By Lindenberg Junior | Translation: Amanda Peter
September has become the busiest month for Brazilians who live outside Brazil. It all started with the Brazilian Day NYC that was created in 1984 by the entrepreneur and publisher of The Brasilians, João De Matos. The first event was just a block party centered on West 46th street between 5th Ave and Avenue of the Americas.TThe free festival grew in size each year and stretches across Sixth Avenue from 42nd Street to Central Park, and have inspired other Brazilian Days abroad Brazil including in California and countries like Japan, Canada, and UK.
Thousands of Brazilians take out their soccer jerseys, paint their faces, and hold their Brazilian flags with pride, while celebrating the “Independence Day” abroad Brazil in many cities and countries like Los Angeles, Miami, San Diego, San Francisco, Canada, Japan, UK, and more.
Ambassador Thereza Quintella
In Los Angeles, the event has been happening for six years in a row. From 2007 on, it took place in “La Brea Tar Pits”, a park that belongs to the museum of contemporary arts of the city, with the support of the ambassador Thereza Quintella, consul-general of Brazil in L.A at this time. The Brazilian Consulate organized the event for the first four years, then in 2011, it was put together by the Sambalá Samba School, a non-profit organization held by the American producer David de Hilster, and his Brazilian wife Doris de Hilster, but supervised by the Brazilian Consulate.
David and Doris put together the Brazilian Day in L.A for three years until 2013. Unfortunately, the annual celebration which has been financially supported by the Brazil’s General Consulate of Los Angeles, was postponed for a year, in 2014, initially, because of the multiple economical crises the Brazilian government has experienced, and political decisions. Although monetary contribution from the Brazilian Consulate was no longer available, Brazilian community leaders in Los Angeles made efforts to put together a last annual event the following year, in 2015.
It happened at Samba Redondo Restaurant in Redondo Beach, and with the help of passionate individuals who brought Brazilians favorite event back to LA such as Valeria Ruggieri (entrepreneur, former sambala sambista, and Doris de Hilster student), Lindenberg Junior (journalist and Soul Brasil publisher), Bakari (artist), Silvio Correia (entrepreneur), Doug Howarth (entrepreneur), George Moussali (entrepreneur), as well as local Brazilian musicians and dancers as Flavio Ribeiro, Reni Flores, Rodney De Assis, Mario Pallais, Alex Lexa, Gio Castilhos, Aninha Malandro, Ana Massete, Gisella Ferreira, Joany Macias, Ilma Wright, Luciene Peck, and many other contributors. They all collaborated to make their dream of bringing the “Mini” Brazilian Day to LA come true this respective year.
This year of 2015, the event was held on October 11th, and not for the first time, on a day of September, month of Brazil’s independence day. On the interior of the restaurant we were able to see Brazilian bands, dancers and capoeiristas performances, and a delicious feijoada together with Brazilian drinks as caipirinha were served. Outside of the restaurant there were vendors offering different products and services for sale, including arts and food/snacks as well as representatives from the Brazilian Consulate and fun attractions for the kids.
The Brazilian Day in L.A was an event for the whole community. It was and we hope, can continue to be the perfect opportunity to share the energy and the happiness of being Brazilian, and to also enjoy traditional dishes and drinks from our country. It is good to remember that the most important aspect of the Brazilian Day in L.A was (and hope it is in the future soon) to provide everyone the sense of belonging to a big loving family, our Brazilian community of Los Angeles.
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