Origins: Traditional Holidays in Old Portugal Dating back to its establishment during the Middle Ages, Carnaval finds its roots in the Catholic world. Considered a pre-Lenten festival, Carnaval developed as a final occasion for intimate pleasure and materialistic indulgent before Lenten sacrifices. Moreover, the word “carnaval” is believed to derive from the phrase carne vale, meaning “farewell to flesh” in Latin (Crowley 25:15). Influences from different Christmas traditions held in Old Portugal are seen in Brazilian Carnaval, one of which is termed pastoril. In Brazil, Pastoril consists of a group of men, also called cordoés, who dress up as various personalities and get together to sing praises in front of a crib set. These characters include …show more content…
Thousands of samba schools (known as Epiphany Troupes prior to the 1920’s), floats, and vibrant costumes take the streets of Rio in dance and celebration, adorned by their national rhythm of samba (Chasteen p.73, 48). In the 1950’s, along with Government support came mandatory requirements. First, each samba school must choose a nationalist theme for their parades. Also, due to its African roots, sprouting from Bahia, Brazil (city where African slaves were first brought in the 1500’s), it is a requirement that each samba school have Baians to honor the efforts of women like Tia Ciata, a forerunner in the early carnival movement (p.49) For Brazils economy, Rio Carnaval is a major source of monetary gain. Though with yearly changes of themes and costumes, carnival can be very expensive for Brazilians, especially those living in low-income …show more content…
Still, Trinidad Carnival integrates different aspects of festivals celebrated in France, Spain, and Britain. As early as the 1560’s, the French brought over the famous festival of Mardi Gras. During the time before Ash Wednesday, French planters in Trinidad celebrated the ridding of their cares by consuming alcohol, going to parties, and paying house-to-house visits. However, the masks used in Mardi Gras were banned during the French Revolution. Similar to the French, Catholic Spaniards also went from house to house singing and serenading friends during Christmastime (Liverpool 26-27). Great Britain’s influence on Trinidad Carnival is minimal. Most significant was the Trinidad Sentinel, which mimicked Britain’s Grand Ball
Brazil was the last country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery in 1888, with a legacy that was built on the backs of African slaves. For over five-hundred years, the Portuguese engaged in the Transatlantic Slave Trade with Brazil as the main recipient, where, between 1502 and 1867, almost half of Africans being imported to the Americas were sent to Brazil. (“Brazil: A Racial Paradise”, Black In Latin America, 2011, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Public Broadcasting Service, Web) The unfortunate reality of the slave trade to Brazil has led to a prevalent issue in modern-day society there: the influx of Africans during that time period has led to a large population of modern Afro-Brazilians who are disproportionately recognized by the government and society as a whole. Politically, Afro-Brazilians have little control over
In this engaging book, Katia M. de Quierós Mattoso, one of Brazil’s most well-known social historians gives the general reader with an overall summary of slavery in Brazil, from the beginning of captivity until the end of a slave’s life. The notable difference between this book and others on Brazilian slavery is the viewpoint the author gives from the eyes of a slave, humanizing a topic that is usually referred to as an though it were business rather than an oppressed mass of human beings. Originally the book was written in French, only after to be written in Portuguese and then English (translated by Arthur Goldhammer). Mattoso spends this book exploring the ideas and concerns of the Brazilian slaves along with sympathizing their feelings and emotions.
In conclusion, reading about Carolina’s life has had a huge impact on my learnings of Brazil. While reading this book, I was able to reflect on what we learned and discussed about life in the favelas in class. When I hear of Brazil, I always hear of the wealthy places, pretty women and beautiful sites to visit. However, the favelas and life of the poor people living in Brazil is rarely mentioned and talked about. Reading Carolina’s diary gave me a different image of the country and showed Brazil in another light. Carolina’s diary gave me more insight on what the daily life of a favelado is like and what people who live in the favelas experience on a daily
The modernize approach of religion and traditions of the old African culture now converted into an Afro-Brazilian culture that still has an impact and exists today which is also still celebrated in Brazil. I believe that without slavery, many of the importance of both sides of society selling slaves and buying slaves would not have shaped humanity in the modern world. “Two centuries had seen African and European cultural religious and linguistic habits merging into unique Afro-Brazilian social and religious customs, music, and storytelling (Nellis 62).” The cultural influence of Afro-Brazilians has persistently grew from celebrations like carnaval into a mainstream popular culture. Brazil holds a variety of different ideas, culture and people. These ideas and traditions include musical interests, dancing, different food dishes, literature and art, festivities, and religious practices.
As one of the countries we examined to place a Dunkin’ Donuts, was Portugal. Portugal was founded as a republic in 1910 after a revolution had taken place. Since then Portugal has become a part of the National American Treaty Organization, the United Nations, and the European Union. They are still a 3 branch Republic with both a President and Prime Minister, where they have a Parliamentary Particracy government system. Here in this type of government one or more political parties will lead the government rather than residents and/or elected officials. A party is voted upon by the people of Portugal and the winning party will then appoint all leadership. Portugal has been portrayed as a very stable country in recent years. In an article
The origins of Mardi Gras can be traced to medieval Europe, passing through Rome and Venice in the 17th and 18th centuries to the French House of the Bourbons. From here, the traditional revelry of "Boeuf Gras," or fatted calf, followed France to her colonies.
Parading on the outskirts of Mobile while dressed up as a Chickasaw chief is how one man became an important factor in the history of Mobile, Alabama, in the mid 1800’s. Now, a day set aside for this man, parades with floats, beads, moonpies, and loud music remind Mobilians of their favorite time of the year, Mardi Gras. The carnival celebration of Mardi Gras has played a big role in the history of the southern cities Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana, but the history that everyone believes about the carnival and the people that have contributed to it is not always as true as it seems.
In 1837, a costumed gathering of revelers strolled in the initially reported "parade," however the fierce conduct of maskers amid the following two decades created the press to require an end to Mardi Gras. Luckily, six New Orleanians who were previous individuals from the Cowbellians, (a gathering that had introduced New Year's Eve parades in Mobile since 1831), spared the New Orleans Mardi Gras by shaping the Comus association in 1857. The men enhanced the festival and demonstrated that it could be delighted in a sheltered and bubbly way. Comus begat "krewe" and created a few Mardi Gras customs by framing a mystery Carnival society, picking a legendary namesake, giving a themed parade skims and costumed maskers, and arranging a scene
Afro-Paradise: Blackness, Violence, and Performance in Brazil by Christen A. Smith juxtaposes the images of Brazil’s black populations shown in the media with the ugly reality that they actually face in their everyday lives. From an outside perspective Brazil, especially Rio de Janeiro, is known as this tropical paradise with their beautiful beaches, beautiful people, and of course Carnaval do Brasil. When you Google images of the Carnaval you will see images of colorful floats, and beautiful women with “perfect bodies” wearing outfits that look like solely mardi gras beads to cover their its and bits. “Brazil, a republic that once declared itself free of racism, is now faced with the reality that racism does exist” (5). Brazil is known as a country with such a diverse and rich culture that everyone from other races live together in harmony. The representation of black bodies within Brazil can be seen with by the performers dancing on floats and with bodies being shot on the cement. Afro-paradise is a paradox. The oppressive economy uses its identity as an exotic, black “jovial playland” for tourists to come and experience the black culture and black people. Glorifying the black culture of Bahia reinforces Brazil’s racially
This paper will illustrate the traditions and background of Mardi Gras and their importance. Also it will describe the many traditions of this glorious festival. It will demonstrate exactly how it began and the events that lead to its creations. The History of Mardi Gras Particularly, Mardi Gras is a celebration jubilated all over the United States.
I will use a variety of sources so my information can go in depth. Anyone who will read my research paper will end up becoming an expert in Louisiana’s Mardi Gras traditions. Mardi Gras developed into a festival for everyone to come together and have the time of their lives. I hope to be able to share what I have found over the past few weeks with my audience and the people who read this. If someone who knew nothing about Mardi Gras was to read my paper than I hope they end up knowing everything about Carnival, its foods, colors, festivities, etc. This research paper has enough information to to teach anyone about the meaning of Mardi Gras and its traditions that
This paper is about Mardi Gras, A festival or Carnival celebrated once a year. In this paper I will discuss how Mardi Gras originated, when it is celebrated, how it is celebrated, and what does it mean to all the different cultures. Mardi Gras, in the French speaking parts of the world and in some US southern states is the last day of carnival festivities preceding Lent, the time of penitence observed by Christians in preparation for Easter. Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday") is a French term for Shrove Tuesday, the day before the start of Lent. Before Lent festivities reach the climax on a day in February or March, depending on what date Easter is.(Americana pg. 308)
These celebrations represented the resurrection of new life in spring after the cold, frozen winter. Celebrations like these were celebrated in many countries, especially ones of great Catholic populations. Soon when christianity appeared in Rome, religious leaders encouraged the rituals into the faith. Christians and others who encourage this holiday celebrate this time of feasting from January sixth to Shrove Tuesday, The Epiphany to the Day before Ash Wednesday (Thompson, 1998). This time period became known as Carnival; Carnival in Latin means farewell to meat. The motto farewell to meat relates to the fasting that is coming with the Lenten season celebrated by the Christian faith. “Carnival” was soon spread worldwide. In France, this celebration became known to may as Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday,” says the authors of
When looking at Italian, Carlos Julião, Enslaved market women, Rio De Janeiro, ca. 1170s, watercolor, and Dutch, Albert Eckhout, [Mameluke woman with a basket of flowers], 1614, both images give us an insight to the way each artist viewed Brazil. By looking at certain parts of Brazil’s history and comparing these two images we will see how each artist depicts the female body, costume and commodity in a way that demands a specific reaction from the intended audience. Eckhout, a master of flora and fauna, uses his style to express Brazil's beauty and economic implications, often times favored by the Dutch. Julião’s work emphasizes inequalities between individuals from different classes
The purpose of this paper is to recognize, study and analyze the race relations in Brazil. Race relations are relations between two groups of different races; it is how these two different races connect to each other in their environment. Since Brazil is racially diverse, this study is focused on how Brazilians relate to each other. Throughout the essay, it will become clear that there exists a conflict between two race groups. Afro-Brazilians and White-Brazilians are not connected and though these two groups converse with each other, discrimination still lies within the society. This discrimination has created inequality within the society for Afro-Brazilians. Thus, this paper will not only focus on racism and discrimination that