Festivals & Cultural Events

February/March - Carnival is a pagan holiday originating perhaps as Roman bacchanalia celebrating Saturn or in the ancient Egyptian festival of Isis. Carnival was a wild party during the Middle Ages until tamed in Europe by Christianity, but the sober Church of the Inquisitions could not squelch Carnival in the Portuguese colony, where it came to acquire African rhythms and Indian costumes. People speculate that the word Carnival derives from "caro-vale", meaning "Goodbye Meat. The reasoning goes something like this: for the 40days of Lent, nominally Catholic Brazilians give up liver or flank steaks. To compensate for the big sacrifices ahead, thy rack up sins in a delirious carnal blowout in honor of King Momo, the king of Carnival. Next Carnival is going to be in Feb/Mar 2001.

June - Festas Juninas - Is mainly a country-side party where people celebrate mid-winter. The festivity is decorated with small yellow and green flags. Music with live appearance. It is traditional to eat a lot of sweets specific made during these days in June as well as drink hot red wine mixed with some fruits.

June/Aug - Bumba Meu Boi is a fascinating, wild folkloric festival with a Carnivalesque atmosphere in which participants dance, sing and tell the story of the death and resurrection of the bull - with plenaty of room for improvisation. Is celebrated throughout the second part of June and continue until the middle of August. It happens all over the country, particularly in São Luís, Belém, and throughout Pernambuco and Rio states.

December - New Year's Eve on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. Many people go to the beach wearing white clothes, what should bring luck and peace for the next year. Some also wear yellow underwear, what should give money and richness for the coming year. There are many different rituals and traditions to celebrate new year's eve in Brazil, some referring to old religions like Candomblé and Umbanda. People that participate in these religions, lit candles on the beach, put food in small boats and let them go to seas - praying to the saint of Iemanjá. Millions of people go to the Copacabana beach in Rio to celebrate, one of the reason the beach has came so famos.

Brazilians are not really nationalistic, but when there is any international sport event, mainly soccer, they come together and celebrate. Especially every 4th year when the World Cup in soccer occurs, they decorate everything that's possible, with the green and yellow colored flag. Normally it turns to a big party, people dancing on the streets and many cracker exploding when someone makes a goal. It is also common that they get off work if the game occurs during day time.