Capoeira
For some time, Capoeira was criminalized and prohibited in Brazil. There are ample data from police records dating back to the 1800s demonstrating that capoeira was an "important reason" to detain slaves and "free coloured individuals". Brazilian president Deodoro da Fonseca signed an act that prohibited the practice of capoeira nationwide, with severe punishment for those caught. It was nevertheless practiced by the poorer population on public holidays, during work-free hours, and on other similar occasions. In spite of the ban, Mestre Bimba pioneered academic capoeira which became knowns as "Capoeira Regional." He was finally successful in convincing the authorities of the cultural value of capoeira, thus ending the official ban in the 1930s. He founded the first capoeira school in 1932, in Salvador-Bahia. He was then considered "the father of modern capoeira".
Having saved capoeira from illegality, Mestre Bimba began being challenged by other capoeira masters who possessed their own unique capoeira styles, such as capoeira angola. There were several prominent angola mestres at this time in Salvador and they held regular rodas together. There were twenty-two mestres in all. Together they founded a center for capoeira Angola. "Mestre Pastinha", took over the center and worked almost up to his death in 1981 to codify the more traditional Angola style of capoeira and he wrote endlessly on the sport. Because he preserved much of the traditional style of capoeira, in his practice, teachings, and writings, he too is important to modern capoeira. Some groups and individuals travelled for many countries showing the art of capoeira. And in the mid-1970s masters of the art form began to emigrate and teach capoeira in abroad. At this time capoeira in Brazil was still primarily practiced among the poorest and blackest of Brazilians. Today there are many capoeira schools all over the world, and it has attracted a broad spectrum of multicultural, multiracial students.
Music is integral to capoeira. It sets the tempo (timing) and style of game that is to be played within the roda. The music is composed of instruments and song. The tempos differ from very slow to very fast. Many of the songs are sung in a call and response format while others are in the form of a narrative. Capoeiristas sing about a wide variety of subjects. Capoeiristas change their playing style significantly as the songs or rhythm from the berimbau commands. In this manner, it is truly the music that drives capoeira.
The instruments are played in a row called the bateria. The rhythm of the bateria is set by the berimbaus (stringed percussion instruments that look like musical bows). Other instruments in the bateria are: pandeiros (tambourines), reco-reco (rasp), and agogo (double gong bell). The atabaque (conga-like drum), a common feature in most capoeira baterias, is considered an optional instrument, and is not required for a full bateria in some groups.
While the variety in styles lead to a variety of ranking systems, there is a standard trend that most systems of capoeira follow. In order of ascension, those ranks are aluno (student), graduado (graduated), formado (formed), professor (teacher), and mestre (master). Usually at their first batizado (baptism), a capoeirista will be given the rank of aluno. In some styles, this may also come with a cordão (rope) and / or apelido (nickname).
Capoeira does not focus on injuring the opponent. Rather, it emphasizes skill. Capoeiristas often prefer to show the movement without completing it though it could be finished to cause harm to the receiver, enforcing their superiority in the roda. If an opponent cannot dodge a slow attack, there is no reason to use a faster one. Each attack that comes in gives players a chance to practice an evasive technique. The ginga (literally: rocking back and forth; to swing) is the fundamental movement in capoeira. Capoeira Angola and Capoeira Regional have distinctive forms of ginga. Both are accomplished by maintaining both feet approximately shoulder-width apart and then moving one foot backwards and then back to the base, describing a triangular step on the ground. This movement is done to prepare the body for other movements. The rest of the body is also involved in the ginga: coordination of the arms (in such a way as to prevent the body from being kicked), torso (many core muscles may be engaged depending on the player's style), and the leaning of the body (forward and back in relation to the position of the feet; the body leans back to avoid kicks, and forward to create opportunities to show attacks). The overall movement should match the rhythm being played by the bateria.Capoeira also uses acrobatic and athletic movements to maneuver around the opponent.Fakes and feints are also an extremely important element in capoeira games. The setting of traps or illusory movements are very common. Capoeira defenses consists of evasive moves and rolls. There are also styles of moves that combine both elements of attack and defense.
The Chamada is a ritual that takes place within the game of Capoeira Angola. Chamada means 'call', and consists of one player 'calling' their opponent to participate in the ritual. There is an understood dialogue of gestures of the body that are used to call the opponent, and to signal the end of the ritual. The ritual consists of one player signaling, or calling the opponent, who then approaches the player and meets the player to walk side by side within the roda. The player who initiated the ritual then decides when to signal an end to the ritual, whereby the two players return to normal play. The critical points of the chamada occur during the approach, and the chamada is considered a 'life lesson', communicating the fact that the approach is a dangerous situation. Approaching people, animals, or life situations is always a critical moment when one must be aware of the danger of the situation. The purpose of the chamada is to communicate this lesson, and to enhance the awareness of people participating in the ritual. During the ritual, after the opposing player has appropriately approached the caller of the chamada, the players walk side by side inside the circle in which the game is played. This is another critical situation, because both players are now very vulnerable due to the close proximity and potential for surprise attack. Experienced practitioners and masters of the art will sometimes test a student's awareness by suggesting strikes, head-butts, or trips during a chamada to demonstrate when the student left themselves open to attack. The end of a chamada is called by the player that initiated the ritual, and consists of a gesture inviting the player to return to normal play. This is another critical moment when both players are vulnerable to surprise attack. The chamada can result in a highly developed sense of awareness and helps practitioners learn the subtleties of anticipating another person's intentions. The chamada can be very simple, consisting solely of the basic elements, or the ritual can be quite elaborate including a competitive dialogue of trickery, or even theatric embellishments.
The volta ao mundo (around the world) takes place after an exchange of movements has reached a conclusion, or after there has been a disruption in the harmony of the game. In either of these situations, one player will begin walking around the perimeter of the circle, and the other player will join the "around the world" before returning to the normal game.
Malandragem is a word that comes from malandro, which means a person who possesses cunning as well as malice. The word comes from the historical folklore of Brasil, in which men who were marginalized from main stream society and possessed street smarts were called malandros. Malandragem is an attitude derived from the mindset of the malandro and is a unique and distinguishing characteristic of the art of capoeira.
Capoeira angola is considered to be the more ancient form of capoeira and is often characterized by deeply held traditions, slower movements and with the players playing their games in closer proximity to each other than in regional or contemporanea. Capoeira angola is often characterized as being slower and lower to the ground than other major forms of Capoeira, although in actual practice, the speed varies in accordance with the music. It is played much as it Capoeira originally was played on the street before being moved indoors and systematized into the more modernized version of Capoiera regional. Capoeira Angola is also known for the chamada, a physical call-and-response used to challenge an opponent or to change the style in the roda.
The father of the best known modern Capoeira angola schools is considered to be Grão-Mestre Pastinha who lived in Salvador, Bahia. He was not the only Capoeira angola mestre, but is considered to be the "Father of Capoeira angola", bringing this style of Capoeira into the modern setting of an academy. He also wrote the first book about Capoeira, now out of print.
Regional
Later, modern regional came to be Capoeira Contemporanea. Developed by other people from Bimba's regional, this type of game is characterized by high jumps, acrobatics, and spinning kicks.
Regional ranks capoeiristas by ability, denoting different skill with the use of a corda (colored rope, also known as cordel or cordão) worn as a belt. Angola does not use such a formal system of ranking, relying instead upon the discretion of a student's mestre. In both forms, though, recognition of advanced skill comes only after many years of constant practice.
Contemporânea
In recent years, the various philosophies of modern capoeira have been expressed by the formation of schools, which focus on and continue to develop their specific form of the modern art. Each game, Regional and Angola stresses different strengths and abilities. Regional emphasizes speed and quick reflexes, whereas Angola underscores a great deal of thought given to each move, almost like a game of chess. Schools that teach a blend of these try to offer this mix as a way of using the strengths of both games to influence a player.
Capoeira regional groups periodically hold Batizados ("baptisms" into the art of capoeira). Members being "baptized" are normally given a corda (cord belt) and an apelido (capoeira nickname) if they haven't already earned one. Batizados are major events to which a number of groups and masters from near and far are normally invited. Sometimes a Batizado is also held in conjunction with a Troca de Corda (change of belts), in which students already baptized who have trained hard and been deemed worthy by their teachers are awarded higher-ranking belts as an acknowledgment of their efforts. Such ceremonies provide opportunities to see a variety of different capoeira styles, watch mestres play, and see some of the best of the game. Batizados and Trocas de Cordoes do not occur in capoeira Angola, which does not have a system of belts. However, some contemporary schools of capoeira have combined the study of both arts and may require their students to be learned in the ways of capoeira Angola before being awarded a higher belt.
Performed by many capoeira groups, samba de roda is a traditional Afro-Brazilian dance and musical form that has been associated with capoeira for many years. The orchestra is composed by pandeiro (tambourine), atabaque (drum), berimbau-viola (berimbau with the smallest cabaça and the highest pitch), chocalho (rattle – a percussion instrument), accompanied by singing and clapping. Samba de roda is considered the primitive form of modern Samba.
Maculelê is a dance that tells the story of the enslaved Africans who worked the sugarcane plantations in Brazil. The sugar cane was cut with machetes, and in the Maculele dance, dancers click machete blades rhythmically within the dance. Sometimes sticks are used instead of machete blades, however it is understood the sticks symbolize the machetes used to cut the sugarcane in the time of slavery. Maculele and capoeira share the same history and tell the story of the people who invented these art froms, therefore they are usually taught and performed together.
If you are planning to stay in Brazil to study it, we can provide you accommodation in a nice environment with friendly people and we can take you to genuine schools (no matter your level of capoeira knowledge, age or gender). Or if you need a Capoeira teacher to perform and teach abroad, please contact us by e-mail: sindri_o@hotmail.co.uk is a term for groups that train multiple styles of capoeira simultaneously. Very often students of Capoeira Contemporânea train elements of Regional and Angola as well as newer movements that would not fall under either of those styles. The label Contemporânea also applies to many groups who do not trace their lineage through Mestres Bimba or Pastinha and do not strongly associate with either tradition. is the more common form of Capoeira, it is practiced much more widely in Brazil then any other style of Capoeira and it's often what Brazilians refer to when they speak of Capoeira. Capoeira Regional was developed by Mestre Bimba to make capoeira more effective and bring it closer to its fighting origins, and less associated with the criminal elements of Brazil. The Capoeira Regional style is often considered to consist of faster and more athletic play than the lesser-known Capoeira angola. is an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, music and dance. It was created in Brazil by African slaves by mixing the many fighting styles from many of their tribes, some time after the sixteenth century.It was developed in the Brazilian Northeast region and has had great influence on Afro-Brazilian generations. Participants form a roda (circle) and take turns either playing musical instruments, singing, or ritually sparring in pairs in the centre of the circle. The sparring is marked by fluid acrobatic play, feints, takedowns and with extensive use of leg sweeps, kicks and headbutts. Less frequently used techniques include elbow strikes, slaps, punches and body throws. Capoeira is a direct descendant of African fighting styles, and was incorporated with Brazilian dance form distilled from African slaves in Brazil which is in essence from various African and Brazilian influences. Some interpretations emphasize capoeira as a fighting style designed for rebellion, but disguised by a façade of dance. It is widely accepted that slaves in the New World would have sought both violent and jovial means of coping with their oppression.
giovedì 30 settembre 2010
Brazilian football (soccer)
Football (soccer) is the most prominent and successful sport in Brazil.The National Team has won the FIFA World Cup tournament a record five times, in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002 and it is the only team to succeed in qualifying for every World Cup competition ever held, and to be among the favorites to win the trophy every time the competition is scheduled. After Brazil won its third World Cup in 1970, they were awarded the Jules Rimet Trophy permanently. And Brazil will host the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Pele, one of the most recognized footballers in history, led Brazil to three of those championships and is the top scorer of all time in the sport, not to mention all of the contemporary talents in the national team nowadays.
Football is taken very seriously in Brazil with anything less than a win considered practically worthless and a complete waste of time and effort.During the World Cup workers pause from their duties to watch their team in action.Banks shut down three hours before matches to allow their workers prepare for the game. All kinds of activities stop all over the country and people religiously sit in front of TVs. The World Cup unite Brazilian people and make them proud of their country.
The sport was brought from England to Brazil by Charles Miller. On his return to Brazil, Charles brought some football equipment and a rule book with him. He then developed the new rules of the game amongst the playing community in São Paulo.
Brazilian football is known for its trickery, fast flowing, attacking style of play and considered a reflection of the country's multiracial society. Brazil's unique style is characterised by much creativity, swing, and is infused with various rhythms and choreographies. The combination of those elements is called ginga. The great foot ability could be traced to the physical coordination and rhythm associated with the capoeira and samba which are characterized by footsteps to dance or to play under the rhythm of African drums. It is believed that this unique style was developed in the low income areas largely populated by people of African descent.
Football quickly became a passion for Brazilians, who often refer to their country as "o país do futebol" ("the country of football"). Over 10,000 Brazilians play professionally all over the world.
Football has a major effect on Brazilian culture. It is the favorite pastime of youngsters playing football on the streets and indoor. And it is easy to realise that most of the nowadays famous Brazilian football players came from very poor neighbourhoods or "favelas" (slums). As there are no better alternatives of leisure in those areas, they play football. That is also a way most of them have to escape from poverty, drugs and urban violence. And those are the places yet to be discovered by teams and managers to select new talents from.
In short, Brazil is a country full of talented football players who are waiting for a chance to show what they know best: play nice football! We can guide you into those areas whether if you are interested in watching a football game in loco as a tourist or if you are interesting in contracting new talents, and if that is the case we can organise games with a pre selection of good ones so you can choose the best of them and we can also help with documents for travelling (and when necessary parents' authorisation). We have several talented young guys to show you their art. For more information about this subject, please contact us by e-mail: sindri_o@hotmail.co.uk
Pele, one of the most recognized footballers in history, led Brazil to three of those championships and is the top scorer of all time in the sport, not to mention all of the contemporary talents in the national team nowadays.
Football is taken very seriously in Brazil with anything less than a win considered practically worthless and a complete waste of time and effort.During the World Cup workers pause from their duties to watch their team in action.Banks shut down three hours before matches to allow their workers prepare for the game. All kinds of activities stop all over the country and people religiously sit in front of TVs. The World Cup unite Brazilian people and make them proud of their country.
The sport was brought from England to Brazil by Charles Miller. On his return to Brazil, Charles brought some football equipment and a rule book with him. He then developed the new rules of the game amongst the playing community in São Paulo.
Brazilian football is known for its trickery, fast flowing, attacking style of play and considered a reflection of the country's multiracial society. Brazil's unique style is characterised by much creativity, swing, and is infused with various rhythms and choreographies. The combination of those elements is called ginga. The great foot ability could be traced to the physical coordination and rhythm associated with the capoeira and samba which are characterized by footsteps to dance or to play under the rhythm of African drums. It is believed that this unique style was developed in the low income areas largely populated by people of African descent.
Football quickly became a passion for Brazilians, who often refer to their country as "o país do futebol" ("the country of football"). Over 10,000 Brazilians play professionally all over the world.
Football has a major effect on Brazilian culture. It is the favorite pastime of youngsters playing football on the streets and indoor. And it is easy to realise that most of the nowadays famous Brazilian football players came from very poor neighbourhoods or "favelas" (slums). As there are no better alternatives of leisure in those areas, they play football. That is also a way most of them have to escape from poverty, drugs and urban violence. And those are the places yet to be discovered by teams and managers to select new talents from.
In short, Brazil is a country full of talented football players who are waiting for a chance to show what they know best: play nice football! We can guide you into those areas whether if you are interested in watching a football game in loco as a tourist or if you are interesting in contracting new talents, and if that is the case we can organise games with a pre selection of good ones so you can choose the best of them and we can also help with documents for travelling (and when necessary parents' authorisation). We have several talented young guys to show you their art. For more information about this subject, please contact us by e-mail: sindri_o@hotmail.co.uk
Brazilian funk
Brazilian Funk music, favela funk and, elsewhere in the world, baile funk, is a type of dance music from Brazil.
"Baile funk", in Brazil, refers not to the music itself, but to the parties in which the music is played. Although originated in Rio, funk has become increasingly popular amongst (mainly) low classes in other parts of Brazil.
Funk is a direct derivative of Miami bass and freestyle (another Miami-based genre) music from the United States. It popularized in the 80s in Rio de Janeiro ghettos called favelas (slums in English). From mid-90s it was a mainstream phenomenon in Brazil. Funk songs discuss topics as varying as poverty, human dignity, black racial pride, sex (breaking its moral values), violence and social injustice.
The rhythms of funk now use tamborzão rhythms in addition to the older drum machine loops from the 80s very beginning. Tamborzão beats use samples of Brazilian hand drums, particularly the atabaque, in arrangements that are close to the same as those used in capoeira. Melodies are usually sampled. Older songs typically chopped up freestyle samples for the melody, or had none at all. Modern funk uses a set of samples from various sources, notably horn and accordion stabs. Funk music has always used a small catalog of rhythms and samples which almost all songs are taken from (commonly with several in the same song). Funk songs can either be instrumental or include rapping, singing, or something in between the two.
Until the year 2000, Funk Carioca was only a regional phenomenon. Then the European media began to report its peculiar combination of music, social issues with a strong sexual appeal. The popularity of funk was spread then due to the strong sexual appeal of the music and dance, much more than the musical interest itself but it also helped people realise the role, culture, and character of funk in Brazilian favelas. The social issues and the daily life in favelas interested a lot of foreigners.
In Brazil, Funk lyrics are often criticized due to their violent and sexually explicit content, as well as the degradation of women as objects for sex. Girls are called "cachorras" (bitches) and "popozudas" (large asses), and many songs revolve around casual and degrading sex practices with them. "Novinhas" (young/underaged girls) as sexual objects are also a frequent theme in funk songs. Some of these songs, however, are ironically sang by women. The extreme banalization of sex and the incitement of promiscuity is viewed as a negative aspect of the funk culture. Besides the moral considerations, in favelas, where sanitary conditions are poor and sex education low, this might lead to public health and social issues. The glamourisation of criminality in the favelas is also frequently viewed as another negative consequence of funk lyrics. Some funk songs, belonging to a style known as "proibidão" (forbidden), have very violent lyrics and are sometimes composed by drug dealing gangs. Its themes include praising the murders of rival gang members and cops, intimidation of opposers, claiming power over the favelas, robbery, drug use and the illicit life of drug dealers in general. Authorities view some of these lyrics as "recruiting" people to organized crime and inciting violence. More popular funk artists usually compose two different sets of similar lyrics for their songs: one gentler, more "appropriate" version, and another with a harsher, cruder set of lyrics. The first version is the one broadcast by local radio stations; the second is played in dance halls, parties, and in public by sound cars. Recurrent lyric topics in Funk Carioca are explicit sexual positions, the funk party, the police force, and the life of slum dwellers in the favelas. Another large part of the lyrics is the use of the world around them - mainly the poverty that has enveloped the area. This is usually denounced in the lyrics and the hope for a better life is carried through many of their messages. Defenders of funk argue that the genre is an authentic expression of low-income communities and the sexual lyrics reflect sexual freedom in Brazilian society.
In Pernambuco there are many funk MCs writing and composing songs. Most of them are known locally and their music play quite a lot in radios and parties. But they are not known internationally yet. "Bailes funk" take place very often in different locations around town. And most of these producers/singers are eager to have an opportunity to show their talent abroad. So if you want to contract any of them to performe just let us know and we can arrange it for a very fair price. For further information, please contact us by e-mail: sindri_o@hotmail.co.uk, favela funk and, elsewhere in the world, baile funk, is a type of dance music from Brazil.
"Baile funk", in Brazil, refers not to the music itself, but to the parties in which the music is played. Although originated in Rio, funk has become increasingly popular amongst (mainly) low classes in other parts of Brazil.
Funk is a direct derivative of Miami bass and freestyle (another Miami-based genre) music from the United States. It popularized in the 80s in Rio de Janeiro ghettos called favelas (slums in English). From mid-90s it was a mainstream phenomenon in Brazil. Funk songs discuss topics as varying as poverty, human dignity, black racial pride, sex (breaking its moral values), violence and social injustice.
The rhythms of funk now use tamborzão rhythms in addition to the older drum machine loops from the 80s very beginning. Tamborzão beats use samples of Brazilian hand drums, particularly the atabaque, in arrangements that are close to the same as those used in capoeira. Melodies are usually sampled. Older songs typically chopped up freestyle samples for the melody, or had none at all. Modern funk uses a set of samples from various sources, notably horn and accordion stabs. Funk music has always used a small catalog of rhythms and samples which almost all songs are taken from (commonly with several in the same song). Funk songs can either be instrumental or include rapping, singing, or something in between the two.
Until the year 2000, Funk Carioca was only a regional phenomenon. Then the European media began to report its peculiar combination of music, social issues with a strong sexual appeal. The popularity of funk was spread then due to the strong sexual appeal of the music and dance, much more than the musical interest itself but it also helped people realise the role, culture, and character of funk in Brazilian favelas. The social issues and the daily life in favelas interested a lot of foreigners.
In Brazil, Funk lyrics are often criticized due to their violent and sexually explicit content, as well as the degradation of women as objects for sex. Girls are called "cachorras" (bitches) and "popozudas" (large asses), and many songs revolve around casual and degrading sex practices with them. "Novinhas" (young/underaged girls) as sexual objects are also a frequent theme in funk songs. Some of these songs, however, are ironically sang by women. The extreme banalization of sex and the incitement of promiscuity is viewed as a negative aspect of the funk culture. Besides the moral considerations, in favelas, where sanitary conditions are poor and sex education low, this might lead to public health and social issues. The glamourisation of criminality in the favelas is also frequently viewed as another negative consequence of funk lyrics. Some funk songs, belonging to a style known as "proibidão" (forbidden), have very violent lyrics and are sometimes composed by drug dealing gangs. Its themes include praising the murders of rival gang members and cops, intimidation of opposers, claiming power over the favelas, robbery, drug use and the illicit life of drug dealers in general. Authorities view some of these lyrics as "recruiting" people to organized crime and inciting violence. More popular funk artists usually compose two different sets of similar lyrics for their songs: one gentler, more "appropriate" version, and another with a harsher, cruder set of lyrics. The first version is the one broadcast by local radio stations; the second is played in dance halls, parties, and in public by sound cars. Recurrent lyric topics in Funk Carioca are explicit sexual positions, the funk party, the police force, and the life of slum dwellers in the favelas. Another large part of the lyrics is the use of the world around them - mainly the poverty that has enveloped the area. This is usually denounced in the lyrics and the hope for a better life is carried through many of their messages. Defenders of funk argue that the genre is an authentic expression of low-income communities and the sexual lyrics reflect sexual freedom in Brazilian society.
In Pernambuco there are many funk MCs writing and composing songs. Most of them are known locally and their music play quite a lot in radios and parties. But they are not known internationally yet. "Bailes funk" take place very often in different locations around town. And most of these producers/singers are eager to have an opportunity to show their talent abroad. So if you want to contract any of them to performe just let us know and we can arrange it for a very fair price. For further information, please contact us by e-mail: sindri_o@hotmail.co.uk, favela funk and, elsewhere in the world, baile funk, is a type of dance music from Brazil.
lunedì 27 settembre 2010
Our services
If you are planning to visit Brazil on vacation contact us. We can offer you many kinds of different services so you can have a nice stay!
We are based in Recife, capital of Pernambuco state, in Brazilian Northeast region. It is a big and beautiful city. It has almost 4 million inhabitants in its Metropolitan area and it is located on the coast of Atlantic ocean. Recife is a mix of historical and modern town. It is surrounded by wonderful beaches. And it offers a vibrant nightlife that will surely fulfill all your expectations.
We can provide you 2 kinds of accommodation:
1) in a nice flat near the beach in a fancy neighborhood
2) in a typical house in a poor and popular neighborhood, so you can experience the real Brazil
In both of them you will surely feel at home! Safe, clean and nice environment with all facilities and information that may be necessary. And cheaper than any hotel. For those who intend to stay longer and plan to pay weekly or monthly we offer discounts.
We can take you sightseeing to the main touristical attractions in Recife and its surrounding areas, like the historical city of Olinda, the island of Itamaraca, the beaches of Porto de Galinhas and Maria Farinha, the city tour on boat across the rivers and bridges of Recife, the nightlife city tour according to your preferences, the favela tour (so you can check the Brazil that is hardly ever shown on touristical leaflets), the Candomble tour and so on…
If you are interested in staying for a longer period to study Portuguese, Brazilian Afro religions/musical rhythms or dances, learn how to play any Brazilian musical instrument or capoeira we can offer you the best private teachers, schools, and for an economic price.
We can pick you up in the airport or in the bus station if necessary. Just let us know!
For any further information, contact us by e-mail: sindri_o@hotmail.co.uk
Favela tour (Brazilian slums)
A favela (Brazilian Portuguese for slum) is the generally used term for a shanty town in Brazil. In the late 18th century, the first settlements were called bairros africanos (African neighborhoods), and they were the place where former slaves with no land ownership and no options for work lived. Over the years, many freed black slaves moved in. However, before the first settlement called "favela" came into being, poor blacks were pushed away from downtown into the far suburbs. Most modern favelas appeared in the 1970s, due to rural exodus, when many people left rural areas of Brazil and moved to cities. Without finding a place to live, many people ended up in a favela.
Shanty towns are units of irregular self-constructed housing that are typically unlicensed and occupied illegally. They are usually on lands belonging to third parties, and are most often located on the urban periphery. Shanty town residences are built randomly, although ad hoc networks of stairways, sidewalks, and simple tracks allow passage through them. Some favelas are inaccessible by vehicle, due to their narrow and irregular streets and walkways and often steep inclines. These areas of irregular and poor-quality housing are often crowded onto hillsides, and as a result, these areas suffer from frequent landslides during heavy rain. In recent decades, favelas have been troubled by drug related crime and gang warfare. There are often common social codes in some favelas which, for instance, forbid residents from engaging in criminal activity inside their own favela.
Some of the older favelas in Brazil were originally started as quilombos (independent settlements of fugitive African slaves) among the hilly terrain of the area surrounding the cities, which later grew as slaves were liberated in 1888 with no places to live. The favelas were formed prior to the dense occupation of cities and the domination of real estate interests. Favelas are built around the edge of the main city so in a way they are actually expanding the city.
The people who live in favelas are known as Moradores da favela, or pejoratively as favelados. Favelas are associated with extreme poverty. Brazil's favelas can be seen as the result of the unequal distribution of wealth in the country. Brazil is one of the most economically unequal countries in the world with the top 10 percent of its population earning 50 percent of the national income and about 34 percent of all people living below the poverty line.
The drugs trade has impacted Brazil and in turn its favelas, which tend to be ruled by drug lords. In some favelas, regular shoot-outs between traffickers and police and other criminals, as well as assorted illegal activities, lead to high murder rates. In these favelas controlled by drug dealers, traffickers ensure that individual residents can guarantee their own safety through their actions and political connections to them. They do this by maintaining order in the favela and giving and receiving reciprocity and respect, thus creating an environment in which critical segments of the local population feel safe despite continuing high levels of violence. Drug use is highly concentrated in these areas run by local gangs in each highly populated favela. Drug sales and use run rampant at night when many Favelas host their own baile, or dance party, where many different social classes can be found. These drug sales make up a business that in some of the drug dealers occupied areas rakes much money.
The best-known favelas are those in and around bigger Brazilian cities, up the hills that face the cities prosperous side neighbourhoods and tourist spots, that made them readily visible. They provide a dramatic illustration of the gap between poverty and wealth, juxtaposed with the luxurious apartment buildings and mansions of social elite. Several hills in Brazil are densely populated by favelas.
Brazil has launched some projects allowing tourists to visit some slums, after the shantytowns have been cleared of drug dealers and other criminal elements. The new venture will afford curious visitors a chance to see the interior of a favela, which sometimes are lawless shantytowns rampant with drug-trafficking and violent crime. But slum dwellers are impoverished but are just like common people everywhere. Most of them are really friendly and funny. Favelas are neighborhoods, communities, like everywhere else. And there is usually a very rich cultural life and activities in those areas. Even if they have a bad reputation as being violent places, this tours show tourists they are also nice and interesting places to be visited. These favela-tourism ventures take place throughout the country, at locations patrolled by special police squads that ensure they remain safe and free of criminal activity. Visitors can take walks around the favelas streets and stairs, meet and talk to local residents to get to know how their daily lives are, visit their houses, take beautiful pictures of the city, eat typical food and drink a cold beer with them, visit the cultural centres located in the favelas, the religious temples and even go to a party there.
For more information about the favela tour in Recife, please contact us by e-mail: sindri_o@hotmail.co.uk
Candomble
Candomblé is an African-originated or Afro-Brazilian religion, practiced in Brazil by the "povo de santo" (people of saint). It originated in the cities of Salvador, the capital of Bahia state and Cachoeira, at the time one of the main commercial crossroads for the distribution of products and slave trade to other parts of Bahia state in Brazil.
The religion is based in the anima (soul) of Nature, and is also known as Animism. It was developed in Brazil with the knowledge of African Priests that were enslaved and brought to Brazil, together with their mythology, their culture and language, between 1549 and 1888.
The rituals involve the possession of the initiated by Orishas, offerings and sacrifices of the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdom, healing, dancing/trance and percussion. Candomblé draws inspiration from a variety of people of the African Diaspora, but it mainly features aspects of Yoruba orisha veneration.
In the Yoruba language, God, the Supreme Being, has various names such as Olodumare and Olorun. God is worshipped along with the veneration of the orishas. The Orishas are said to "mount", or possess the participant during rituals. The religion that came to Brazil is derived of certain practices in the Yorubaland in West Africa. Today, this is in the area of the countries of Nigeria, Benin and Togo.
This was not a single group, but several, united by a common language and culture. Their indigenous spiritual practices were mostly brought over during the Atlantic slave trade by those dedicated to the veneration of the orishas.
The Yoruba slaves were referred by various names in the Americas such as Anago, O Lukumi and Nago. In many parts of the Latin America, Orishas are now conflated with Catholic saints. This religion, like many African religions, is an oral tradition and therefore has not been put into text throughout the years. Only recently have scholars and people of this religion begun to write down their practices. The name Batuque is also used, especially before the 19th century when Candomblé became more common. Both words are believed to derive from a Bantu-family language.
Although originally confined to the slave population, banned by the Catholic church, and even criminalized by some governments, Candomblé thrived for over four centuries, and expanded considerably after the end of slavery in the late 1800s.
The idea that the Candomblé church is a unit is incorrect, however. The original Candomble temple, terreiro, was established in Bahia state in early 19th century. It developed from three freed African women, Iya Deta, Iya Kala, and Iya Nasso, and many call it a true matrilineal society. They first established the Candomble headquarters in Bahia called Engenho Velho. However, this was not meant to last, and after dispute after dispute candombles split from one another; therefore, this established hundreds of different candombles. These different candombles mixed ideas and practices with local Afro-Brazilians and created distinct attributes for certain candombles. The different candomblés, today, are known as nações, or nations, including Candomblé de Ketu, Candomblé de Angola, Candomblé de Jeje, Candomblé de Congo, Candomblé de Ijexa, and Candomblé de Caboclo. It is now a major, established religion, with followers from all social classes and thousands of temples. However, in Brazilian culture, religions are not seen as mutually exclusive, and thus many people of other faiths participate in Candomblé rituals regularly or occasionally. Candomblé deities, rituals, and holidays are now an integral part of Brazilian folklore.
Candomblé may be called Macumba in some regions, but Macumba has a distinct set of practices more akin to European witchcraft. Candomblé can also be distinguished from Umbanda, a religion founded in the early 20th century by combining African elements with Kardecism; and from similar African-derived religions such as Quimbanda, Haitian voodoo, Cuban Santeria, and Obeah, which developed independently of Candomblé and are virtually unknown in Brazil.
Brazilian slaves came from a number of African ethnic groups, including Igbo, Yoruba, Ewe, Fon and Bantu. As the religion developed semi-independently in different regions of the country, among different ethnic groups, it evolved into several "sects" or nations (nações), distinguished chiefly by the set of worshiped deities, as well as the music and language used in the rituals. The division into nations was also influenced by the religious and beneficent brotherhoods (irmandades) of Brazilian slaves organized by the Catholic Church in the 18th and 19th centuries. These fraternities, organized along ethnic lines to allow preaching in the slaves' native languages, provided a legitimate cover for slave reunions, and ultimately may have aided the establishment of Candomblé.
The religion is based in the anima (soul) of Nature, and is also known as Animism. It was developed in Brazil with the knowledge of African Priests that were enslaved and brought to Brazil, together with their mythology, their culture and language, between 1549 and 1888.
The rituals involve the possession of the initiated by Orishas, offerings and sacrifices of the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdom, healing, dancing/trance and percussion. Candomblé draws inspiration from a variety of people of the African Diaspora, but it mainly features aspects of Yoruba orisha veneration.
In the Yoruba language, God, the Supreme Being, has various names such as Olodumare and Olorun. God is worshipped along with the veneration of the orishas. The Orishas are said to "mount", or possess the participant during rituals. The religion that came to Brazil is derived of certain practices in the Yorubaland in West Africa. Today, this is in the area of the countries of Nigeria, Benin and Togo.
This was not a single group, but several, united by a common language and culture. Their indigenous spiritual practices were mostly brought over during the Atlantic slave trade by those dedicated to the veneration of the orishas.
The Yoruba slaves were referred by various names in the Americas such as Anago, O Lukumi and Nago. In many parts of the Latin America, Orishas are now conflated with Catholic saints. This religion, like many African religions, is an oral tradition and therefore has not been put into text throughout the years. Only recently have scholars and people of this religion begun to write down their practices. The name Batuque is also used, especially before the 19th century when Candomblé became more common. Both words are believed to derive from a Bantu-family language.
Although originally confined to the slave population, banned by the Catholic church, and even criminalized by some governments, Candomblé thrived for over four centuries, and expanded considerably after the end of slavery in the late 1800s.
The idea that the Candomblé church is a unit is incorrect, however. The original Candomble temple, terreiro, was established in Bahia state in early 19th century. It developed from three freed African women, Iya Deta, Iya Kala, and Iya Nasso, and many call it a true matrilineal society. They first established the Candomble headquarters in Bahia called Engenho Velho. However, this was not meant to last, and after dispute after dispute candombles split from one another; therefore, this established hundreds of different candombles. These different candombles mixed ideas and practices with local Afro-Brazilians and created distinct attributes for certain candombles. The different candomblés, today, are known as nações, or nations, including Candomblé de Ketu, Candomblé de Angola, Candomblé de Jeje, Candomblé de Congo, Candomblé de Ijexa, and Candomblé de Caboclo. It is now a major, established religion, with followers from all social classes and thousands of temples. However, in Brazilian culture, religions are not seen as mutually exclusive, and thus many people of other faiths participate in Candomblé rituals regularly or occasionally. Candomblé deities, rituals, and holidays are now an integral part of Brazilian folklore.
Candomblé may be called Macumba in some regions, but Macumba has a distinct set of practices more akin to European witchcraft. Candomblé can also be distinguished from Umbanda, a religion founded in the early 20th century by combining African elements with Kardecism; and from similar African-derived religions such as Quimbanda, Haitian voodoo, Cuban Santeria, and Obeah, which developed independently of Candomblé and are virtually unknown in Brazil.
Brazilian slaves came from a number of African ethnic groups, including Igbo, Yoruba, Ewe, Fon and Bantu. As the religion developed semi-independently in different regions of the country, among different ethnic groups, it evolved into several "sects" or nations (nações), distinguished chiefly by the set of worshiped deities, as well as the music and language used in the rituals. The division into nations was also influenced by the religious and beneficent brotherhoods (irmandades) of Brazilian slaves organized by the Catholic Church in the 18th and 19th centuries. These fraternities, organized along ethnic lines to allow preaching in the slaves' native languages, provided a legitimate cover for slave reunions, and ultimately may have aided the establishment of Candomblé.
The spiritual rituals that originated in Africa flourished as Candomblé in Brazil, accompanied by highly percussive music that has shaped the samba and bossa nova today. Candomblé, a complex religion full of passion and music, came to South America with the African slaves. The style of drumming, instrumentation, and compositions unique to Candomblé helped define the more modern forms of Brazilian music.
The spiritual rituals that originated in Africa flourished as Candomblé in Brazil, accompanied by highly percussive music that has shaped the samba and bossa nova today. Candomblé, a complex religion full of passion and music, came to South America with the African slaves. The style of drumming, instrumentation, and compositions unique to Candomblé helped define the more modern forms of Brazilian music.
It is a religion that celebrates multiple deity-like saints known as Orishas that act as intermediaries to one god. Ceremonies are crucial in Candomblé, and feature percussive music, sacrifices, trances, and dancing. During most rituals, the priests summon the Orixás, and are often said to be possessed by the deities. For any further information about Candomble or any other Brazilian Afro religion please contact us by e-mail: sindri_o@hotmail.co.uk
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domenica 26 settembre 2010
Brazilian maracatu
Maracatu is a term common to two distinct performance genres found in Pernambuco: maracatu de nação and maracatu rural.
Maracatu de nação (also known as maracatu de baque virado: "maracatu of the turned-around beat") is an Afro-Brazilian performance genre. The term, often shortened simply to nação ("nation"), refers not only to the performance, but to the performing groups themselves.
Maracatu de nação’s origins lies in the investiture ceremonies of the Reis do Congo (Kings of Congo), who were slaves that occupied leadership roles within the slave community. When slavery was abolished in Brazil in 1888, the institution of the Kings of Congo ceased to exist. Nonetheless, nações continued to choose symbolic leaders and evoke coronation ceremonies for those leaders. Although a maracatu performance is secular, traditional nações are grouped around Candomblé (Afro-Brazilian religion) terreiros (bases) and the principles of Candomblé infuse their activities.
Traditional nações perform by parading with a drumming group of 80-100, a singer and chorus, and a coterie of dancers and stock characters, including the king and queen. Dancers and stock characters dress and behave to imitate the Portuguese royal court of the Baroque period.
The performance also enacts pre-colonial African traditions, like parading the calunga, a doll representing tribal deities that is kept throughout the year in a special place in the Nação's headquarters. The calungas, usually female, are traditionally made of either wax and wood or of cloth. They may have clothing made for them in a similar Baroque style to the costumes worn by the other members of the royal court. The calunga is sacred and carrying this spiritual figurehead of the group is a great responsibility for the female Dama de Paço (Lady-in-Waiting) of the cortège.
The musical ensemble consists of alfaia (a large wooden rope-tuned drum), gonguê (a metal cowbell), tarol (a shallow snare drum), caixa-de-guerra (another type of snare drum), agbê (a gourd shaker enveloped in beads), and mineiro (a metal cylindrical shaker filled with metal shot or small dried seeds). Song form is call and response between a solo singer and (usually) a female chorus.
Maracatu rural is also known as maracatu de baque solto, maracatu de orquestra, and maracatu de trombone. It is rooted in the Pernambucan interior and evolved in the early 20th century as a fusion of pre-existing forms of Carnival revelry. It is considered to be Afro-indigenous in origin. Its members, typically sugarcane workers, are involved with the native-influence Catimbo religion. Maracatu rural has a high participation rate with dozens of groups in operation.
If you want to have more information about maracatu or if you want to study it and learn how to play any instrument during your stay in Brazil we can help you. Please contact us by e-mail: sindri_o@hotmail.co.uk
Information about Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Recife, capital of the state of Pernambuco, is the 4th largest Metropolitan area in Brazil, with almost 4 million inhabitants, and it is the largest metropolitan area of Brazilian North/Northeast Regions. It is a major port on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Recife means "reef" in Portuguese, in allusion to the coral reefs that are present by the city's shores. The many rivers, small islands and over 50 bridges found in Recife characterize its geography and gives it the moniker of the "Brazilian Venice."
Like most cities in Brazilian Northeast region, Recife is developing its tourist sector. There are beautiful beaches in the city and some kilometers outside of it, and we could name some of them as hot spots: Boa Viagem, Maria Farinha, those located in Itamaraca island and probably the most famous one, Porto de Galinhas, 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of the city, which has been repeatedly awarded the title of the best and the most beautiful Brazilian beach.
Recife's infrastructure is among the most developed in Brazil for travellers. But due to the social gap between rich and poor, it is also one of the most violent cities of the country. There are many slums all over the city, and poverty shows its face with a lot of beggars and homeless people, most of them seen downtown. As job is not easy to get, there are many children, teenagers and adults who sell products in the traffic lights. And male and female prostitution is also common.
Due to the city's proximity to the equator, the weather is generally warm. Recife has a number of islands, rivers, waterways and bridges that cross the city. Recife is located amidst tropical forests which are distinguished by high rainfall levels. There is an absence of extreme temperatures and there is a constant cool breeze due to the winds from the Atlantic Ocean.
Recife has a year-round tropical climate, with warm to hot temperatures and high relative humidity throughout the year. January is the warmest month, with temperatures ranging from 30 °C (86 °F) to 25 °C (77 °F), with sun; July experiences the coolest temperatures, with mean temperatures ranging from 27 °C (81 °F) to 22 °C (72 °F), with daily rain.
Recife is connected with the city of Olinda, which has its historic town center considered a world heritage site by UNESCO. Recife is now a large city whereas Olinda is a small historical town. Recife is an historical city too, distinguished by the opulence of its colonial buildings.
The mix of Portuguese, native Indians and black slaves would be enough to make Recife one of the most culturally diverse cities in Brazil. But the Dutch were added to the mix, for they took control of part of Brazilian Northeast region for decades. During this period, Recife became one of the most cosmopolitan cities of the world. There was a first Jewish community, and the first synagogue in the Americas was founded in the city.
The celebrations, holidays and other events are numerous during the whole year. The Carnival of Recife and Olinda begins many weeks ahead in December with innumerable parties and parades. In the city, the Carnival festivities begin in December, as locals begin preparing for the official Carnival, which starts the week before Ash Wednesday. The pre-Carnival parties usually consist of percussion groups practicing in local clubs, city streets and squares, and even pre-Carnival parties take place. There is a variety of rhythms from different cultures. Carnival officially starts with the Galo da Madrugada, which as Guiness Book of Records says, is the biggest Carnival street party on Earth. It takes place on the streets downtown Recife attracting more than 2 million people from Brazil and foreigners too. But it is important to remember that during Carnival prices go higher, so those who intend to visit the city during that period must prepare extra money on the budget. One of the most typical rhythms from Pernambuco state is maracatu.
For more information about Recife and how we can help you during your stay in the city, please contact us by e-mail: sindri_o@hotmail.co.uk
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