Brazilian Eats

Let's talk about food!  It's always on my mind and Brazil has plenty of delicious kinds.  A country that is defined by cultural diffusion, Brazil maintains consistency in its reputation through its cuisine.  The food reflects the nation's heritage of Native American, Portuguese, African, Spanish, German, Japanese (and many more) roots.  The regions of Brazil have distinct food types and are divided between the North, South, Northeast, and Southeast.


The North:
     Food here reflects the traditions of the native people of this region.  Manoic (a root vegetable), peanuts, fish, tropical fruits, and red meat are prevalent in dishes made here.  Vatapá is a popular and spicy dish found in the North that is a mix of bread, shrimp, red pepper, ginger, peanuts, coconut milk, palm oil and onions.

Vatapá

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vatap%C3%A1.jpg)

The South:

     People in this region stem from central and southern Europe and the food is reminiscent of their ancestral land's.  Wine and leafy vegetables are staples in Southern Brazilian cuisine.  A popular dish is called arroz carreteiro, which is a mix of meat, rice, tomato, onions and spices.

Arroz Carreteiro

(http://www.belezafeminina.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/IMG_0038_1.jpg)

The Northeast:

     Dishes in the Northeast of Brazil reflect the influence of the native people's, African, and Portuguese food.  Moqueca, a favorite here, is a seafood stew that is comprised of fish, garlic and onions, olive oil, cilantro, tomato, and peppers.

Moqueca

(http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/moqueca_-_brazilian_fish_stew/)

The Southeast:

     Southeast Brazilian cuisine is well known due to the fact that the nation's largest metropolitan areas exist in this region.  The home of national dish, "Feijoada," the Southeast is definitive in grasping true Brazilian food.  Feijoada is a stew consisting of black turtle beans, cuts of pork and beef, and served over rice and collard greens.

Feijoada

(http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/feijoada_brazilian_black_bean_stew/)

Sources:

Celebrate Brazil - http://www.celebratebrazil.com/brazil-food.html

Food Spring - http://foodspring.com/content/brazil/

"To Remove Meat"...Carnelevare...Carnival!

   When one thinks of Brazil, it is hard to block out thoughts of partying due to the global fame of the Brazilian Carnival festival.  Images of extravagant dresses, feathered hats, and masses of people dancing through the streets rush into the mind at the simple utterance of the words.  However, few people (or Americans, at least) know the origin of the age old tradition.
     The history of the festival is rooted in the Greek's spring celebration of Dionysus, the god of wine.  The Romans took on the celebration as their own in honor of Saturnalia defining the festival by drunken merrymaking.  Eventually, after the Roman Catholic Church established its influence throughout Europe and the Western Hemisphere, the celebration evolved into a week long party leading up to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.  The idea is that you behave as badly as you possibly can, indulging every whim to cross your mind, before making sacrifices during the 40 days prior to Easter.
    In Brazil today, Carnival is a BIG deal!  During the festival, the consumption of beer accounts for 80% of the nation's annual consumption and 70% of Brazil's annual tourism occurs.  Last year in Rio de Janeiro, Carnival attracted 4.9 million people, just to give an idea of the proportions being discussed.
    Not only is the festival a staple of the Brazilian economy, but it is also a time of cultural diffusion that celebrates the nations mixed origins.  The parades are influenced greatly by local folklore and African-Brazilian culture and accompanied by many types of music including the samba-enredo, samba de bloco, samba de embalo, and the marchinha.  Enjoy the pictures below!

All pictures from: http://www.travelvivi.com/carnival-of-the-year-rio-carnival/

Sources:

Rio-Carnival: http://www.rio-carnival.net/rio_carnival/samba_parade_costume_order.php

History of Carnival: http://www.afropop.org/multi/feature/ID/33/

Sounds and Colors: http://www.soundsandcolours.com/articles/brazil/everything-is-possible-street-carnival-in-rio-de-janeiro/

The Brazilian Economy

     In the world of economics, few things are as exciting as Brazil's performance in the global economy as of late.  With the boom in emerging markets that started in 2003, money has gushed into Brazil from abroad, easing investment opportunites and welcoming impressive GDP growth.  The success has been rooted in the South American giant's well developed rural sectors: agriculture and mining, and the impressive urban sectors: manufacturing and the service industry (economywatch).  Recently, Brazil's economy has surpassed that of the UK's as the sixth largest in the world (BBC).
    After maintaining low inflation and a steady growth of GDP since 2003, Brazil finally felt the negative effects of the global financial crisis in 2009, during which it experienced a negative GDP growth rate.

However, confidence from foreign investors and a steady hold of the reigns by Brazilian financiers and government officials pushed the nation's economy back to its expansion status.  Only recently has growth slowed as the world waits to see how the economic instability of the eurozone pans out.
 


Sources:
Economy Watch: http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/brazil/
BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16332115
Trading Economics: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/brazil/gdp-growth

The Government of Brazil

     Brazil is a stable democratic nation that gained its independence from Portugal in 1822.  The country's modern constitution was written in 1988 and voting is mandatory for those Brazilian citizens who fall between the ages of 18 and 70 (although people of the ages 16, 17, and 70+ have the voluntary right to vote).
     Currently, the president is Dilma Rouseff who is the first woman to hold office in Brazil and the 36th chief of state and head of government.  Her term, accompanied by Vice President Michel Temer, will last four years before another election takes place.
     The greater structure of the Brazilian government is similar to that of the United States.  The executive branch includes the president, the vice president, and the cabinet.  The bicameral legislative branch is called the National Congress and includes a Federal Senate and Chamber of Deputies.  Finally, the judicial branch which is called the Supreme Federal Tribunal, consists of 11 ministers who are appointed for life by the president.
     However, Brazil's government is very different from that of the United States in that it is carried out by a multi-party system, contrasting the two party system that defines American politics today.  Parties cover ideologies from all across the board and range from the Communist Party of Brazil to the Humanist Party of Solidarity.
    President Dilma Rouseff belongs to the Workers' Party (Partido dos Trabalhadores [PT]) which is a center-left political party.  When elected in late 2010, she pledged to fight poverty in Brazil and to maintain the triumphing Brazilian economy.  Cast as the "mother figure" of Brazil, Rouseff is quoted saying "We cannot rest while there are Brazilians who are hungry, while there are families living on the street, while poor children are abandoned to their fate" (Daily News).
     This bodes well for members of the African Diaspora as the majority of Brazilians identify with having African roots of some sort or another.  Particularly though, the 4.9% of citizens that claim to be black will most likely see better times ahead as they tend to be on the lower end of the Brazilian socio-economic dynamic due to a subtle but negative employment bias.


Article below:

Brazil's first female president promises to fight poverty and boost economic stability

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1325535/Dilma-Rousseff-Brazils-female-president-promises-fight-poverty.html 

Sources: 

CIA The World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html

The Daily News: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1325535/Dilma-Rousseff-Brazils-female-president-promises-fight-poverty.html

The History of the African Diaspora in Brazil

     Welcome to the first real post (one that doesn't have to do with Kenny Loggins) on my new blog. Throughout the course of the semester I will be updating it regularly, bringing you a perspective on Brazil that you won't be able to find in a Frommer book.  For the sake of new beginnings, let's slow down and start simple.
     I chose the nation of Brazil for our AFRST-221 Roots and Reach project because it is a country on the rise and will have a thunderous impact in tomorrow's world.  Rich with resources and a booming population, Brazil will hold many cards in the years to come as an emerging international player.  Brazil is also pertinent to the topics of our class discussion because it was a member of the Atlantic slave trade and people of African descent have had much to do in shaping the nation's current racial mix and societal norms.

  

(http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/brazil.html)

     Africans slaves were first introduced to Brazil in the 17th century during the colonial period after Indian slavery was found to be too difficult to maintain.  Despite the lucrative nature of the business, slavery slowed around 1850 due to a British blockade of the nautical slave trade routes.

     Italians, Japanese, Middle Eastern immigrants all mixed in soon after and over time many Brazilian individuals became difficult to racially classify.  By 1991, 55.3% of Brazilians identified with being white, 39.3% with being mulatto, 4.9% with being black, and 0.6% with being Asian (LCCS).

     Brazil is known for being an extremely racially tolerant nation and has well established laws that strictly prohibit racial discrimination.  However, racism manifests itself in "unwritten rules, unspoken attitudes, references to 'good appearance' rather than color, or simply placing higher value on individuals who are white or nearly white" (LCCS).

     Currently, Brazil is a major trade partner with African states, exporting and importing with them.  South African investors hold a large stake in the Brazilian mining industry as well.

For your enjoyment, please check out the pictures of Brazil below:

 

 Carnival, Brazil: Samba schools parading towards the bird-shaped Sambodrome icon during Carnival.

Viviane Ponti - Lonely Planet Photographer © Copyright Lonely Planet Images 2011

 

Iguacu Falls, Brazil: Iguacu Falls, looking toward Garganta do Diablo (Devil's Throat), and Rio Iguacu. 

Craig Pershouse - Lonely Planet Photographer © Copyright Lonely Planet Images 2011

 

Statue, Corcovado, Brazil: Christ the Redeemer statue, Corcovado.

Judy Bellah - Lonely Planet Photographer © Copyright Lonely Planet Images 2011

 Sources:

1.) Library of Congress Country Studies: Brazil URL: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/brtoc.html

2.) Map of Brazil URL: http://i.infoplease.com/images/mbrazil.gif

3.) Photos from Brazil URL: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/brazil/images