparable to the differences between the English spoken in the United States and that spoken in the United Kingdom. In Brazil, there are no dialects of Portuguese, but only moderate regional variation in accent, vocabulary and use of personal names, pronouns and verb conjugations. Variations tend to decrease as a result of the mass media, especially the national television networks that are watched by most Brazilians.

Brazilian Culture and society

Religion and Beliefs:

• Brazil is predominantly a Roman Catholic country with about 65% of the population affiliated with the religion.
• Catholic beliefs and practices tend to vary across this vast country, particularly in rural areas, where Church saints are honored with a vow of pilgrimage.
• When the Portuguese colonized Brazil, they brought with them the religion that met the traditions of the indigenous population and African slaves, giving rise to syncretic practices in some areas.
• The symbol of Brazil's religious affiliation is the colossal statue of Christ the Redeemer, which sits atop Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro.

Main Celebrations / Secular Celebrations:

• January 1st - new Year's Day
• April 21 – Tiradentes – The birthday of Joaquim José da Silva Xavier (known as Tiradentes); a national martyr who led the Mineira inconfidencia, which constituted a revolutionary attempt to gain independence in 1789
• Easter Sunday and Good Friday – Dates vary each year as they are guided by the lunar calendar. In some parts of Brazil, Easter is celebrated in autumn
• May 1st - working day
• September 7th - Independence Day (based on Portugal's declaration of independence in 1822)
• October 12th - Children's Day
• November 2 - Day of the Dead
• November 15th - The proclamation of the Republic Day – (remembers the end of the Empire and the beginning of the Brazilian Republic in 1889)
• December 25th - Christmas day.

The family:

• The family is of paramount importance to the Brazilian people and grown children usually stay with their parents until they get married.
• Extended family members tend to maintain close ties to each other and elderly parents are cared for, often living with one of their children.
• Historically, family sizes were very large, but in recent decades people are having fewer children, especially in more urban areas.
• Likewise, marriage was very much a religiously and legally binding observance. However, over the past four decades, attitudes have changed and civil marriage is becoming more common.
• Divorce was not legalized until 1977 due to opposition from the Catholic Church.

Social stratification:

• Despite the ethnic mix, there is a class system in Brazil.

• Social discrimination based on skin color is a common occurrence and, in general, people with darker brown skin are economically and socially disadvantaged.
• The middle and upper classes usually have only a brief interaction with the lower classes – which are usually made up of maids, drivers, etc.
• There is a large disparity in wage differentials and lifestyle and social aspirations between different classes
• Women, who make up 40% of the Brazilian workforce, are typically found in less-paid jobs such as teaching, administrative support and nursing.
• The 1988 Constitution prohibits discrimination against women, but inequalities still exist. The only place women are achieving equality is in government.

Socialization:

• As one of the largest countries in the world, raising children in Brazil is highly dependent on the diversity of classes, cultures and races and socioeconomic differences across the country.
• Educational opportunities and social development tend to be concentrated in urbanized areas, mainly located in the southeast of the country.
• Brazil's cultural diversity emanates from the various immigrant populations in the last three hundred years, including the Portuguese who colonized the country and other European peoples, Japanese, Chinese and Africans. Aspects of socialization therefore vary considerably between groups. Although there are some cultural exchanges, it depends a lot on ethnicity.
• Although education in Brazil is mandatory between the ages of 6 and 14, funding resources tend to be concentrate in urban areas and many groups are socially and economically disadvantaged, therefore, have little access to education additional.

Food:

• Due to centuries of immigration, Brazilian cuisine varies across regions and encompasses influences from Africa, Asia, Middle East, Italian, Spanish, Amerindian, China and Japan.
• Rice and beans are diet staples, along with spices, meat, fresh fruit, vegetables and fish.
• Feijoada is a big favorite of the Brazilian people and was brought to the country with African slaves. It's a black bean stew containing pork and eaten with rice.
• Street markets (Feira) are a popular feature in all areas of Brazil. They offer a wide selection of foods, including the popular and versatile Pastel, which is a pastry crust containing various fillings, either sweet or salty and fried. Ingredients can range from chopped chicken, shrimp, cheese to soft fruit, banana or chocolate.
• Coxinha, popular in markets, contains chopped chicken, wrapped in batter and molded into the shape of a chicken leg before being fried.
• Kibeh is another Middle Eastern influenced fried snack dish containing beef, garlic, onion, cinnamon and mint mixed with bulgur wheat.
• Other favorites include the Gaucho Rodizio, which is meat grilled on skewers, and Moqueca de Peixe, a fish stew with onions, tomatoes, garlic, and cilantro cooked in coconut milk.

Economy:

• Brazil has been going through a serious financial crisis since 2015, much of which has been associated with the political scandal that led to the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, the President, in 2016.
• Despite stringent measures introduced by Michel Temer, the new president, recovery is slow.
• According to the World Bank, the annual GDP growth rate was -3.6% in 2016 and the gross domestic product in 2016 – 1.796 trillion dollars.

Arts, Humanities and Popular Culture:

• Brazil has a tapestry historically rich in folk traditions, music, dance, art and literature that emanates from the varied mix of cultures introduced over the centuries.
• Brazilians are famous for their love of dance and music with regular festivals taking place; the most famous is the Brazil festival held in Rio de Janeiro each year, with festivities taking place over a five-day period.
• Brazil is also known for those loved by dances that appeal to all ages, bossa nova and samba.
• Brazil encourages and finances art throughout the country and has several museums, the most notable of which is the Centro de Cultura de São Paulo.
• Across the country, local folklore is celebrated and preserved among various ethnic and cultural groups.

Brazil has produced many great writers, including:

• Euclides da Cunha (1866 – 1909), journalist known for his work related to political turmoil in the country. His best known work: “Backlands” is a classic novel that was written in 1902 and is still on display today.
• Jorge Amado (1912 – 2001) is one of Brazil's most beloved authors, known for his sense of humor. Her best-known titles are Dona Flôr and her Two Husbands, Gabriela, Cravo and Cinamon

Many contemporary Brazilian artists have made their name globally:

• Albano Alfonso – born in 1964, who works with an eclectic mix of materials through photography, painting and cinema. He made his debut at the Centro de Cultura in São Paulo.
• Fernanda Quinderé is a female artist, born in 1979 and nominated for the Pipa award in 2013. The Pipa Award was launched in 2010 with the aim of honoring contemporary Brazilian artists.

Brazil has also produced many musicians, both classical and jazz and Latin dance.

• Chico Buarque, achieved records of success in the 1960s with songs that included political messages aimed again at the military dictatorship at the time.
• Tim Maia became popular in the 1970s when he brought Soul to the Brazilian music MIX.

Brazilian Culture – Who is Brazilian, culture?

Class of the Brazilian Culture discipline of the Licentiate in Science Course at the Virtual University

Summary on Brazilian Culture in PDF

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