Brazil is big. Really big. It is the fifth largest country in the world. It takes up almost 50% of South America and borders every single South American nation except Chile and Ecuador. Brazil has the longest coastline anywhere in the world, and the Amazon river runs through it. In every direction from the Amazon is rain forest which covors 57% of Brazil. This area is called Amazonia . Other land types include hilly mountains, swamps, and grasslands. Brazil is made up of 26 states and the Federal District of Brasilia (the government).

A Brief History and the Government

Brazil was discovered in 1500 by Pedro Álvares Cabral a Portuguese explorer. Of course there were many native tribes peacefully living out their lives, and the typical ‘pillage, rape, burn!’ took place. Apart from exploiting the natives and gathering PauBrazil wood from which they made a die, (hence the word Brazil), the Portuguese did little to their new territory. Finally the king, afraid someone would take Brazil away, founded Rio de Janeiro.

After much confusion and switching of power, Brazil became independant on September 7, 1822. More confusion and such followed, including a would be dictator, a civilian government, and the army seizing control. Then in 1985 a civilian government was again restored. Thus began "The New Republic" which is basically the same system used in the USA. All literate citizens between 18 and 69 must vote, those ages 16-17, 70+ , illiterate, and in jail may vote if they wish. Today, though the government is a republic, the threat of army intervention still exists.

The Indians

Almost all of the 220,000 Indians left in Brazil after being killed, exploited and made slaves of, live in the Amazon. Some, like the Xingu, are integrating themselves into the new civilization. A leader of the Xingu was even elected to congress in 1982. Some tribes however continue to fight for their own customs despite the new ideas and diseases being forced upon them by settlers and gold hunters. One of these tribes, the Yanomani, backed by great international support, won their claim to a reserve. It is three times the size of Belgium; the nation is helping.

Culture

Languages, Races and Religion

Brazil is the only Latin-American country to have Portuguese as the official language. However Brazilian Portuguese is strongly mixed with Tupi-Guarani (a native Indian language) to the extent that almost 1/6 of their words root in that language. A few of these words, like Jaguar, have even made it into English.

Brazil’s constitution prohibits racial discrimination, and Brazilians are proud of its absence. There are large numbers of both blacks and whites in Brazil, but both of these numbers are on the decline, due to interracial marriages.

Brazil is the worlds largest Catholic nation, where 9 out of 10 Brazilians are Roman Catholic. Though over the years many Indian and African traditions have found their way into the Christian practices. African religions are still practiced among the lower class Brazilians, and Indian religions are, of course, still strong in the remaining tribes.

The Rich, The Poor, and The Brazilian Outlooks

There is a large gap between Brazilian rich and poor, and almost no middle class. While the wealthy live in luxurious mansions, the poor live in cardboard and tin shacks in slums called favelas, in need of water, light and sanitation. After age 10 many favela children do not continue school. By age 13 most children from favelas are on the streets shinning shoes, selling gum, begging, or stealing.

However Brazilians always amaze outsiders with the way they look on the bright side of life. For example a family that lived in a shack under a highway over pass was once interviewed. The family made a living by rummaging through garbage cans for old newspapers and bottles to sell. When the interviewer asked the father how he was doing he replied that they were happy, and added "thanks be to God". The interviewer of course asked what he had to be happy for, and he replied that his family could play cards and sing and dance together in the evenings, and they had a radio to listen to soccer games with.

Brazilians also have a marked ‘we’ll find a way’ attitude. They believe laws and authorities to be flexible, and they usually are. Their word jeitso describes a person masterful at squirming out of difficult situations.

Family and Friends

Brazilians have strong family ties. Often three generations will live together, and children live at home at lest until they are married. Brazilians are also in touch with more distant relations, second and third cousins for example, will be at family gatherings. Brazilians have a custom that a relative, no matter haw distant, is always welcome to stay no matter how long. If the host even suggested they pay rent or help with food money, it would be extremely rude, and taken as a sign the host could not fulfill their duty. Friendship ties are also very strong. Two Brazilians will not become close friends until they have known each other for many years. Only then will the visit each others houses.

Men play a much more dominant role in Brazilian society. Despite this, men do not feel compelled to act tough or hide their emotions. Men are expected to court the woman, but they must uphold a strict code of chivalry to retain their honor. Woman play the passive role in society, their place is in the home, their job is to look attractive, get married, do the cooking, and raise the children. Brazilian children are treated very leniently, boys more so then girls. They are not disciplined strictly, and are rarely alone from infancy due to the large amount of relatives around. Everyone helps to bring up the children and babies, a stranger on the street will stop to help a mother with a crying infant.

Parties and Carnival

Brazilians love all sorts of parties, and also love to be around people. Their parties are always large, and are not restricted to people with invitations, guests often bring friends or relatives. Guests may bring gifts of flowers, but never food to a party. That would symbolize that they think the host is unprepared to serve. For any occasion Brazilians are always late. Anyone arriving before half an hour after the specified party time is likely to find no one else there, possibly not even the host.

The biggest party of the year is Carnival, a four day national holiday. During the main ceremony the mayor gives the keys of the city to King Momo, an ancient Greek god of mockery and jest. Carnival is a time for enjoying your self to the maximum and eating as much good food as you can, for Carnival also celebrates the last chance to feast before the beginning of Lent. During Carnival there are many dances and parades, and thousands flock the streets to dance and sing all day and night.

Arts, Entertainment, and Moonlit Nights on the Beach

Music and dancing play an essential role in Brazilian life. There is an incredibly variety of this, as it is a combination of European, African, and Indian styles. The bumba-meu-boi is an example of this, for though it is a combination of many cultures it is still uniquely Brazilian. The star of this dance is a man playing a bull. All the costumes are colorful and rich, with bright colors, ribbons, and sometimes even semiprecious stones. The plot is of a cowboy trying to sell a bull to a wealthy rancher. The bull attacks the crowd around it and is killed, but the cowboy resurrects it using folk medicine. Brazilian cowboys are not your average Westerners. Cowboys known as gauchos tend millions of cattle in the vast grasslands of the South. They wear flat black hats called bombachas and drink Mate an herbal tea.

Soccer is another driving force in Brazilian culture, they joke that on Sunday they go to two religious ceremonies: church, and a soccer match.

The beach is another important force. It is informally divided into areas, on one stretch of beach the artists and intellectuals will gather, the surfers to another, the teenagers to a third, etc. During the day the beach is crowded with people soaking up the sun and vendors selling everything from fruit and candy to hats and sunscreen. Sports games are played up and down the coast. In the evening much of the crowd disperses, the boardwalks become outdoor arts fairs with artisans selling many types of goods, and couples stroll the beach hand in hand.