Cultural life of Brazil

Culture life of Brazil

Cultural life

The cultures of the indigenous Indians, Africans, and Portuguese have together formed the modern Brazilian way of life. The Portuguese culture is by far the dominant of these influences; from it Brazilians acquired their language, their main religion, and most of their customs. The Indian population is now statistically small, but Tupí-Guaraní, the language of many Brazilian Indians, continues to strongly influence the Brazilian Portuguese language; other Indian contributions to Brazilian culture are most apparent in the Amazon basin. African influences on the Brazilian way of life are strongest along the coast between the Northeast and Rio de Janeiro; they include traditional foods, religions, and popular music and dance, especially the samba. Commercial and cultural imports from Europe and North America have often competed with—and influenced—Brazilians’ own cultural output, and critics have argued that the nation’s cultural identity is suffering as a result. Despite numerous social and economic challenges, Brazilians continue to be exuberant and creative in their celebrations and art forms.

Cultural institutions

The Brazilian Academy of Letters, with its headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, is generally regarded as the most prestigious of the country’s numerous learned societies. The National Library, also in Rio, was founded in 1810 with 60,000 volumes from the Portuguese royal library; it now holds millions of books and documents. Most of Brazil’s other libraries have limited holdings. Among the major history museums are the Museum of the Republic (1960; housed in the former governmental palace) and the National Historical Museum (1922), both in Rio, the São Paulo University Museum (1895), and the Imperial Museum (1940) in Petropólis. The São Paulo Art Museum (1947) and Rio de Janeiro Museum of Modern Art (1948) are internationally renowned. Both Rio and São Paulo have major museums of anthropology and numerous theatres. A notable institution for the performing arts is the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra (1953; revitalized 1972), housed since 1999 in the Sala São Paulo, a renovated early 20th-century railroad station. Few of the country’s major cultural institutions are based in Brasília.

The arts

LITERATURE

Brazil has had many world-renowned literary figures whose cumulative writings are regarded by many to be richer than those of Portugal because of their variety of ethnic and regional themes. Joaquim Machado de Assis, the son of a freed slave, was a leading voice of the 19th century with his romantic novels. In the 20th century the Northeast produced a particularly wide range of superb writing, including that of Gilberto Freyre on the subject of life under slavery, Graciliano Ramos’s tragedies about the drought quadrilateral, João Guimaraês Rosa’s tales of survival and violence in the interior, and Jorge Amado’s lighthearted stories set in the cacao-growing zone of Bahia. Érico Veríssimo’s tales of southern Brazil have also been translated into many languages.

VISUAL ARTS

The landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx has made urban Brazilians especially aware of the splendours of their natural environment by replacing the traditional, formal European-style gardens containing imported plants with a profusion of native species in approximation to their natural settings. Some of Marx’s landscapes have been used to set off the imaginative structures of Brazil’s world-renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer. Among his works, Niemeyer designed a striking array of public buildings in Brasília, in collaboration with Lúcio Costa, the creator of the capital’s original layout. Brazil also cherishes numerous splendid structures from its colonial and imperial past, from the tiled houses and ornate churches of Salvador to the palaces and public buildings of Rio de Janeiro. Among the most revered of these are the 18th-century churches in Minas Gerais that were adorned by facades, biblical scenes, and statues carved in soapstone by Antônio Francisco Lisboa, better known as Aleijadinho (“Little Cripple”).

Western styles of painting began developing in Brazil in the 18th century. In the 19th century, particularly during the reign of Emperor Pedro II, the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro drove the development of Brazilian painting, which was largely influenced by Neoclassical and Romantic styles. The academy organized art collections, held exhibitions and competitions, and trained a number of Brazilian artists who specialized in the painting of landscapes and historical subjects. Among the most prominent 19th-century Brazilian painters were Victor Meirelles, Pedro Américo, José Ferraz de Almeida Júnior, and Rodolfo Amoedo. In the late 19th century Belmiro de Almeida painted scenes of Brazilian daily life, influencing a trend toward realism. In the 20th century the painter Cândido Portinari was a major proponent of a uniquely Brazilian style, which blended abstract European techniques with realistic portrayals of the people and landscapes of his native land; the painter Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, a contemporary of Portinari, gained equal international renown. In 1922, seeking to break with the conservative past, Di Cavalcanti helped to organize Modern Art Week in São Paulo, which promoted a Modernist spirit in Brazilian art. Later in the 20th century, celebrated photographic collections, such as the works of Sebastião Salgado, interpreted Brazil’s social and natural settings. The country’s most prestigious art exhibition is the International Biennial of São Paulo (established 1951), which regularly attracts participants from more than 50 countries.

PERFORMING ARTS

The classical composer Heitor Villa-Lobos was a powerful force in breaking with tradition to create distinctively Brazilian compositions by weaving folk themes and rhythms of Portuguese, Indian, and African origins into his music. In contemporary music, João Gilberto and Antônio Carlos Jobim introduced the world to bossa nova rhythms (including the classic song “The Girl from Ipanema”) by blending samba rhythms with cool jazz. Francisco Buarque de Hollanda composed a wide range of popular music including ballads and socially relevant light opera. The poet-songwriter Vinicius de Moraes caught the urban Brazilian spirit in his memorable lyrics, and the pop singer Roberto Carlos Braga built up a considerable following throughout Latin America in the latter part of the 20th century. Other popular musical styles include sertanejo, especially in the South and Central-West, axé, which is a blend of samba and reggae often heard in the Northeast, and pagôde, an energetic samba style that developed in urban areas. Musical influences from Brazil, North America, and Europe have been blended to create the tropicália style. The larger Brazilian cities periodically host contemporary musical extravaganzas, and free outdoor concerts of classical music attract multitudes of listeners in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, and elsewhere. Brazil also has a long tradition of folk music, such as the Northeast’s cantoria (sung poetry) contests, in which musicians improvise to win “duels.”

Theatrical productions are widespread and well attended, from the bawdy regional comedies in neighbourhood theatres to lavish classical productions in Rio de Janeiro’s opera house. Brazilian theatre has reached international audiences through playwrights such as Alfredo Dias Gomes, author of Roque Santeiro (Roque, the Saint Maker). Motion pictures are enormously popular in Brazil, with offerings for popular and sophisticated audiences. Brazil’s film industry has produced several contenders for international prizes; actors such as Fernanda Montenegro and her daughter Fernanda Torres have won worldwide acclaim, as have many directors, including Fábio Barreto and Bruno Barreto. However, imported North American and European films are the most popular movie fare in Brazil.

Daily life

The rapid large-scale urbanization of Brazil following World War II radically altered the lifestyle of the majority of the country’s inhabitants. In most ways, large Brazilian cities differ little from others in the Western world, but their greater degree of crowding and large volume of pedestrian traffic may in some cases compare more closely to the cities of China than of North America.

Brazilians’ family ties, both immediate and extended, generally remain stronger than in western Europe and North America; family members customarily live in relatively close proximity to one another, holding frequent reunions or gathering at a family farm or ranch on weekends and holidays. However, this traditional system of kinship ties depends on a certain degree of wealth and stability for its preservation, and it is no longer as strong as it once was, given the increased mobility and urbanization of the Brazilian people. In the favelas, various members of an extended family may occupy the same dwelling because of economic pressures or family tradition. Automobiles have become a household fixture for most middle-class families, to the extent that Brazilians are said to have a love affair with cars; however, families with lesser means must rely on bus trips as the only practical way to commute to work or, on the weekend, to the beach or countryside.

The traditional national dish of Brazil is the feijoada completa, a mixture of up to 20 different dried, salted, or smoked meats simmered in a stew of black beans (feijoadas) and often served with rice, vegetables, and other foods. There are many dishes of African origin in Bahia, such as vatapá, which is made of rice flour, coconut oil, fish, shrimps, red peppers, and assorted condiments. Rio de Janeiro contains acclaimed Portuguese restaurants, whereas Italian cuisine is better represented in São Paulo. Steak houses (churrascarias) abound throughout the country. North American fast-food chains are rapidly expanding in the large and medium-sized cities.

CARNIVAL

The four-day pre-Lenten Carnival is the most famous and exuberant Brazilian holiday. Carnival in Brazil is the traditional combination of a Roman Catholic festival with the lively celebrations of people of African ancestry. It evolved principally in urban coastal areas, notably in the former plantation zones along the coast between Recife and Rio de Janeiro.

Millions of Brazilians from the working and middle classes find a social outlet in Carnival preparations. During a considerable part of the year, they spend their leisure time preparing for the annual activities and competitions of Carnival in so-called samba schools (escolas de samba), which function as community clubs and neighbourhood centres. Both children’s and adults’ groups make up the several thousand dancers and musicians of each samba school, and many more people are involved in constructing floats and making elaborate costumes. The samba schools in Rio de Janeiro carry on the most extravagant expression of the festival, focused mainly along Copacabana beach. Most of the schools also attend competitions at the 85,000-seat Sambadrome (Samba Dome; 1984), which was designed by Oscar Niemeyer. Some Brazilians celebrate Carnival in nightclubs, where dancing and elaborate look-alike contests have grown in popularity. Nearly all the neighbourhoods of Rio de Janeiro and other cities are festooned with streamers and lights, and live samba music is ubiquitous. Salvador’s Carnival is less highly commercialized and has a stronger African component.

SPORTS AND RECREATION

Football (soccer) is the nation’s most popular sport, and Brazilians are highly enthusiastic fans. It is played virtually everywhere by young and old and amateur and professional, and international matches in the major cities draw huge crowds, notably to Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro, which has a capacity of 155,000. Brazilian teams are consistently among the top contenders for the World Cup, and from Brazil came the world-renowned Pelé, widely considered the greatest player of all time. Many other Brazilian players, such as the strikers Ronaldo and Rivaldo, have also led top football teams throughout Europe and Latin America. Women’s football has gathered an increasing share of interest in Brazil. The country’s string of successes in volleyball since the mid-20th century have made it Brazil’s second most popular sport. Municipal governments often provide volleyball courts and other recreational equipment for the country’s beaches, including Rio de Janeiro’s famous Copacabana and Ipanema. Brazil’s beaches are gathering places for young people, the more athletic of which play football and various racket games. Brazilian championships of beach football and volleyball draw thousands of spectators and television coverage.

Brazilians have also achieved international fame in a variety of other sports. There were surges in interest in tennis in the 1960s, when Maria Bueno won Wimbledon and U.S. championships, and when Gustavo Kuertan won the 1997 and 2000 French Opens. Auto racing has been popular since the late 20th century, when Brazilians won several Formula One championships and U.S. Grand Prix races. Brazilians often are top contenders in international equestrian competitions, such as polo and show jumping. Brazil has competed in every Olympic Games since 1920, except the 1928 Summer Games in Amsterdam. It has been successful in many events, including track-and-field, swimming, yachting, and such team sports as football, volleyball, and basketball. In 2009 the International Olympic Committee selected Rio de Janeiro as the site of the 2016 Summer Games. It was the first city in South America to be chosen to host the Olympics.

Families use the beaches and numerous public parks, both within the cities and at nearby scenic areas, for picnics and other casual recreation. For the young, the urban nightlife includes music, dance clubs, and restaurants. Brazilians have increasingly congregated in shopping malls, which, like their North American counterparts, include food courts, movie theatres, play areas, video arcades, and a variety of retail stores.

In addition to Carnival, there are various official and church holidays during the year, including Independence Day, on September 7, and St. John’s Night (Noite de São João) in June. The latter is celebrated with bonfires, fireworks, and the launching of small paper hot-air balloons. Along the coast on New Year’s Day (a national holiday), fishers pay homage to the African deity Iemanjá, goddess of the oceans (also St. Barbara, patron of artillerymen), by sailing out to sea with offerings that are thought to determine the success or failure of the coming year’s catch.

Press and telecommunications

Brazil publishes more daily newspapers than does Germany, Mexico, or Russia; however, the circulation per capita is limited. Among the nation’s principal newspapers are O Estado de São Paulo and Folha de São Paulo, both in that city, and O Globo, Jornal do Brasil, and O Dia in Rio de Janeiro. There are also several weekly publications, including the newsmagazines Veja, Época, and Isto É and the glossy pictorial Manchete. Popular monthly publications include the health magazine Saúde and such widely circulated fashion reviews as Claudia and Manequim.

Large private companies in Brazil control both press and broadcasting networks, including television’s TV Globo network, which, with Rádio Globo, is by far the largest and most influential of the country’s broadcasting systems. Among the country’s several other broadcasters are the TVSBT network, TV Bandeirantes (affiliated with Rádio Bandeirantes), TV Record, Rede TV!, Rádio Mulher, Rádio Nacional, and Rádio Jornal do Brasil. There are also several regional and local stations. A publicly funded educational network broadcasts to a limited number of major cities. In the late 1990s cable services began to expand rapidly in the larger urban areas.

About nine-tenths of Brazilian households have TV sets. Common television fare includes the tremendously popular prime-time novelas (soap operas), sporting events, news, special reports, foreign movies dubbed into Portuguese, and children’s programs. In many ways television, in conjunction with massive urban migration, has helped to homogenize Brazilian culture by modifying regional differences; in the 1990s, for example, the Brazilian novela Pantanal helped to revitalize the sertanejo musical style and spread its influence.

The former Brazilian Telecommunications Company (1965), provider of long-distance and international telephone service, was divided into four parts and privatized in 1998, and some state and regional companies were subsequently sold off. The resulting influx of private investment led to a rapid increase in the number of Brazilian phones in the late 1990s, and the country now has roughly 160 telephones per 1,000 persons—a higher proportion than in most Latin American nations but substantially lower than in more developed countries. Cellular phones are increasingly popular because of the high cost of wire-transmitted telephone service.

At the turn of the 21st century, Brazil’s middle and upper classes were increasingly joining the computerized, online world. Households and businesses purchased ever greater numbers of personal computers, and there was a concomitant increase in the number of Brazilians connected to the Internet. The number and type of Internet service providers proliferated, and Brazil became an important and growing market for e-commerce.