Brazilian Culture

                                                  BRAZILIAN CULTURE

Brazilian culture is influenced by many different countries, especially Portugese, African and North American culture.  Portuguese traditions are the main influence on Brazilian culture, with the people picking up the Portuguese language, music, religions and many of their customs.

Brazil is best known for its extravagant celebrations and street parties.  Carnival is the biggest celebration of the year, and many travellers choose to visit Brazil in February and March during Carnival, to experience the parades , floats, street parties, extravagant costumes, music and dancing. Carnival is celebrated in every major city in Brazil. It is a 4-day festival that celebrates the beginning of Lent, a catholic season occurring about a month before Easter. It has been a tradition for centuries, since 1723! The pictures below show the amazing costumes and street parades during Carnival.

Given the country is deeply religious, many importat holidays in Brazil are based on traditions from the Catholic faith. Some of these are the Virgin of Nazareth Festival, the Our lady Aparecida holiday and the Christmas of light festival.  

Culture in Brazil, especially their love of music and dancing ( especially the samba) is influenced by Africa.

Capoeria is a traditional sport in Brazil. It is a blend of dancing and martial arts, and many tourists enjoy capoeira shows when they travel to Brazil. The picture below shows people performing Capoeria.

The Brazilian people love their football. Football in Brazil is the sport we call soccer in Australia. it is the most popular sport in Brazil and a big part of Brazil's identity, a little like AFL in Australia. Thousands of people go to the matches to cheer on their teams. 

Food in Brazil is very diverse, showing the range of influences on its culture. The national dish is considered to be Feijoada, which is a traditional black bean stew typically served with rice.  Traditional cheese ball dishes are also very popular. 

Traditional family life in Brazil centres more around the extended family than it does in many other countries around the world. Extended family members often live together or spend time visiting each other as family is considered very important in Brazil. They respect their elders very much in Brazil, and place importance on family bonds. This is something Australia could learn from Brazil.