By Lindenberg Junior
Photo: Thales Moura
Few years ago, the Newsweek magazine published an article about Brazilian culture that now is reaching nearly every corner of the world. The contagion goes beyond the familiar enclaves of fashion and soccer, and Brazil’s turn that was bound to come. The article written by Mac Margolis and titled “Everyone Loves Brazil”, was one of the best articles I have read about Brazil during the last years. I will highlight part of the article in the next five paragraphs, and will finish this article including extra facts from the country that brings to the world the eclectic art form of capoeira, the refreshing caipirinha, and a black bean & pork stew called feijoada.
“Forget Gisele or Ronaldo, who are well on their way to becoming universal properties. Whether it’s the caipirinhas flying off the bar at SushiSamba in lower Manhattan, samba diva Elza Soares bringing down the house at London’s Jazz Cafe, capoeira classes in Toronto or the sun-kissed sylph dominating catwalks from Milan to Guangzhou-almost anywhere you turn, there’s a bit of Brazil in the air.
In May, Selfridges, the London department store, turned over its entire building to Brazilian food, fashion, music and art-and crowned it all with a four-meter replica of Rio’s art deco Christ the Redeemer statue. Through September, London’s Design Museum will feature the rococo creations of haute furniture makers Fernando and Humberto Campana – including the favela chair, patched together with sticks like Rio’s shantytowns.
Brazilian fashion models are the workhorses of today’s Asian fashion industry. But to an unprecedented degree, Brazilian culture is now rubbing off on the locals. On the last Saturday of every August, Tokyo’s traditional Asakusa district reels with the cacophony of a full-blown Brazilian carnival- and it’s the native Japanese wearing the feathers and paint.
Model Gisele was and continues to be one of the great Brazilian “ambassadors” abroad Brazil. In the 2005 photo: Gisele, our publisher Lindenberg and his son (10), and webmaster Ernestro Comodo.
Fogo de Chão, a large chain and pioneer in the “rodízio” barbecue franchise, has opened several restaurants in the United States since 1997, including in California, Texas, New York, and Nevada, and has been opening an average of one unit per year, according to co-owner Ari Coser. Meanwhile, thousands of American, Asian, and European women buy millions of dollars worth of Brazilian bikinis each year – not to mention the “Brazilian” waxing required to show them off.
São Paulo now hosts one of the world’s top five biennale, and Brazilian art is on display everywhere from the Guggenheim to the Russian State Museum. “It’s like new friends,” says Edemar Cid Ferreira, director of Brazil Connects, a cultural promoter. “The world has started to ask, ‘What country is this?”
Five hundred years ago, when a Portuguese fleet disembarked its troops in Porto Seguro, Bahia, certainly its commodore did not dream of a country that would become, five centuries later, the fantastic kaleidoscope which is now Brazil. Frequently referred to as the “sleeping giant”, it is the largest Country in Latin America, one of the most incredible eco-nature-tourism destinations on the planet…and there you will find the most ethnically diverse people in the world.
No language is more sensuous than Portuguese on the lips of a Carioca (native from Rio de Janeiro), no people are sweeter or more generous than the “gente humilde” (humble/native Brazilian), no culture has such a mischievous sense of fun or such a highly evolved sense of the absurd. The fusion of Indian, European and African elements, with zero interest in the past (what really matters is the present…the now) gives to their people a special dynamic quality.
And it may explain the high spirit of these people and why Brazilians are more spontaneous, warm, and fun-loving than other nationalities. The real truth is that in this new century and era of globalization, where stressless, love, peace, creativity, spirituality, awareness of nature, sensuality, and happiness is so Important…we will for sure hear more and more about the “Brazilian Essence”.
Why do people love Brazil so much?
In short, because Brazilians are charismatic, happy, party-loving and authentic people! And yes, because Gisele Bundchen and the beauty of Brazilian women, their talented soccer players like Ronaldo, Romario, Neymar and many others, the incredible coastal regions, the wetlands, outback, and rainforests. Brazil is a blessed country, and like Brazilian musician Jorge Ben Jor said “um pais bonito por natureza”.
* Special thanks to Emanuela Correia for the contribution.
Facebook Comments