TITAS, 15 YEARS ON THE CUTTING EDGE
L'ear 9 — No. 141 — September 1997
HOPE AND HARDSHIP AT THE LANDLESS LAND
HEAVEN COULDN'T WAIT FOR BETINHO
REAL AT A CROSSROADS ON THIRD ANNIVERSARY
BRAZIL: A DIVERSE MUSIC, ART, AND LITERATURE
SHORT STORY: "CON VERSA AO TEI-EFONE" BY DEM TORRES CRUZ
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BRAZZIL.- SEPTEMBER 1997
Brazilians are once again getting ready to receive Pope John Paul II. This is the third time since 1980— when he made his first trip to Brazil—that the supreme chief of the Catholic Church pays a visit to the so-called "world's largest Catholic nation". It doesn't matter that Brazilians have elected Fernando Henrique Cardoso, an atheist (former atheist, according to some) for president or that Rome has lost millions of faithful in recent years. Catholicism is still holding all the
cards and the Pope seems intent onl keeping it this way. Today's Church in Brazil resembles the Pope in a way it didn't 17 years' ago. During all these years, John Paul II was able to handpick bishops andl cardinals much more attuned to his own conservative agenda. He also mani aged to virtually extinguish the voice of dissidence represented by the Lib-1 eration Theology and those wild wanted the Church unequivocally on the side of the oppressed. The fall o the Berlin Wall has helped the head o the Roman Catholic Church. Brazzil tries to draw a portrait of nation always seduced and at the sanub time cautious about the Catholic mysticism and liturgy. During their 500, year history in Brazil, priests and reli-
http://www.brazzil.com gious have been alternately trusted with the education of the nation and them expelled, taken under the protection of the Crown and then left to fend for themselves. Profoundly religious, Brazilians have been known to simultaneously embrace two or more religions without seeing any conflict in this choice. This is just one of the Brazilian paradoxes. We hope that by discussing it here we will be able to better understand what makes the Homo Brasiliensis tick. R.M.
CONTENTS
12
40
Cover
The history of Catholicism in Brazil
Music
Titas: Still ahead of their times
22 Nation
44
A visit to a settlement of landless farmers
Music Review Cover by Aylan Mello
24 Economy
Party mood at Plano Real's third anniversary
54
28
Book Review
Short story
Decio Torres Cruz's "Conversa ao Telefone"
35 Brazil
In music and arts a cultural medley
Mtisica pra Gente Grande: A surprise from the South
e Cu •
4 Por 49 Classified 50 U.S.A. Calen 52 That's Brazili
A rare anthology of Brazilian modern poets
54 Special
Backstage at the an Francisco Carnaval TIME TO RENEW?
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Publisher and Editor: Rodney'Mello / Entertainment Editors: Sam & Harriet Robbins / Book Review: Bondo Wyszpolski / Music Editor: Bruce Gilman / Representatives: MIAMI : Ncisso Guia (305) 374-0096 - Valeria Mendes (Calendar) / BRAZIL: Celso Sawaia (011) 885-9288 E- mail: csawaia©b .homeshopping.com.br BRAZZIL (ISSN 1091-868X) is published monthly by Brazzil - NOT mailing address: 2039 N. Ave. 52, Los Angeles, CA, 90042-1024. Periodicals' Postage rate paid at Los Angeles, CA. Single copy sold for $2. One year subscription for 12 issues is $3 (three dollars) in the U.S., $15 in Canada and Mexico, and $18 (surface mail) in all other countries. No back issues sold. Allow 5 to 7 weeks to receive your first issue. You may quote from or reprint any of the contents with proper copyright credit. Editorial submissions are welcome. Include a SASE (self addressed and stamped envelope) if you want your material mailed back. Brazzil assumes no responsibility for any claims made by its advertisers. POSTMASTER: Please, send address changes to: BRAZZIL, - P.O. Bo6L 42536 - Los Angeles, CA - 90050-0536. BFtAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997 5
opoiniNUOr
II ii1.1
razil's X-ray How far is Brazil from the First World? Well, it's getting a little closer. The • final tally of the ' intercensus is in and many Brazilians think there are plenty of numbers to cheer about. -Brazil's future has arrived," celebrated President Fernando Henrique Cardoso upon _ learning the results of IBGE's (Institut° Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica—Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) latest effort to count heads and classify people. According to the intercensus, there were 157,079.573 Brazilians at the end of 1996, compared to 146.825,475 in 1991, the date of the previous count. That means that the country is growing at a rate of 1.38%, well below the 4 1.93% growth rate of the
• '80s. The new numbers also show a country with a longer life expectancy • (67.4 years vs. 60 in the last decade), less people living in the big cities (23.72% compared to 24.08% in 1991) and more youngsters in the schools (67% of 15- to 17-year-old children are studying while only 48.8% were doing so - in 1980). The population's average age jumped from 21.7 in '91 to 23.2 in '96. And on average a family now has 2.8 children and not 6.8 as f. in the 40s. Cardoso seemed worried with the lower birth rate. "If the rate continues to fall at this pace. by 2020 Brazil will have to start encouraging people to have children, he commented.
Clothesless Landless Accustomed to hunger strikes, death threats, perilous cross-country treks, and months-long patience games in which they wait for the most opportune time to invade a farm, the MST (Movimento dos Sem-Terra—Landless Movement) adherents weren't read) for this. One of its members, stunning
Sex Appeal Stuck in IBOPE's (Brazil's Nielsen rating system) basement and having nothing to lose, TV Gazeta from Sao Paulo used a daring although not original strategy that in less than a week took it from last to second place among the graveyardshift shows. The secret? Sex. Unabashed sex talk, sexual innuendo and just plain, raw, explicit sex scenes taken from porno movies and home video peep shows. The over-the-air channel, which didn't show any ratings during the period, has with Madrugada Sexy (Sexy Wee Hours) jumped to two points, or roughly 160,000 viewers. Most appropriate, the show produced by Daitan Video survives on ads for 900-number erotic phone lines. Typical of the Brazilian TV schedule in which programs have no precise time to start or finish, Madrugada Sexy goes on the air from Monday to Saturday sometime after 1:30 AM. Lesbian sex, group copulation, sadomasochism, gynecological exposure, all is allowed. The producers, however, have been placing a strategic strip to cover the erected penis in scenes of penetration. "We show everything but penetration," says Carlos Ishi, the show's director. "We are taking it to the limit until someone complains." Ishi shouldn't be too worried. Risque action and talk have long been the territory of prime-time TV. The all-pervasive prime-time novelas (soap operas), for example, have a formula that doesn't allow for more than a few scenes before someone takes their clothes off, makes out, or jumps into bed. Even Xuxa, the angel-faced blonde, who became worldwide famous and rich doing children's shows, has a new program, Planeta Xuxa, in which she likes to tease, asking her guests intimate, embarrassing questions. "Doesn't the purpurina (multicolored metallic powder used in makeup) get inside there," she recently asked model Valeria Valenssa, who during Carnaval goes to the avenue dressed only in some paint and purpurina over some of her anatomy's strategic locations. From another guest she wanted to know if she used to pee while taking a shower. Other programs have also been competing in this titillation game. TV Bandeirantes's Realidade (Reality), for example, a brand-new daily show that starts around 7:10 PM, uses everything as an excuse to disrobe. In its premiere Realidade brought strip-tease pro Malu Bailo, who didn't take it all off, but bared her soul including details about her lesbian romances. Realidade's director, Nelson Hoineff, has a ready answer to those who question his judgment for presenting foul language and bare bodies during a time when so many children are watching the tube: "I'd rather have the children watching pubic hair than the cadavers in decomposition presented by the other channels at that time."
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
occe
Heard the Last? Brazilians let out a collective gasp early in August before t ey concluded that the news was either an extemporaneous April Fool's Pay joke or a tasteless bluff. Joao Havelange, president of FIFA (Federat on Internationale de Football Association, soccer's maximum authori y) and himself a Brazilian, threatened to leave Brazil out of the World Sup next year in France. This will happen, Havelange says, if the Brazil an Congress approves new legislation proposed by sports minister, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, who is known throughout the world as Fele, or simply Athlete du Siècle (Athlete of the Century), a title bestowed on him by the French. Havelange's threat was just one more chapter in an enduring feud between the two most powerful sports characters in Brazil. "Pete needs to remember that I was the one who put all the pressure so he would be included on the national team when he was still 17," said Havelange recently. Pele hasn't been ungrateful. He has constantly repeated that he regarded the FIFA boss as a father figure. Even when Havelange barred him from participating in the lottery that selected which groups the national soccer teams would play in during the 1994 World Cup in the U.S., Pele maintained his cool. Havelange's act was in reprisal for an interview the soccer player gave Brazilian Playboy in August 1993, wheie he denounced CBF (Confederacao Brasileira de Futebol—Soccer Br zilian Confederation) for taking millions in bribes. It happens that C F is presided over by Ricardo Teixeira, Havelange's former son in la and still a good friend. Since the interview, the two titans have alter ated diplomatic disdain with open hostilities. In a rare c did moment, Pele told reporters: "Maradona tol me once that Havelange had become gag; (senile) and I protested. But I think now he really is gaga. And I fee pity for him." Havelange's threats ems to have had the opposi e effect he intended. Some congressmen who were ndecided or opposed to el& s bill are now leaning to ards approving it. Even Pre ident Fernando Henrique Cardoso called to say, "toon't worry, Pele. You haVe my whole-hearted support "The purpose of the bill—a ready baptized as Pete' s La —is to clean up the way bu iness is done in Brazilian sodcer. It would make the teams of private companies accountable for all transactions--like the sale of players to foreign countries—many of which are now done under the table.
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
blonde Debora Cristina de Moura Rodrigues, 29, accepted Brazilian Playboy's invitation to show some of her own bare turf, and the landless have been at odds ever since. Two leaders defend opposite views. Joao Pedro Stedile opposes her decision, arguing that Debora has surrendered to the petit-bourgeois mentality. Jose Rainha Junior, who—after being condemned to 26 years in prison for murder and is waiting a second trial defends her action as a personal choice that "in no way reflects on the movement's image." There are also those whose only complaint is against the magazine, who, according to them, is paying too little for the pictures. The landless model has already decided what to do with the $20,000 (about 20 years of work when you make minimum wage) she is receiving: build her own house and take her children (Jacqueline, 11, and Joao Paulo, 9), who are now with their father, to live with her. "It will be just one more 'less' in my life," she says with a street-smart smile. "1 am already landless, ,jobless, homeless."
Garbage Lessons To address a U.N. international conference is no small challenge, even for the experts. But for Maria das Craps Marcal, who makes her living picking up paper from trash cans in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais state, such a mission didn't seem so daunting. Marcal, who is known as Dona (Mrs.) Geralda, is also the coordinator of Asmare (Associacao dos Catadores de Papel e Materials Reciclaveis—Association of Paper and Recyclable Material Pickers) in Belo Horizonte. She had eight whole minutes to make her point in New York during the three-day conference on sustainable development. What did she think about the gathering? "It was great. The problem is I couldn't understand a word." And what about the
7
New York /ixo (trash)? "Lixo? Lixo lá é luxo!" (Trash there is luxury!)
Sad Portrait "A child's place is in school,.. says the slogan of the Brazilian government's campaign against child labor. The catchy phrase, however, won't be enough to make Brazil look good at UNICEF's (United Nations Children's Fund) three-day-long International Conference on Child Labor, to be held in Oslo, Norway, starting October 27. According to that organ's preliminary report, 12.7 million Brazilian children between the ages of five and seven now work or are trying to find a job. That represents 8% of all children in that age bracket. The study also shows that 3.5 million children have left elementary school to work and help their families. In 1990, says the report, 53% of Brazilian children, or 32 million, were living in total misery and their parents were making less than $50 a month.
Bad Blood Traditional foes, Brazil and Argentina seemed to have solved their main differences. But passions have flared anew, effectively reigniting the old rivalry. Recent comments made by Argentinean President Carlos Saul Menem to the daily paper 0 Estado de S. Paulo did not sit well, even with some of his political allies in Argentina. Menem made it clear that eventual acceptance of Brazil as a member of the United Nations Security Council would "break the balance" in Latin America. "These comments were imprudent and out of place," said Carlos Alvarez, leader of the newlyallied Frepaso party. In Brazil, former President Jose Sarney, now a senator, accused the U.S. of being behind a row between Argentina and Brazil in order to harm Mercosul, the South American common market formed by Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil. "It seems clear," he declared. "that the United States has decided to destabilize Mercosul, breaking the strategic balance in the region." Sarney sees Menem as an
8
raw= Odd Man Out Herbert de Souza, the man who every Brazilian knew as Betinho, has always been a fighter. He was born fighting against his hemophilia--he was only 15 days old when he almost died of an umbilical hemorrhage—but he died on August 9 in his apartment in Rio's Botafogo neighborhood at the age of 61. Betinho was victimized by liver failure while fighting the AIDS virus that he caught in 1986 from a tainted blood transfusion. Since 1993 he has been involved in the Acao pela Cidadania Contra a Miseria e pela Vida , (Action Pro Citizenry Against Misery and Pro Life), a project also known as Campaign Against Hunger, which he created, dreaming of a Brazil more compassionate and just, and less hungry. Betinho, a minuscule, wiry, blue-eyed workaholic sociologist, participated in many other personal and collective fights. He had to battle tuberculosis as a 14-year-old youngster. He fought the military dictatorship that took power in 1964 and for many years lived in exile in Europe, Canada, Mexico, and Chile, even spending time in internal exile in Sao Paulo's ABC region, where he lived for two years using a false identity. Herbert became a social activist as a student, starting at the Juventude Estudantil Catolica (Catholic Student Youth). In the early '60s he helped create the Christian-inspired leftist Acao Popular (Popular Action) movement. After the government's amnesty that brought him back from exile in September 1979, Betinho decided to develop a project to democratize the access to information. In 1981 he started IBASE (Institut° Brasileiro de Analises Sociais e EconOmicas— Brazilian Institute of Social and Economic Analyses), a think-tank that continues to help Brazil find solutions for its social problems. Among the various efforts sprouted from Betinho's fertile mind was the Natal sem Fome (Christmas Without Hunger) campaign, which in its fifth year now numbers 350 volunteer committees, 30 percent more than last year. In their farewell to Betinho at the Assembleia Legislativa building in Rio, his wife and children were joined by hundreds of friends and admirers. Together, TV stars, musicians, politicians, religious leaders and the simple folks from the streets sang "0 Bebado e a Equilibrista" (The Drunk and the Equilibrist), the song by Joao Bosco and Aldir Blanc that talked about the military dictatorship and named some of the famous exiled, including Betinho, who is presented as "irmao do Henfil" (Henfil's brother), a well-known cartoonist who was also hemophiliac and died from AIDS in 1988. Betinho was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992. Two years later, a police raid on bicheiro (numbers game runner) capo Castor de Andrade uncovered a secret list on which Herbert de Souza appeared as a beneficiary of $40,000. He didn't touch the money, but passed it along to Associacab Brasileira Interdisciplinar de AIDS (Interdisciplinary Brazilian Association of AIDS). It was enough, however, to cast a shadow over his reputation. Betinho didn't show any remorse or shame for this act. "I recognize that I made a political mistake," he explained matter-of-factly. "Even knowing that the money was for saving lives, I should have foreseen the consequences of this decision." And, he added, "I am not asaint." But in his eulogy, former
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
Watered Down
priest Leonardo Boff, the prophet of Liberation Theology, a personal friend of the apostle of the poor, made an appeal to Pope John Paul II to declare Betinho a saint. It was more an oratory ruse, but the public cheered the idea loudly anyway. In a recent interview before his death with weekly newsmagazine Isto E, Betinho said, "I cannot be happy in the face of human misery. The end of misery is not a utopia." As was Betinho's wish, IBASE has lost all control over the growth of hundreds of committees, food coops, and schools that encouraged volunteers to start all over the country. It is estimated that 25 million Brazilians, 15 percent of the population, enlisted themselves in the action against hunger. In 1995, on his 60th birthday, Betinho, after criticizing the government for its slow pace in combating misery, talked with optimism about life and his hope of being alive for the year 2000: "For a hemophiliac, to celebrate 60 years is already a mirage. It is as though I had endured several deaths in all my life." Just a few days before dying he told his son Daniel, 31: "I want to be cremated. To live inside a coffin is not a life." His last wish has been fulfilled and his ashes have been spread over the flower beds on his ranch in Itatiaia, where he loved to spend the weekends with his wife Maria Nakano and younger son Henrique, 14.
It seemed like a great gift: 3.2 million condoms donated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Brazil, however, refused the present. Reason: the contraceptive didn't meet Brazil's minimum specifications for the product. How could that be? The U.S. sent a tearn oftechnicians ready to debunk Brazilian allegations. They were soon humbled, howevet, after watching the work at IPEM (Instituto de Pesos e Medidas de sao Paulo—Sao Paulo's Institute of Weights and Measurements) an0 decided that from now on they would adopt the Brazilian norms when donating condoms. The ones sent to Brazil could handle only 20 liters (about 5 gallons) of water before they exploded, while the Brazilian code deman that they hold at least 30 liters (about 8 gallons).
111 Killing With a Kiss
.1 BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
One of the pioneers of TV programming in Brazil and still going strong on her Oprah-like interview television show, Hebe Camaro, 68, was caught off-guard by one of her guests. Singer Rita Lee, 49, was so moved by Camargo singing one of her (Lee's) compositions that she unexpectedly leaped on stage and kissed the veteran show host on the mouth, while the camerasirolled right along on the live show. A straight-arrow married to Lelio, who refused to say a word afterwards, Hebe lOst her composure, but not for long. After a short embarrassing silence, she proved that she still had her quick wit. "Do you know that my romance with Leh° started like that," she told the impulsive Lee. Despite having to answer questions like "What did you feel?" to friends, Hebe has nothing to complain about. She is knciwn for her own little scandals now and then. And her show really neede a little boost for its sagging ratin s.
instrument for the U.S. agenda. As for Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, he is only said to be "surprised" with the Argentinean president's comments.
One for Abortionists It was a close call (24 votes to 23) and a small victory, but abortion supporters were celebrating the news anyway. After being stuck for six years in the Camara dos Deputados, the Brazilian House of Representatives, a bill guaranteeing the right to abortion for rape cases and women risking pregnancyrelated death was approved on August 20 by a congressional panel. Abortion has always been illegal in Brazil, even though, according to estimates by the Health Ministry one million of them are carried out every year. The new bill is being opposed by a powerful lobby formed by Spiritists, Protestants, and Catholics. Representatives for these groups started to jeer, cry and scream "murderers" when the final tally was announced.
No Harm Done Brazil's Communications minister, Sergio Motta, also known as Serjao (big Sergio) and Sergio Gordo (Fat Sergio) has always acted as a loose cannon in his close friend Fernando Henrique Cardoso's administration. Even with his penchant for shooting himself in the foot, nobody was prepared for his recent interview with weekly newsmagazine Veja, where in one breath he was able to badmouth 14 people, most of them colleagues in the ministry or political allies of the government. "It was a 'sugary water' interview," he explained later. Ip it he called justice minister Iris Resende and transportation minister Eliseu Padilha "nobodies." For a moment everybody was betting Serjao was history. After all, stocks fell, three parties that support Cardoso threatened to leave the boat, and the government's leader in the House, Luis Eduardo MagalhAes, hand delivered his resignation letter to the President, all because of the minister's loose mouth. The quake has passed now. The stock market is running 9
smoothly, no Party left the governm ent coalition, MagalhAes continues leading, and SerjAo keeps on talking.
Her Prince Has Come He has already been called "the prettiest man in Brazil." Now some people are calling model and businessman Luciano Szafir, 28, the luckiest one, too. He has been chosen X gorgeoubsyuxa, blonde Queen the of the Shorties herself, to be the father of her child. aa a child, Intent on having Maria da Grc 1VIenegbel, had threatened to use artificial insemination to conceive if she couldn't find a fitting sperm donor. Szafir has modeled for Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani, but nowadays his image is used only to promote eyeglasses and watches made by Fossil, an American company that he represents in Brazil. Being Xuxa's boyfriend has already paid him some professional dividends. ,Globo TV, Brazil's virtual television monopoly, has already invited him to work in a novekt (soap opera) as an actor. Discreet, and very shy, Xuxa's elected doesn't talk about his relationship with the TV star. But, Xuxa is not keeping any secrets. In a recent TV show she showed up dressed as a bride and stroked her belly saying to the audience, "You'll have to wait a little bit more. And I will have to wait nine more months." "What do people want to know?" she asked. "Whether or not we are `nhanhando' every day? No, we are not." Nhaniiar is a new slang that means to make whoopee.
Tamed Beast The chupa-cabras, according to several eyewitness accounts, have been seen frequently in Brazil as of late. The creature, which first appeared in Mexican stories and then became famous after attacking shegoats and other animals in Puerto Rico —it sucks all the blood from the victims leaving them dry, says the
10
goo Naughty Thoughts In his just-released third and best CD to date, Gabriel 0 Pensador keeps on rapping but with an exLuciano Szafii tra dash of humor. Less than two weeks after being released, Quebra Cabega (Puzzle) had already sold 250,00 copies and "2345meia78" (ajtelephone number), one of the cuts, became instant success. Sony, the re/cording companyj was so ecstatic with the good news that they dn't seem worried with threats of suits by peopl who owned that telephone number in different area •codes and were being bothered by jokers. Says the song, "2345me1a78, esta na ho a de molhar o biscoito/ Eu to no osso, mas eu nab me canso/ tci na hora de molhar o ganso"(2345halfa-dozen78, it's time to whet the cookie/ I am at my rope's end, but I don't get tired/ it's time to whet the goose." When you know that molhar o ganso means to copulate it is easy to imagine what kind of call people with the infamous number are getting. With lines of people waiting for a phone, changing a telephone number is not as easy as in the U.S. 0 Pensador (The Thinker) continues tras ing hypocrisy, as on his previous albums. In "P ia que Me Pariu" (Country that Gave Me Birt , a play with the profane expression a puta q4e o pariu (the whore who gave you birth), he ys with raw cynicism: "Pega essa crianca com um tiro de escopeta/ Calibre 12 na cara do Br il/ Idade: catorze; Estado Civil: Morto/ Demo u, mas a sua Patria Mae gentil/Conseguiu real ar o aborto" Get this child, with a carbine slot/ Caliber 12 on Brazil's face/ Age: 14 /Civil st e: Dead/ It took a long time, but his Gentle Motber Country/ Was able to carry out the abortion. Garbriel 0 Pensador became (in)famous even before the release of his first album, Gabriel 0 Pensador, which sold 300,000 copies. In 1992, the rapper composed a song called To Feliz (Matei o Presidente) (I'm Happy. I Killed the President) when the President was soon-to-be impeached Fernando Collor de Mello. The t e was played at Rio's RPC FM Radio, the only that presented rap in Brazil. Soon, thenjustice minister Cello Borja decided to forbid the ditty to be played. ES6 o Comeco (It's Just the Beginning), the composer's second CD, went nowhere fast, selling only 80,000 copies.
legend—has already haunted cities ina of Minas Gerais, So Paulo, and Rio Janeiro. Brazilian enthusiastically have been leads since they° believe that the creature is an extra-terrestrial tra-teo F rrrestria1 c collecting specimens to take back t their outerspace address. ariocas residents),lose a friend but won't w lose a joke, chup abras have become thename of a and way t o r ew fehraolts'oloi (baR onrioinaw 'gs people. A group of em some some. s ash° coram lta reelfelus s invaded Roceimhp hatyfland a-vela Rio' biggestesrheaantytow'n, and called Vila Chuna as The ()rites didn'ta hthink d this a aw suam tathsheefmd il: a t nhyye- , expelled -
Tuned to Heaven Brazilians, who already made best-selling auth ors . out of esoteric writers Paulo Coelboand Monica Buonfiglio have found a new guru. His name is Faust° *Li ira.book s Me Ahjo(M y Angelvi,:hisboo on celestial 'mg and twinn souls, has sold an incredible 700,000 copies in only three months. The philosophyof the 47-yearold Pernarnbricano from Pernambuco state and former TV repairman is simple: good quite simple. thoughts draw good According to the book, every person has a guardian angel and 33 twin souls, Oliveira says that everything started after he had a vision of the Virgin Mary when he was two years old. For close to 20 years now he has been seeings people in his parapsycha 1 ogy office T' neighborhood 's a n in Rio's north zone. His previous book, Sabedori Gotas (Wisdom in a Drops)sold m easonably well, but didn't prepare him for the phenomenal success of Meu Anjo. "This caught me by surprise," he said .
Sinful Fragrance Is this the revenge of the moralists? In the '50s when asked what she wore to bed, Marilyn Monroe
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
as ton indicated that she wore two drops of Chanel No. 5 and nothing else. She certainly didn't know that with this provocative answer she was contributing to the extinction of paurosa, a Brazilian plant that grows in the Amazon. Very few people knew. But the Robin des Bois (Robin Hood), a French ecological organization, is opening the eyes of the world to this fact. They are threatening a world boycott to No. 5 if Maison Chanel does not stop using the essence ofpan-rosci to manufacture its famous perfume. Created in 1921, this was the first fragrance introduced to the market by French designer Coco Chanel. Why No. 5? Among several bottles with perfume, she preferred the one labeled 5.
Big Shot According to America's Business Week, 18 of the 100 largest companies in emergent countries--which includes Russia, Mexico, Korea. Indonesia and Taiwan--are in Brazil, starting with the number one-ranked Telebras. The magazine tags Telebras with a $43.3 billion market value. Spots three and four also belong to Brazil, thanks to Eletrobras ($25.5 billion) and Petrobras (23.1 billion). The companies are state monopolies in the areas of telecommunications, electricity, and oil. The calculations were made in May. In July, according to American investment firm Morgan Stanley, the value of Telebras in the stock market had shot up to more than $51 billion. Not bad at all. AT&T is worth around $60 billion.
With Police Like This... Car insurers and car owners in Recife, the capital of the Northeastern state of Pernambuco, have just
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
Show and Tell If those who went to Sao Paul 's Morumbi Fashion show—in its third year i has already become the most important fashi n exhibit in Brazil—wanted to find out in hich direction clothes are going and wha p arts of the body they are supposed to cover, they learned some quick lessons. Clothes a e going up, down, and every other way you•lease—it is the season of choice—and the seem intent on revealing more than covering. As for color, it's the summer of no color. A most everything is in black. During seven days in July 23 national apparel manufacturers used do ens of models to exhibit in full view or thr ugh the veil of transparencies hundreds of •oobies. The message for the Summer 98 fas ion seems to be: breasts are for showing. Ths was more a show of areolas and thighs than of clothes, many of which were made from socalled liquid cloth (a transparent material made by Brazilians using plastic and nylon with French and Italian technology) and devore'(a corrosive process that applies designs while making the cloth transparent). The Morumbi Fashion also revealed at least two new models: Ana Claudia Michels, 15, from Santa Catarina and Marina Dias, 21, from So Paulo. Two very promising talents, two completely different styles. Ana Cl udia goes for the androgynous-aggressive demeanor. S e has shocked some people with a galle of 16 tattoos spread over her body and ur piercings: one in the tongue, another i the nose and two others in each of he nipples. She dreams of conquering Ne York. More traditional Marina is goin to Japan for some time and would love t make a career in the Paris-Milan circuit. The Morumbi Fashions ow also ended up being a display of happe ings and some theatrical presentation. Co troversial theater director Gerald Tho as helped to create some of the dramati stir. The more talked-about show, howev r, was that presented by Lino Villaventu a from Ceara. His show was a spectacle nspired by the nymphs from Debussy' ballet piece "L'Apres-Midi D'Un Fa ne," in which his nymphs with fluttering lothes showed more than they hid. The fashion-showballet was a hit. And at th end the public cheered with bravos and g ve it a standing ovation. Like in the opera
found out why they never got their stolen cars back. The police were driving the vehicles and apparently had no intention to return them. "It was normal practice for detectives to commandeer stolen cars and use them as if they were their property," said Pedro Francisco da Silva, the security department spokesman. So Kafkaesque was the situation that all 40 cars being used by the department in charge of solving car thefts were stolen. Authorities found out that at least 100 of the vehicles being driven by Police in Recife didn't belong to them. With these findings, officers have been without transportation in the city of 1.3 million people. And it might soon be without a police force if authorities decide to do what civilized societies normally do with thieves.
Here Comes Brazil The first campaign should soon start on CNN. In oneminute-long films, Brazil will show that it has more to offer the world than tanga-clad babes and
sensual dancers. For this rare promotion, the country is reserving $15 million to be used until the end of 1998. It's a pittance. But for Brazil, which never learned that, self-promotion is invest*ii.: ment, the amount is e
fortune;
Greedy Charity Representative Paulo Bornhausen has introduced in the House a brief bill stating the obvious: volunteer work is for free. No joke there. This was the way he found to try to stop a spate of lawsuits from some smarter-thanthou people--the clergy included—who engage in
charitable and other norrem unerated work only to sue the organizations that
accepted them as volunteers for back wages. Charge this to the so-called cost Brazil.
11
"Primeira Missa" by Vitor Meireles
u estion
of aith
Despite a continuous draining of the faithful, Brazil continues to be the country with the largest contingent of Catholics in the world. Passed a phase of acute social awareness in which some priests dressed in guerrilla frocks and demanded justice, many Catholic and laymen nowadays would prefer discussing the Bible and the last papal message. On the eve of John Paul ll's third pilgrimage to Terra de Santa Cruz (Land of the Holy Cross), a previous name of the country, Brazzil draws a vast portrait of the Catholic Church in Brazil. RODOLFO ESPINOZA
12
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
ome sobering numbers should serve as a counterbalance for the enthusiasm the pope's October trip to Brazil is generating in the country. This is the third time John Paul II visits the "world's largest Catholic nation", with 115 million of the 958 million Catholics in the world or 12 percent of the entire Catholic Church. While 99 percent of Brazilians called themselves Catholic in 1890, just one year after the Republic's proclamation, this number had fallen to 93.7% in 1960, to 80% in 1991, and has dwindled to 75% in the latest poll. Even though these numbers are not a faithful portrait of the religious reality since they just tell the number of people who declared themselves to be Catholic, they are useful at least to show that many people are not afraid anymore of saying that they are not Catholic. At least 40 million Brazilians now say that they have another religion or have no religion at all. Starting in the '60s the Catholic Church has been losing believers mainly to Evangelicals and Spiritists. According to estimates from the CNBB (Conferencia Nacional dos Bispos do Brasil—National Conference of Brazilian Bishops), at least 600,000 Brazilians abandon the Catholic Church every year to join Evangelical churches. There are 16 million Evangelicals in Brazil today, 10 percent of the population, meaning that the world's largest Catholic country has today the world's third largest Protestant contingent. In 1980 there were only 8 million members and they represented 6.7 percent of the population. And a recent study showed that while 75% of Brazilians still call themselves Catholic, a mere 13% go to mass and participate in the Church's life with assiduity. Among Protestants, two thirds are active in their religion. "I am sure: from those who declare themselves Catholics, half of them accept only part of what Catholicism preaches," says priest Alberto Antoniazzi, director of the Theology Course at the Belo Horizonte (state of Minas Gerais) archdiocese. Brazilian Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves, the president of CNBB, estimated in 1992 that Brazil had about 60,000 Protestant pastors at work and that the Catholic Church had lost at least 20 million people to Protestant denominations. In September 1995, alarmed with the situation, Pope John Paul II exhorted the Brazilian bishops to do more to counteract the influence of other religions and sects. "The serious problems of sects," he said, "is spreading like an oil stain, threatening to cause collapse of the structure of faith in many nations," adding: "It is clear that their success can be explained by the lack of religious culture among the people, caused in large part by the loss of religious experience." The pope also criticized what he saw as an ecumenical effort gone awry: "In the area of inculturation as well as ecumenism, in fact, one can see that...the search for understanding, welcome or openness towards other religious groups or churches has led to serious mutilations of the Catholic faith and liturgical prayer." Do you believe in God? This was one of the questions asked in a Vox Populi national poll conducted in the first quarter of this year in Brazil. Yes, 99% of the people responded. To the item "Which is your religion?", 72% answered with Catholic, 11% with Evangelical and 9% with no religion. Another 3% declared themselves Spirit-
S
BFtAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
ists and anoth°r 1% adherent of Candomble and Umbanda, religions with African roots. To the question "Have you been to churci last weekend?," 57% answered no. THE SUNNY SIDE But there 's also good news for the Catholic Church. Since 1980, w hen the Pope visited Rio for the first time, the Church saw its numbers there grow by half a million new faithful apd 35 new parishes and during these seven years, 15,000 new catechists joined the Church's crusade in Rio. This accoilding to the latest statistics from Rio's archdiocese. The official numbers from IBGE (Institut° Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica — Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) are from 1991 and show that since 1980 the Church lost more than one million followers in Rio alone. Also on the bright side for the Church is the fact that after a two-decade dearth of candidates to the priesthood and religious orders, the seminaries and convents are filled to capacity with would-be priests and sisters. While there were 350 new priests ordained in 1981, this number had grown td 510 by 1991. This incrdase, however, was not enough to accompany the populaticin growth and the number of priests to serve the Catholic ' flock is still very low. Brazil had 12,723 priests in 1981, that is one per 9,750 Catholics. In 1992, 14,708 priests meant that there was one clerk per 10,620 believers. In 1970, from a total of 13,092 priests working in Brazil, 41% were foreigners. By 1995 though, this rate had fallen to,l 23% while the number of priests had grown to 15,310. During the same period the number of religious priests has declined while there was an increase in secular clergy. The number of both categories are now roughly equivalent. In 1970 there was 1.6 religious priests for every diocesan priest. Worldwide the proportion is two secular pne$ts for each religious one. The Catholic Church, which has always shown a patronizing ttitude and disdain for other faiths, is finally learning with them how to draw people and maintain them. It's ben only two years since the Church started its first natio al TV network, the Redevida. Although underfunde1 and for the most part amateurish, the new network is concerted reaction to the use of the electronic media by other religions, in particular the Evangelicals. The Catholics also came later to the Brazilian Internet where Protestants and other denominations already have more than one thousand homepages. But their presence is being felt there too with a few dozen pages in place and a half a dozen more being created every month. The dispute between conservative and liberals has already appeared on the net. The conservative came in first with the Rio archdiocese launching its homepage in September of last year. Their subtle disapproval of their colleagues on the left is shown by their omission of these pages on their recommended hyPerlinks. The liberals responded a few months later through the Sao Paulo archdiocese page and more recently with a space dediCated to the so-called Igreja Nova (New Church) that is linked to the Olinda and Recife diocese and presents texts by Clodovis Boff, brother of Liberation Theology theologian Leonardo Boff. Dom Estevao Bittencourt, a staunchly conservative Benedictile monk from Rio and a respected intellectual 13
has become an Internet sensation by answering questions on line at the Mosteiro de Sao Bento site (http:// www.osb.org.br). The questions can be made in Portuguese, English, French, Italian and Spanish. The elder Dom Estevao, who responds to at least three questions a day, explained recently in an interview with daily newspaper 0 Globo: "One has to adapt oneself to the times. It would be foolish not to use the Internet, such an admirable way for spreading the gospel." Brazilian Catholics are counting on the papal visit as a powerful push for the Church and its plans of recouping lost terrain. In Rio, John Paul II will be also participating in two international megaevents with which the Church expects to mark the end of the millennium: the Second World Encounter of the Pope with Families to be held at the world's largest soccer stadium, Maracana, and the Second Theological Encounter. Catholics from 190 countries will be taking part in these events. NEW PATHS OF FAITH The lack of freedom and the extinction of political parties by the military who took over the country starting in 1964 gave origin to several political movements inside the Church. The better known and most widespread of them were the CEBs (Comunidade Eclesial de Base— Grassroots Church Community) in which socialist views and a vocal defense of the dispossessed were welcome and prospered. The CEBs experienced their heyday during the '70s. They still count some 2 million people and 70,000 communities around the country, although some of them are just a shadow of what they used to be. Among many of those that survived, the focus has changed. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the demise of Soviet communism, the movement has changed its drive. In many instances now conservative leaders have taken control and the social discourse has given place to religious and ecological themes. is To redefine their priorities and reorganize for the '90s and the new millennium, 2,500 CEB representatives from all over Brazil together with 57 bishops gathered last July in Sao Luis, state of Maranhao. Friar Clodovis Boff, one of the leaders of the CEB movement, doesn't seem too enthusiastic about the groups prospects, however. In a recent article he wrote: "There is a certain perplexity, there is a disheartenment and a relenting of enthusiasm and vigor." The surviving activists have shown that they still have fire in their bellies. The encounter divulged a document harshly critical of the government panning the administration for stressing its economic agenda and forgetting the social issues: "We noticed that, today, the worst exclusion is the exclusion from work when you lose land and a job," said in part an official statement." This situation generates violence and disintegrates families. We also noticed that the big cause for this exclusion is neoliberalism, a death project that only helps the market and those who can compete." These days the groups of RCC (Renovacao Carismatica Catolica—Catholic Charismatic Renewal) seem to be getting all the attention. The RCC experience started in the U.S. in 1967. Until recently, however, the movement was seen with disdain or barely tolerated by much of the Brazilian hierarchy. "We always had two great products, Jesus and salvation. All we needed was to sell it right," explained priest Leo Tarcisio Pereira, one of the leaders
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OOO • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ‘ • • • • • • • • • •
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Assembleia de Deus (Assembly of God)—The largest • Pentecostal church in the country with 2.9 million people, • 10,000 pastors, 130,000 temples, 13 radio stations and two • TV stations. It appeared in 1911 in Belem, capital of Para • • state, after a dispute among Baptists. The first Pentecostal • missionaries arrived in Brazil in 1910, just four years after • the appearance of the Pentecostals in the United States. • • Congregacao Crista do Brasil (Christian Congregation • • of Brazil)—The result of a schism among the Presbyterians. • Created in 1909 by an American Pentecostal. First temples , were erected in the states of Sao Paulo and Parana • • Evangelho Quadrangular (Four Square Gospel)—In- • troduced in Brazil during the '40s by American evangelists. • • They used to preach in tents in the beginning. The first • temples were built in Sao Paulo. • • Igreja Batista (Baptist Church)— It has 1.8 million be- • lievers and a network of 70 first and second grade schools. • •• They have no TV or radio station.
•
Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus (Universal Church
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of the Kingdom of God)—Created in 1978 in Rio by Edir Macedo and a group of pastors who left the Igreja Pentecostal da Nova Vida (Pentecostal Church of the New Life). Growing fast in 50 countries. They have 2,500 temples and 321,000 faithful in Brazil. Their strategy is to extensively use the media. In Brazil they bought the Record TV network. They own 47 TV stations and 26 radio stations and they publish the 980,000-copies weekly Folha Universal.
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e
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0 Brasil para Cristo (Brazil for Christ) —Founded in 1955 by Brazilian Manuel de Melo, who was previously pastor at Assembleia de Deus and Evangelho Quadrangular. Renascer em Cristo (To Be Reborn in Christ)—Liberal and attractive to young people, the church has 120 temples in 10 states. They have a recording company called Gospel Records.
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Candomble—From Africa, it was brought by black slaves. It has two main orixas (gods) Olorum and Obatala, the kind father of all the orishas and humankind. In Bahia there are more than 3,000 terreiros (places of worship) for Umbandistas registered with the Federacao Baiana de Cultos • Afro-Brasileiros (Bahian Federation of A fro-Brazilian Cults). There are less than 2,000 Catholic churches in the whole • state. "It is very common that a person leaves a Catholic mass • • and goes into a candomble terreiro," says Jail° Braga, an • anthropologist and an expert in Afro-Brazilian culture. Until • 1946 candomble celebrations were forbidden by law and • terreiros had to be registered in the police station up until • • 1974.
• • • philosopher Hippolyte Leon Denizard Rivail, better known • as Alan Kardec (1804-1869). Kardec believed that we can • contact the dead through mediums. It first appears in 1848 in • the U.S. In Brazil Spiritism arrived in the second half of the • • nineteenth century brought by Spiritualists and homeopathic • doctors. The practice was patronized by Emperor Pedro II • and his minister Jose Bonifacio. The Brazilian Spiritist • • Federation was established in 1884. 1.07",*40'.174A:24100, •• Espiritismo (Spiritism)—Codified by French doctor and
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• • • • • • • • • • BRAZZ1L - SEPTEMBER 1997
I ' , ' s
Y:
of the RCC, in a recent interview with the weekly magazine Isto E. The RCC is the Catholic version of Evangelical Pentecostalism with its emphasis on miracles, exorcisms and manifestations of the Holy Ghost. According to a study by CERIS (Centro de Estatistica Religiosa e Investigacao Social—Center of Religious Statistic and Social Investigation) most of those joining the RCCs belong to the middle class. The work also has shown that the RCCs are not stealing believers from the CEBs. "The charismatic's profile is of someone who doesn't mix Church and politics," said sociologist and priest Luiz Roberto Benedetti, who coordinated the research. The conclusion was that the movement has mostly become a magnet for those Catholics who had abandoned Catholicism in favor of evangelical churches. Like the Evangelicals, their inspiration, the charismatic Catholics are always carrying their bibles. Their religious services include testimonials of converts, miraculous cures, lively songs and dances. "The Renewal is strongly emotional," said theologian priest Alberto Antoniazzi to the weekly newsmagazine Veja. "It allows the layman a direct contact with the Holy Ghost. That's why it has become an option for Catholics from the big cities who for a long time have been away from the Church." Today there are more than 15 million Catholics active not only in RCCs, but also in other equally conservative movements with names like Focolares (a movement created in 1964 in Italy by Chiara Lubich), Opus Dei (founded by Blessed Josemaria in 1928, in Madrid, Spain), Encontro de Casais corn Cristo (Encounter of Couples with Christ), which was created in Sao Paulo in 1970. The new Catholicism is an old Catholicism that often preaches blind faith and unquestioned acceptance of the pope's teachings. LIBERALISM GONE This is a very different Church from that of the oppressed, which drew a massive following in the '70s. The Church then had become a shelter for all sorts of discontents with a dictatorship that suppressed freedom and encouraged corruption and greed among authorities and the well-to-do. Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns of Sao Paulo and Archbishop Helder Camara, both respected nationally and internationally, lent their prestige to the cause of the politically and economically oppressed. Dorn Helder was called the red bishop in a reference to his socialistic views and so terrified the generals that they declared him a "no-person," forbidding the media from even mentioning his name. The new approach has been resonating also in the seminaries. A CERIS study shows that today's seminarists have a very different concept of their mission compared to the candidates to the priesthood in the early '80s. While in 1982 80% of the future priests dreamed of working with the landless, the poor and the CEBs, 90% of the current candidates would like to be'a parish vicar, to participate in prayer groups and to counsel youngsters. In 1985 the Holy See decided to forbid theologian BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
Leonardo Bo If from talking, imposing what it euphemistically called an "obsequious silence". It was the beginning of John Paul II's harder line that would also close some religious schools and cut in five pieces the archdiocese of Sao Paulo (four new dioceses were born: sao Miguel Pauli ta, Santo Amaro, Campo Limpo and Osasco), considerably educing the influence of Dom Paulo Evaristo Arns and gi ing the new spots to bishops more attuned with Karol[? Wojtyla's conservative agenda. With the ivision, Dom Arns also lost half of the 14.5 million belie ers who were part of the archdiocese as well as 590 of 87 CEBs that existed at the time. In the Olinda and Recife rchdiocese, Dom Helder was replaced by Dom Jose C rdoso Sobrinho, an ultraconservative. As a consequenc , activities from CEBs have practically disappeared fr m that region. There ar those who see a link between the political involvemen of the church and the loss of the faithful. "Movement like the Liberation Theology caused Catholicism t lose its appeal among its followers," said Caio Fabi D'Araujo Filho, president of AEVB (Associaca Evangelica Brasileira—Brazilian Evangelical Associ ion). The revitalization is occurring now thanks to th charismatic movement in urban centers and a return to t aditional celebration in rural areas." Clara M fra, a researcher with the ISER (Instituto de Estudos da eligiao—Institute of Religious Studies) also believes th political militancy has cost millions of souls to Catholic Her study entitled "Novo Nascimento" (New Birth) show d that 61% of the people who converted to 85 different e ngelical denominations were Catholics. Leonardo Boff, a former Franciscan friar who became the main theoretician of Liberation Theology in Brazil blames the traditional church for the heavy losses, however. "There is a smaller number of Protestant sects in places where Liberation Theology was stronger and less persecuted," he says. CHURCH AND GOVERNMENT Brazil has five cardinals, the top names on the Church's hierarchy in the country, but all of them should be substituted soon with prelates who think more like the Pope. Dom Paulo Evaristo Arns, from Sao Paulo and Dorn Eugenio Salles from Rio, both are more than 75 years old. Under Canon Law, a cardinal must tender his resignation at the age of 75. The Pope can refuse to accept such a resignation, but he seems to already have chosen a replacement for Dom Arns. Dom Lucas Moreira Neves from Salvador, state of Bahia, and Dom Aloisio Lorscheider, from Aparecida in the interior of Sã Paulo are also close to the age limit. Dom Freire Fal a° from Brasilia is the youngest one. Since 1995 under the presidency of Dom Lucas Moreira Neves, th conservative archbishop of Salvador, state of Bahia, th CNBB (Conferencia Nacional dos Bispos do Brasil—N tional Conference of Bishops of Brazil) has been mos ly cautious and forgiving in its relationship with the gbvernment. Last April, however, the release of a document by the 35th general assembly of bishops in 15
Itaici, interior of Sao Paulo state, brought memories of more combative times. "There is a true purchase of votes of congressmen, through job offers, favors, public projects, fiscal exemptions, amnesty of debts and help financing institutions," said a statement. "It is an evident practice of active corruption by the government, which offers goods in exchange for votes." The document went on condemning the Fernando Henrique Cardoso administration for not fulfilling its campaign promises symbolized by the five fingers of the hand representing agriculture, education, health, jobs, and security. The attack didn't go unanswered. Cardoso released an ofA ficial note calling the accusaPadre Anchieta tions "false, discrediting to the Congress and insulting to the government". The Church explained then that the document didn't represent the hierarchy's opinion, but it was only a paper prepared by the Ibrades (Instituto Brasileiro de Desenvolvimento—Brazilian Institute of Development) to serve as subsidy for the bishops' discussion. The explanation, however, was not enough to dissipate the stormy clouds between the Church and Brasilia. While the CNBB has prayed by a more moderate catechism, some of the organs linked to it don't run away from polemics. Organizations like CIMI (Conselho Indigenista Missionario—Indianist Missionary Council) and CPT (Comissao Pastoral da Terra—Pastoral Commission of the Land) are still very much attuned with the liberal current in the Church. But for the most part the relationship between the Church and the government has been very amicable. In July, Cardoso has shown again that despite being officially an atheist he listens attentively to the Catholic hierarchy. With a background ofprotests from those who defend separation between Church and State, the President signed a law that regulates the teaching of religion in elementary schools. The new legislation makes religion an obligatory discipline like language and mathematics. While previous legislation talked about religious instruction "without any onus to the public coffers", Cardoso eliminated this clause. In no place it is said that what will be taught is Catholicism, but in practice this is what is already happening in public schools that teach the subject. In another display of goodwill, the President, who recently visited the Pope in the Vatican, is breaking protocol and will go to Rio to meet John Paul II. It will be the first time that a Brazilian president leaves Brasilia to greet a foreign dignitary. FROM THE BEGINNING 16
The first mass on Brazilian territory was celebrated on April 26, 1500 by Friar Henrique de Coimbra just four days after Portuguese navigator Pedro Alvares Cabral discovered Brazil. The new land was then called Ilha de Vera Cruz (Island of the True Cross). In Cabral's party there were a few secular priests and 15 Franciscan friars led by Frei Henrique de Coimbra. None of the them, however, remained in Brazil when Cabral continued his trip to India. Evangelization started years later with a few priests fixing residence in some trading and storage forts along the Brazilian coast. For lack of historical records, it is hard to describe how were the pioneer years for Catholicism in the new country. There is little doubt that some Franciscans lived in Porto Seguro in what is today Bahia state before 1521. Priests and other colonists were eventually captured and eaten by the Indians. When Portuguese King John III sent Tome de Souza as Brazil's first governor-general he included several secular priests and Padre Manoel da N6brega leading four Jesuits. The Jesuits started a church and a school in Salvador, state of Bahia, and in one year, they had some 1,000 Indians ready to be baptized. Instruction and catechism lessons were given in the so-called "lingoa geral." The Diocese of Salvador, the first one in the New World was erected in 1551 and Dom Pedro Fernandes Sardinha was made its first bishop the next year. In 1553 the Jesuit missions of Brazil and Portugal were separated with N6brega being named superior. Duarte da Costa succeeded Tome de Souza as governor-general in 1553 taking with him 16 Jesuits, among them one who would be known as the Apostle of Brazil, Jose de Anchieta. Soon after, Bishop Sardinha was captured by the Caete Indians and eaten after a shipwreck. He was on his way to Lisbon to answer before the king to some accusations made against him by the Jesuits. It wasn't before 1584 that the Franciscans and the Benedictines started an organized work of evangelization. Franciscan Frei Melquior de Santa Catarina and his colleagues initially established themselves in Olinda. The Benedictines headed by Dom Antonio Ventura founded in Salvador their first abbey. By 1600 they already had monasteries in Rio, Olinda, Paraiba do Norte and Sao Paulo. In a 70-year period, the Franciscans were all over with more than 20 monasteries and several Indian missions. The Carmelites would arrive in 1589 under the leadership of Frei Domingos Freire. The missionary push to the Amazon region didn't start before the end of the 16th century. The question of Indian protection has made understanding among missionaries and secular authorities very difficult. Governor General Diogo de Botelho (1602-1607) went as far as to BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
The Catholic Church has the largest radio network in the country with at least 181 radio stations in 22 states in the Union, meaning that in every group of 16 radio stations one belongs to the Catholic Church. All these stations are registered in the name of foundations or companies created by clerics since Brazilian legislation forbids churches to own a broadcasting concession. Until 1994 the radio broadcasting operation was fragmented with each radio creating its own programs. With the implementation of a network strategy, the radio stations have gained a new visibility and power through the RCR (Rede CatOlica de Radios—Catholic Network of Radio Stations). Redevida, the national TV network still being built, was born in June 1995 as a response to the success the lgreja Universal do Rein° de Deus has had with its own much more powerful network. The effort started at TV lndependente, a small TV station from Sao Jose de Rio Preto, in the interior of Sao Paulo state. Initially the signal could only be picked up by the 3.2 million families who had a satellite dish and the subscribers of the TVA and NET cable services. To financially support the TV operation the Church created the Inbrac (Institut° Brasileiro de Comunicacao Crista Brazilian Institute of Christian Communication). Initial estimates called for an investment of $100 million to install relay stations in about 300 dioceses. Redevida is on the air from six in the morning until midnight. Some of the programs have a professional look and deal with controversial themes in an intelligent manner. During the month of July for example the show Teentrevista interviewed pop singer Margareth Menezes, band Olodum, and leaders of the Axe project, which works with street children. In Tribuna lndependente, broadcast daily from 10:30 p.m. to midnight, viewers are encouraged to participate by phone and fax. Among other themes the show discussed in the last few weeks plastic surgery, breast feeding, politics and development, ecumenism and more religious subjects like the Bible and loving the mother of Christ. On weekends the Catholic network also presents several musical shows. They still have a journalism department in charge of a daily news program about the activities of the Church and special reports on religion and cultural subjects. BRAZZ1L - SEPTEMBER 1997
ask the K ng that no new monastery was erected in Brazil. Pa ly due to clashes about how to deal with the Indians, P raiba's governor, Feliciano de Coelho, had already e •elled the Jesuits from his state in 1593 and the Franci cans in 1596. Embol ened by the system of dual democracy of Portugal d Spain between 1580 and 1640, the Dutch occupied ahia in 1624 capturing governor Diogo de Mendonc Furtado and all the priests they could put their han ss on and taking them to Holland. Salvador's cathedral as converted into a Calvinist temple and the churches nto warehouses. By 1654, after losing the Guararap s battle, the Dutch signed their capitulation ending th most serious Protestant threat to colonial Brazil. TOUGH TIMES In the 17th century, Jesuit Padre Antonio Vieira became t e most vocal defender of the indigenous peoples r ghts. But by 1661 the Jesuits were expelled from the ountry. Only in 1680, thanks to new laws that forbade t e enslavement of Indians and gave the missionaries control over the Indians, the mission work among t e aborigines restarted. From 1680 to 1750 Jesuits, F anciscans, Carmelites and some Mercedarians developes an exemplary work at several aldeias. The 18th century gold fever in Brazil caused the Catholic hurch several losses. There was a pronounced lack of i terest in religion and members of the cleric also caught the precious-stone fever. The anti-religious sentiment culminated in the suppression of the Society of Jesus in 1782 by minister of state Marques de Pombal (1750-1777) and the Catholic Church was stripped of its task of educating the population. The state from then on would assume this job. Anticlericalism wanted to suppress religious orders of both sexes. B the end of the 18th century all the religious orders w re forbidden from accepting novices. Fore onomic reasons—the government had to support ne dioceses and pay the bishops' salaries—the number f dioceses and bishops was maintained low during c lonial Brazil. Up to 1822 when Independence was decl red, Brazil had only seven dioceses: Salvador
A Few Numbers According to the 1997 Catholic Almanac, Brazil has 37 archdioceses, 201 dioceses, 13 prelatures, 2 abbacies, 5 cardinals, 45 archbishops, 308 bishops. 7966 parishes, 15,308 priests (7,663 religious, 7,645 secular), 699 permanent deacons, 6,772 major seminarians, 2181 brothers, 36,028 sisters, 133,680,000 Catholics (86.9% of the population). Compare this to 34 archdioceses and 157 dioceses in the U.S., 11 cardinals, 64 archbishop, and 371 bishops. The United States has 60,280,454 Catholics (22.8% of the population), 49,009 priests, 19,726 parishes, 89,125 sisters, 6,357 brothers, and 7,562 permanent deacons. Worldwide the Catholic Church has 539 archdioceses, 1,908 dioceses, 807 archbishops, 3,267 bishops, and 404,461 priests to attend 975,937,000 Catholics. 17
(created in 1551), Rio de Janeiro (1676), Sao Luiz do lick, Maranhao (1677), Olinda-Recife (1678), Belem do Para (1719), Sao Paulo (1746), and Mariana (1748). At the end Rcl Hone ityach Gillo Plot Stzurty E of the colonial period, the notion was well established that ,F3 3 '2 3 E' 4, :9) Y 37 pLt 1 3t priests were civil servants. The transition in the Church from being dependent on Vindo the Portuguese crown into being controlled by the Brazilian government mirrored the bloodless transformation of Brazil from a colony into an independent empire in 1822 a Arquidiocese de AoresentaDao and then a republic in 1889. Regent Pedro I, who would Histarico become Emperor Pedro I, had several clerics at his side It Selo Taut() Plano de Pasiora I when he proclaimed Brazil independent from Portugal Magus following the attempt by Portugal to return Brazil to Regiiies Eviscopais colonial status, after a period in which Rio became capital AilissaA A PALAVRA DO CA,RDEAL C.uriosid pries of the Portuguese empire following the royal family Rome ao_3° MIlonlo CATEQUESE E FAMILIA. (2743E9 fleeing from Lisbon in 1808 pressed by Napoleon. cLat • .1 Dom Joao VI, the Portuguese king, arrived in Rio on ettiPott4,111Stlit.-1 March 7, 1808. That Brazilian city then became the Portuguese empire headquarters. One of the clerics was the first person to proclaim Pedro King of Brazil when he cried, "Viva o primeiro rei do Brasil." (Long live Brazil's first king). There were 15 members of the clergy in the National • Offering polemics or just information on religion, Constituent Assembly presided over by Rio's bishop Jose ▪ representatives of different lines of thought in the Caetano da Silva Coutinho that gathered in Rio on April Catholic Church have set their stores up on the Inter17, 1923. The new constitution contained the following net. Dozens of them have already claimed their terriclauses: religious freedom for all Christians and tolerance tory in the brave new land of cyberspace. They contain for non-Christians, who, however, lost their political names and telephone numbers of the hierarchy, priests rights; Catholicism is the state's religion and the state has and parishes. They also present schedules of masses, the obligation to maintain it; bishops had the right to times of TV and radio programs, and explanations of censor publications dealing with dogma and morals. the doctrine or the sacraments. The new constitution didn't please the emperor, howThe all-encompassing Mundo CatOlico, for exever, and Pedro I selected a committee to write the Impeample, seems to be a complete site with dozens of links rial Constitution of 1824 under which Brazil was govto other Catholic homepages. The sites from the archerned until the Proclamation of the Republic. Most of the dioceses of Sao Paulo and Rio don't hide their ideoreligious provisions were spared by the facelift. "The logical preferences. The first one even has a section Roman Catholic Apostolic religion," read the new charcalled Polemics, in which Catholics are invited to ter, "will continue being the religion of the empire. All discuss topics like abortion, contraceptives, globalizaother religions will be permitted with their domestic and tion, and divorce. Here are some of the main WEB private observances, in houses destined for that purpose, sites: without any exterior form like a church." The clergy was Sao Paulo Archdiocese - http://www.cidadanet. to be supported by the nation's treasury. During the last • org.br/arquidiocesesp/ days of Portuguese rule the stipend had been so meager Conferencia Nacional dos Bispos do Brasil that the clergy lived in a state close to misery. http://cnbb.org.br Regalism was the order of the day during the reign of, Igreja Nova (New Church) - from a group of Pedro 1(1822-1831) and then during the regency (1831laymen from Recife - http://bbs.elogica.com.br/users1840) with Pedro II still too young to assume the governigrejanova ment. Messages from the pope required the imperial Mon& Cab:Idle° - http://www.zaitek.com.br/ placet and dioceses and religious orders suffered continu—salvador/catolic.html ous secular interference. During the 19th century some Rio Catalieo (from Rio's archdiocese) - http:// religious communities simply disappeared. arquidiocese.org.br The so-called 'religious question", which opposed the clergy and masonry, is believed to be one of the main I. .11 causes for the Brazilian Empire's downfall and the Procschool 'fours and the state didn't have to pay the instruclamation of the Republic on November 15,1889. An tor. important issue at the time was the decision of the Church The Catholics were allowed to keep their own to not accept the Emperor as supreme arbiter of religious schools. The ensuing constitutions in 1934, 1937, and matters. 1946 Maintained the same approach of a free Church in The demands of separation between Church and state a free State. The 1946 constitution introduced the noby the anti-imperial forces were promptly meted after the tion that the federal, state, and municipal governments emperor's fall. On January 7, 1890, a decree abolished the cannot levy taxes "on places.of worship of any sect." patronage of the Church by the state and separated both MANIPULATING THE CHURCH institutions. The separation between Church and State Despite the impression to the contrary, the Catholic also meant that public instruction would be laic. As for Church was never a serious power in Brazil. The Emreligious instruction, according to the Federal Republican pire smothered it and the New Republic wanted disConstitution promulgated on February 24, 1891, it could tance from it. Both seemed interested in making it as be given in public schools as long as it was taught after innocuous as possible. The installation of the republic AuqueLocese de Silo Pada Neiseepe
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BFtAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
was a blessing for Catholicism. With the separation of Traditional fetish cults have become a second religion Church and State, Rome was finally able to create the for many who don't see any conflict between going to a bishoprics the Empire had always denied. In 1889 there voodoo cult Friday night and then to a Mass on Sunday. were only 12 dioceses in Brazil. By 1960 through the Brazilians proverbial tolerance has also attracted a masaction of Popes Leo XIII, Benedict XV, Pius XI and Pius sive influx of Protestant denominations starting at the end XII this number had grown to 25 archdioceses and 87 of the 19th century and including Anglicans, Baptists, dioceses. It wasn't before 1905 that the country had its first Lutherans, Methodists and Presbyterians. After World cardinal in the person of Dom Joaquim Arcoverde de War II new groups arrived, namely Jehovah's Witnesses, Albuquerque. Mormons, Pentecostals and adherents of the Four Square Similar to what happened in Franco's Spain, Mussolini's Gospel. The Pentecostals in particular were very successItaly, and Salazar's Portugal, the Church in Brazil also ful in attracting new faithful. backed the dictatorship even though there were some In 1960 the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil dissonant voices. The Catholic hierarchy was in favor of drafted a road map to improve the Church's image and the Getfilio Vargas dictatorship during the '30s, helped prevent further erosion of the faithful. Appealing to protopple Joao Goulart's left-leaning but democratically grams of social action the bishops proposed mass educaelected government in 1964, applauded the introduction of tion by radio, agrarian reform, and unionization of rural the Al 5 (Institutional Act 5), a dictatorial decree from workers. Almost 40 years later these problems continue to 1968, which muzzled the media and placed federal censors be the main preoccupation of the Church and the society. in the press rooms. The good will tide only started to The following document signed by the three Brazilian change after members of the clergy were imprisoned and cardinals was released in April 1963, but it seems written just last week: "Brazil is an underdeveloped country tortured. The Catholic Church and auwhere the masses do not share in thorities never broke some inforthe progress of the country and mal ties. In practice, the Church where poverty and premature and Catholic religious associations death exist on a large scale and always continued to administer welwhere the impact between rural fare, health and education funds and urban realities generates very furnished by the government. The grave consequences of loss of Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Our Lady ApCatholic Church has become the individuality. It is an order of peared) has become the most important relide-facto "official" religion since things where a minority disposgious symbol in Brazil. The cult of the saint, most of the population declare being of resources has full access to who is black due to the fact that it remained culture, health, comfort and ing Catholics. underwater for a long time, started in 1717 Priests, however, have very little luxury while a majority deprived after some fishermen fetched a 15-inch terraauthority over a flock that is Cathoof resources is denied the exercotta statue in their net in the Paraiba do Sul lic by tradition and not by faith. For cise of many of the fundamental River, in a region between Sao Paulo and Rio. most people religious duties are just and natural rights enumerated in Legend has it that the fishermen were having a Pacem in Terris encyclical (by social obligations and they go to a hard day with no catch and then had an abunJohn XXIII), such as the right to church only on special occasions dant and miraculous fishing catch after the existence and to a decent stansuch as weddings, funerals and trastatue appeared. dard of living." ditional ceremonies on Christmas The fame of the statue grew with time and Regular meetings by the Braand Easter for example. it gained its first chapel in 1745. The first zilian hierarchy to discuss naReligious tolerance in Brazil? It pilgrimages to the area that is today Aparecida tional issues of the Church and to never existed, says Antonio Flavio started around that time. In 1822, the year prepare collective pastorals Pierucci, a professor of sociology Brazil was declared independent from Portustarted in 1901. The first Brazilat Universidade de Sao Paulo. Says gal, Emperor Pedro I proclaimed Nossa ian council of bishops was held he, "Catholicism was the official Senhora Aparecida patron saint of Brazil. More in 1939. Today, next to the United religion since colonial times, state than one century later, in 1930, Pope Pius XI States, Brazil has the largest religion and exclusivist." confirmed that title and in 1946 the Aparecida Catholic hierarchy in the world. FREE FOR ALL Basilica started to be built. The image was But the Church has lacked a powThales de Azevedo, a clerical restored in the late '70s after being broken by erful voice for a long time. The sociologist, wrote in Social Change a fanatic. first Brazilian Catholic newspain Brazil in 1957: "If preventive More than 3 million pilgrims visit the Baper was published in 1930. measures are not taken in due time, silica of Aparecida every year. Hundreds of In some particular ideological the Brazilian Church shall have to thousands flock to the city on October 12, the areas, however, the Church lobby endure great if not irretrievable saint's day. Last year, 215,000 pilgrims went has become more and more brazen losses, and most of Brazil may perto Aparecida on that date. Tens of thousands of and powerful since the first days of haps be lost to Catholicism." The people go to the little town every weekend. the republic. They have been able lack of Brazilian priests has made With the exception of Mexico's Virgin of for decades, for example, to preBrazil for a long time a missionary Guadalupe and Poland's Czechestowa sanctuvent legislation allowing divorce, land. By the mid '60s about half of which was introduced only in 1977. the country's clergy were foreignary, no other Catholic shrine gets more visiThanks to their efforts, abortion ers. tors. continues illegal in the country. A shallow faith by Catholic adOne of the main proofs of their herents has made Brazil into a ferforce was their ability to introduce in the 1988 Constitution tile ground for the development of Protestantism, African the obligatory teaching of religion. • cults, spiritualism and plain secularism.
Patron Saint
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
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would e to renew my subscription to Brazzil. The magazine is worth much more than it costs. The problem is the mixing of filthy stuff with the excellent material you publish. Have you thought about off ering_an edition with and another one without filthy stuff and naked pictures? This way we would be able to have the magazine around the house with children or in my case with a modest American wife. What can we do? Jack E. Wyant Grandview, Washington
BIOPIRACY AND RAPE was casua y perusing t e uy issue of Brazzil at the Brazilian Consulate in Chicago when I came to the interesting and well written article: "Green Piracy" by Alessandra Dalevi (one complete with addresses, lists and approp"riate vignettes). The author clearly presents Brazil's case against biopiracy and the pharmaceutical rape of a very biodiverse biosphere called Amazonia. It's a shame that the indigenous natives—who knowingly or unknowingly shared their valuable medical secrets to the outside world—receive little if any compensation or credit. The natives generosity (or the theft of the medical knowledge) helps soothe and cure some of the medical aches, pains, and woes. I applaud the author, the article (it should appear in all major newspapers around the world) and your magazine. One that I now want to subscribe to. Prof. W. D. Curran South Holland, Illinois
THE WHOLE PICTURE wou to congratu ate you on your fantastic magazine and your liberal approach in publishing articles that_present a wide panorama showing not only Brazil's positive side but also the country's economic and sociologic problems. Victor M. Gutierrez San Ysidro, Cali ornia
KEEP DRUMMING t in :razz/ is great. ave gotten so much from your magazine that I don't know where to start. Fam a drummer in a youth bateria in San Francisco. We "specialize" in Afro-Brazilian rhythms and I would like you to print more articles on baterias from Brazil. I am 15 years old and I think I will be reading Brazzil for a long time. Muito obrigada. Elizabeth Silva San Francisco, California It is difficult to believe, butI've just found two friends who do not know about Brazzil. Both will be celebrating their birthdays this month, so, please, rush a one year gift subscription to both of them. Keep up the good work. F. Ruecker Long Beach, California
LESSENING THE DISTANCE
radio station in Sap Francisco and I play a lot of Brazilian music. I've been a big fan of Brazilian culture for many years, but I've never been in Brazil. Your magazine brings me a little closer. Robert Lehr San Francisco, Cali ornia BRAZZIL TO BRAZIL Hi, there. I study English at a schoo called Cultura Inglesa here in Brazil. Somehow my teacher got an article from your magazine and nowl am very interested about Brazzil.I would like to know more on how to subscribe so I can receive your publication. Felipe Hirai Sdo Paulo, Brazil
WE ARE RUSHING I ave su scri ges to ews ram Bray and Brazzil for several years. Lately, my issues are coming very late in the month. It is the 21st and I just received this month issue. This has been the case for most of 1997. One of the main reasons I subscribe is to use the calendar of upcoming events for the current month. If I do not get the current month's issue early in the month, the calendar is not useful. David A. Mason Albany, California I'm so happy to receive your magazine, but there is always a but. I receive it pretty much by the middle of the month, and we get to miss a lot of good stuff from the Calendar at the beginning of the month. So, please try to send it to me earlier. Maria Zara Carvalho San Diego, California
NAGGING DOUBT P ease in. enc ose • my c ec or two subscriptions. I was wondering if any of your articles have covered the shocking (to me) adultery laws which are still in effect and are used by particularly vengeful cornos (cuckolds). 1 wonder if any man has been convicted of this crime. 1 hope you can shed some light on this serious issue and I am looking forward to my new subscription. Suzanna Lowell Los An des, Cali ornia
TO KEEP IN TOUCH I wou d like to sp ascribe to Brazzil. Our
Brazilian Club here in Kansas is planning to publish a newsletter directed to the Portuguese students in the area. .I hope your magazine will bring u§ some ideas .and keep us updated on what is happening in Brazil. Mariana Nissen da Costa Paiva Lawrence, Kansas
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WAN NA TALK Firm y, ouno it! at a marve ous little place is your WEB site. I was fascinated by your magazine. I want to subscribe to Brazzil. By the way, I tried to get into your chat room, but I received a message saying: illegal operation. So I gave it up. Via Internet E-mail: saudade@,sprynet.corn
ilIII II You allgo a long way to erase my saudades of Brazil. Thanks. Margaret McGuan Los Gatos, California
MUSICAL CHEERS I enjoy reading Bruce Gilman:s articles about music on Brazzil. The history of choro, for example, was great.. I play acoustic music (mandolin and guitar) of all types and I love Bahia and bossa nova (Tom Jobim and Jacob do Bandolim are heroes). Keep up the great work Pat McClintock o, Illinois
BROWN-STRUCK I read Bruce Gilman's article on Carlinhos Brown after searching for it on the WEB. It is very well written and_gave me some insight into his career that 1 was not aware of. I recently returned from Europe and was very fortunate to have been able to attend two of Carlinhos' concerts, one in Switzerland, and one in The Netherlands. I must say, I have been to hundreds of concerts and seen probably thousands of performers, so needless to say it has gotten very difficult to impress me. Then came Carlinhos! His show in Montreux (along with Gilberto Gil & Djavan ) was one of the most incredible and exciting musical experiences of my life! The energy, the quality of the musicianship, the sheer entertainment and love. of performing that was evident, was nothing short of amazing. I would like to obtain any additional information you might have on him, and I am very interested in learning when he will appear in California. Take care and keep up the good work. Mark D. Swanson Via Internet E-mail: m.swanson@viewlogic.corn
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A visit to a nt of landless farmers near legre,_ capital of the state of Rio G nde,do Sul, reveals a gr,ijja*vtopiarttlers. Even subsidized by the go rnment they have a tough time ma ng ends meet and they know they will never be able to earn enough to support a modern lifestyle.
When I told an American friend I was researching the Landless Farmers' (Sem Terra) movement in Brazil, she found the concept hard to understand. If they don't have land, she asked, why don't they buy some? Isn't their real problem a lack of money? Why do they think the government should give them land for nothing? These questions were on my mind when I spoke with Jonas Ricardo, a spokesman for the Movimento Sem Terra in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. He responded with a long lecture on Brazilian history. Ever since the 1500s, when Brazil was discovered by the Portuguese, land has been unjustly distributed. Most of the Indians were exterminated and Africans were enslaved. Wealthy landowners have exploited rural workers, who have no real chance to start their own farms. Much land is not even used, but held for speculative purposes, while the landless go hungry. The Landless Farmers' movement wants the government to take this land and distribute it to the hundreds of thousands of poor farmers who have no land of their own. But doesn't this go against the trend towards free markets and private enterprise, I asked? Did they want a socialist economy such as that in Cuba? Jonas insisted that their movement was not based on any foreign model. What they wanted was for everyone to have a secure place to live, with a decent income, health care, education and a supportive community life. It's an appealing vision, much like we remember life among homesteaders living on free land on the American frontier. But can it work today? Can small farmers compete 22
with large commercial agriculture? Can life on a small plot of land be attractive in a world which is entering the twentyfirst century? The press coverage of the Landless Farmers' movement has focused on the dramatic invasions which occur when groups of would be farmers move onto land they want the government to give to them. These invasions are often resisted by the people who own the land, leading to bitter conflicts and sometimes even to killings. The government wants the would be farmers to request the land legally through the government's land reform agency, instead of simply seizing it. The Movement believes that invasions are justified because without them the government won't really do anything. This is a hard principle for a democratic society to accept. Why should people follow the rules of the game, if benefits are given first to those who violate them? Brazilian tradition, however, has often recognized squatters' rights because of the need to find some way to meet people's needs when the legal system is ineffective. I was not so much interested in the ethics of land invasions, however, as in the question of what the Landless Farmers would do with the land once they got it. So I asked Jonas to arrange a visit to one of the most successful settlements. He recommended a visit to Nova Santa Rita, a rural community on the outskirts of Porto Alegre. This settlement has been legally recognized for ten years. The land which they occupy was a private farm and alcohol factory which had gone bankrupt and been repossessed by the Bank of Brazil. The Bank wasn't doing anything with it, so it was a comparatively easy matter for the National Agrarian Reform Institute (INCRA) to turn it over to them. We had the good luck to arrive at Nova Santa Rita on a Sunday afternoon just as they were celebrating a wedding. Everyone was singing and dancing and feasting on skewered meat in the traditional Gaucho style. The happy scene was reminiscent of an Israeli Kibbutz, not as they are now, but as they were back in the 1940s when the movement was just getting established. A tightly knit community held together by a common cause and a vision of a better future. There is, in fact, some organizational similarity to a Kibbutz. Many of the residents of Nova Santa Rita have formed a cooperative called Coopan. Most of the members grew up on small family farms, and they saw that their parents just scraped by financially. They hope they can do better as a cooperative, because they will be able to afford to buy agricultural equipment such as tractors, one of which can serve twenty families. They can also organize day care centers, and purchase supplies more cheaply. Membership in the cooperative is completely voluntary, however, and most of the families in the settlement have chosen to remain on private plots. The cooperative has 800 of the 2040 hectares of land. Living in an agricultural settlement is an appealing way oflife, as long as one does not mind the absence of television, movie theaters, night clubs, shopping centers or other pleasures of modern life. The residents entertain themselves with sports, and have a rich spiritual life thanks to the presence of several nuns who live with the community. The Landless Farmer's movement is strongly supported by progressive activists within the Catholic Church, who see it as an assertion of human dignity and concern for the poor. One might think that the residents would be grateful to the government which made this rural idyll possible. But they are not. The residents are certain that, left to its own initiative, the government would do nothing to help them. The government responds only to pressure, and then it gives them less than they really need. The leader of the cooperative thought that President Fernando Henrique Cardoso was a very intelligent man who was following the same liberal policies as in other countries. The real power in Brazil, he thought, was the United States. The Brazilian government acted for the upper middle class, not the workers. This was just his opinion, he hastened to add. The community is not affiliated with any political party, and members have a BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
variety of ideological views. As is often the case with utopian communities, economics is a fly in the ointment. In a sense, my American friend was right. The Landless Farmers' movement is not so much about land as about money. Without government subsidies, the farms would not be viable, at least in the short run. They receive subsidized credit from the government, paying an interest rate of 2%. Even so, they have difficulty making ends meet. Last year, Nova Santa Rita had no harvest because of a drought, and was unable to make the payments on its subsidized government loans. On the way home from Nova Santa Rita, I asked our escort whether they had analyzed the agricultural economics of the settlement. Is it possible for 100 families to make a decent living on 2040 hectares of land? He said they knew that it was impossible. At best, the settlers might scrape out a bare subsistence from the land, eating food they have grown themselves and living in homes they build with their own hands. There would never be enough income to support a modern lifestyle. What they hope is that they can organize industries or businesses on the settlements to supplement the agricultural income. For this, also, they would require government subsidies. This has been the experience, also, of the Israeli Kibbutzim. Despite generous state subsidies, they have often been forced to go into nonagricultural activities in order to survive. Sometimes the members work off the Kibbutz to bring in income. The law assumes that the settlers will eventually break away from the government programs and become independent farmers. But the movement discourages this, and as yet, none have done so. Their survival depends on government subsidies. The Cardoso administration extends them this support, because they see it as a dignified way of helping people who are eager to help themselves. They view the program as a way of providing at least a temporary respite for people who are excluded from the modern economy. First
Lady Ruth C rdoso is proud of the fact that they have settled 40,00 families, many more than any previous administratio , and they hope to settle 100,000. The activi ts deny that the government is doing its best to help, and emand that the government instantly turn over any land hey occupy. This leads to conflict with land owners, and a breakdown in orderly process as land invaders push them elves ahead of people who have waited their turn in line. One thing both the settlers and the administration agree on is the unresponsiveness ofthe government bureaucracy. Ruth Cardoso told me that the biggest problem in all the s cial services has not been the lack ofmoney but simply th incapacity of the government apparatus to carry out its fu ctions. They have appointed a new director of INCRA an given him great flexibility to reorganize the bureaucracy. President ardoso's other initiative is to extend many ofthe benefits iven to settlements to small farmers throughout the countr . In August, 1997, he announced a program which will all w farmers a line of credit up to $10,000 to purchase land In keepin with the principle of decentralization, he plans to turn r sponsibility for administering the agrarian reform over ty the states. Funding, will come from $150 million of federal money, which they hope will be supplemented by $20 million from the Interamerican Development Bank. With this program, Cardoso believes it will be possible to settle 297,000 families by the end of 1988. With this new program in place, invasions may no longer be viewed as the only effective way to get government support for small farmers. Ted Goertzel is a Sociology professor at the Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey. He is the author of five books, the latest two being Linus Pauling: A Life in Science and Politics and Turncoats and True Believers: The Dynamic.r of Political Belief and Disillusionment. You can contact him through his E-mail: goertzel@crab.rutgers.edu
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their electoral bases. On July 1st the Brazilian government's much lauded Plano Real celebrated three years of success in rescuing a So far the receipts brought in by the ongoing privatization chaotic economy once on the brink of disaster. Even the process have somehow helped the government compensate skeptical Brazilians, so many times taken for a ride by for the deficit, but Brazilian economists unanimously agree previous failed plans, have accepted the success of the that, without the reforms and the consequent reduction of public spending, privatization is only a partial solution to the stabilization achieved by this plan. Opinion polls conducted all over the country show that the population's approval of problem. If the government doesn't create mechanisms to Plano Real has increased, and any doubts about its effiavoid new debts ,the sell-off of its patrimony will be only ciency have been gradually dissipating. enough to pay interests, leaving the principal unchangeable. At the government level, President Fernando Henrique Cardoso (FHC)—considered Plano Real's mentor—celTRADE DEFICIT ebrated while counting on the plan's achievements to take him to a victorious bid to a second-term mandate in next Another point of concern is the trade deficit, expected to year's elections. reach $12 billion this year according to the latest estimates. Nevertheless, some of the government's officials, inThe balance of payments—which records the trade flows of cluding minister of finance Pedro Malan, were reluctant to imports and exports of goods, services and capital—regisjoin in the celebrations of Plano Real's tered a $2.1 billion defithird anniversary, expressing caution cit in the first six months as to the future of the plan. Despite of '97, while during the the general optimism of the populasame period of 1996 it tion and of FHC's allies and adverregistered an $8.2 billion saries alike, there is a consensus that surplus. The latest figures Plano Real is about to enter a delicate reflect the increasing defiphase, which will be decisive for its cit in current transactions consolidation. With inflation in de(the negative result from cline and at its lowest level in 40 the sum of the services years, the plan still has major chaland trade balances) which lenges ahead, namely the reduction reached $15.6 billion in of the budget deficit and the continuthe first six months ofthis After three years of success with ity of stability with sustained growth. year against $7.7 billion inflation brought to its lowest level in Just to give an idea, the public during the same period in 40 years there are few skeptics left sector debt is expected to reach 5% of 1996. who doubt the efficiency of Plano gross domestic product (GDP) at That means the inflow Real. The plan, however, still has year's end. Translated into numbers, of foreign capital, albeit major challenges ahead, namely the those 5% represent approximately a strong, was not enough to reduction of the budget deficit and $40 billion deficit incurred by the cover the deficit, forcing sustained growth. executive branch; the 27 states and the government to use 5.525 municipalities; the Social Se$2.147 billion from the MARTA ALVIM curity system and the public entercountry's reserves to fiprises owned by federal, state and nance its overseas transcity governments. As there are limits actions in the period. to the extent for both borrowing and Analysts estimate that the increasing revenue, administrative current account deficit President Fernando Hennque Cardoso and fiscal reforms must take place in will reach $36 billion by order to solve these problems. Acthe end of the year comcording to minister Malan, if only the pared to $17 and $24 bilSocial Security reform had been aplion in 1995 and 1996 reproved in 1996 the country would spectively. have saved $1 billion this year. On the other hand, The visible result of the debt is Banco Central's (Central the deterioration of infrastructure as Bank) recent announcewell as of vital public services, such ment that foreign reserves as health, education and law enforcehad reached $60.3 billion ment. Recently, major Brazilian citin July—an increase of ies witnessed a bloody strike led by $2.8 billion from June— Policia Militar (uniformed stateshows that investors are owned police force), whose demands confident that the trade for higher salaries could not be met balance will not cause a by state governments—themselves on currency crisis in the the verge of bankruptcy. The populashort-term. tion, often overburdened by taxes Looser monetary polihikes to make up for the public deficies and a devaluation of cit, were left to fend for themselves the real (which some beagainst the resulting upsurge in crime. lieve is 20% overvalued) However, the stalemate continhave been suggested as a ues as the proposed constitutional way to stop the balance reforms introduced to Congress two of payments' increasing years ago have yet to be approved. deficit. Proponents of And with election season about to such measures contend begin, it is even more unlikely that that, by modifying the they will be voted on before 1999 current exchange rate since expenditure reduction propospolicy, an increase in exals are unrealistic in election times. No politician in his right ports would follow as the price of Brazilian goods would frame of mind would risk his (or her) political ambitions by again become attractive to overseas markets. Unfazed by the getting involved in controversial measures that might upset pressures, government officials have refused to adopt such
REAL(ITY) CHECK
24
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
alternatives, betting that Brazilian companies themselves will find solutions to become competitive by ways of modernization, productivity and cost reduction. INFLATION
STOCK MARKET Despite the plunge of Brazilian stocks last July, the stock market has beep by far the country's best investment in the past six years r so. In 1991 the lbovespa (index used by financial speci, lists to measure the average yield of shares) was around 12)0 points. In mid-August it reached 12500 points. During his 6-year period, the Ibovespa had gains of 930% in real te •ms compared to the 420% yielded by CDB's and the 123% rofitability of savings accounts. The upsurg in foreign investments, the privatization of state-owned co panies and controlled inflation are credited for the specta ular stock market profits. In 1991, for instance, Telebr s (state-owned telecommunications giant) shares were va ued at $6.6 per block of a thousand shares. Today they are trading at $ 1 1 6.
The deindexation of the economy, together with the exchange rate policy adopted by Plano Real's management team, are considered by far the most important measures that led to inflation reduction. Before the plan, the perverse indexation mechanism tied salaries and price indexes readjustments in such a vicious circle that inflation kept feeding itself until it reached a record high of 7000% in June of 1994. On top of the deindexation process and the adoption of a strong currency, the government also put in place high interest rates that slowed consumption, while removing tariff barriers to imports. Although not heterodox like previous plans which imMarta Alvim is a Brazilian journalist, posed price freezes and confiscation of bank deposits, the freelance translator and interpreter. measures adopted by Plano Real have also had a significant You can reach her at impact on Brazilian society: On the up side, it increased the iii bralv low-income population buying power and reduced poverty. Statistics show that in 1996 25.1% of the population had been classified as poor compared to 33.4% in 1994, and 27.8% in 1995. On the down side, it put a strain on the middle class budget due to the combination of high prices of goods and services and lack of salary adjustments in the past three years. AIR - IATA 01-1-9279-012 However, price indexes have been showing a downward pattern. OCEAN - FMC 3853 The Finance Ministry predicts an annual inflation of 5% in 1998, while economists are even more optimistic, predicting a 4% rate for next year. TO ANY AIRPORT IN BRAZIL With inflation under control, the question now is whether it's possible to maintain a long-term sustainable growth in investment, employment and productivity of the economy. According to studies conFULL ONTAINER OR LESS ducted by the Applied Economics TO NY PORT IN BRAZIL Research Institute (IPEA), an entity (EXCEL ENT CONTAINER RATES) linked to the Ministry of Planning„ the answer is yes. The Institute, usually very conservative in its estimates, has recently published a 424 page book titled 0 Brazil na Virada do Milenio (Brazil at the turn of the MillenSHIPPER'S DOOR PICK-UP imm,AIR/OCEAN FREIGHT nium) in which it shows that in the year 2006 Brazil will have approxiCUSTOMS CLEARANCE (INCL. ALL DUTIES) =0 mately 178.5 million inhabitants and a gross national product at $1.3 trillion. GDP growth should be 7% annually, unemployment rates will be very low and inflation should be at a rate of 4%. Furthermore, the expected increase in productivity and resulting growth ofthe economy should make for a 52% gain in wages in real terms. IPEA stresses that economic projections are always subject to mistakes. However, if the necessary fine-tuning of Plano Real is done, and if the Brazilian economy is not affected by unexpected international crises, then the plan will have achieved its consolidation goal.
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Conversa Talking ao on the telefone Phone DECIO TORRES CRUZ — ' morning! TOW-U World Away Traveler, ' help ya?—cumprimentou-me uma voz do outro lado da linha, comendo metade da pergunta e traduzindo para a linguagem a correria da cidade. A voz, embora nao soasse suave como a noite de Fitzgerald, tinha um certo que de calor humano dificil de se encontrar por essas plagas nova-iorquinas. —Bom-dia!—respondi em ingles. —Um amigo me informou que voces possuem urn servico courier corn passagens bem baratas. Gostaria de saber se voces oferecem esse servico para o BRAZIL, enfatizei bem para evitar confus6es as quais já havia me acostumado devido ao parco conhecimento geografico que abunda por aqui. —Claro que sim! Que cidade no Brasil o senhor deseja?—espantou-me a voz, que sabia que no Brasil havia cidades! Finalmente estou lidando corn alguem que faz parte das raras excecOes. —Olha, estou planejando ir para SALVADOR, na BAHIA, disse, articulando as vogais e consoantes americana para nao provocar desentendimentos. —Temos sim—respondeu-me a voz simpatica. Temos voos para San Salvador corn escalas. "Epa! Comecour, pensei corn minha gola, pois minha camisa de malha nao tinha bot6es. — Escute—disse eu meio apreensivo, ja temendo urn outro desfecho e ir parar no n-ieio de alguma guerrilha na America Central como ocorria ha alguns anos. — Estou falando de Salvador, capital da Bahia, B-A-H-IA (soletrei), no Brazil, America do SUL! Embora algumas pessoas chamem Salvador de sao Salvador, ela nao 6 em El Salvador, o pals da America Central, entende?—enfatizei, acostumado corn o desvio de minhas cartas para El Salvador, ate aprender a colocar ern letras garrafais SOUTH AMERICA ao lado da palavra tambem garrafal BRAZIL, pois o nome do pals so nao era garantia de destino para os funcionarios do correio americano. Na minha mente vinham lembrancas de adolescencia quando fiz o exame de proficiencia em ingles da universidade de Michigan. 0 exame havia sido adiado pois as provas foram parar naquele pals BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
DECIO TORRES CRUZ morning! TOW-U World Away Traveler, 'help ya?", greeted i e a voice at the other end of the line, swallowing ha f of the question and translating into language the h stle and bustle of the city. Although the voice didn' sound tender as Fitzgerald's night, it had a certain k nd of warmth difficult to be found in this part of the country. "Good mor ing! A friend told me you guys have a courier servi e with very cheap tickets. I was wondering if you sffer this service to Brazil," said I. "Of course we do! What eity in Brazil do you wish to go to.", the voice astonished me with her knowledge th we had cities in Brazil! At last I am dealing with s mebody who belongs to the group of rare exception "You see, was planning to go to SALVADOR, the capital city of BAHIA," I articulated every vowel and consonant in the American style to avoid misunderstandings ti which I had grown used, due to the frail geographical knowledge that abounds here. "Yes, we do fly there," replied the nice voice. "We've got flights to San Salvador with a stop in San Juan." "Uh-oh! It's gonna start all over again!" the thought of a faux pas crossed my mind. "Listen!," said I somewhat apprehensively, fearing a different denouement and end up in the midst of a guerilla in Central America, as it used to happen in the sixties. "1 am speaking of Salvador, capital city of the state of Bahia, BA-H-1-A" (I spelled out each letter), in Brazil, SOUTH America! Although some people in Brazil call Salvador, Sao Salvador, it is not located in El Salvador, the Central American country, you see?," I stressed the word south, already used to having my letters being missent to El Salvador until the day I learned to write in headline letters SOUTH AMERICA next to the also headlined word BRAZIL, since the name of the country by itself was no guarantor of destination for the US mail workers. Memories of my adolescence carne to my mind, of when I took the exam of proficiency in English from the University of Michigan. The exam had to be postponed 29
em vez de ir para Salvador da Bahia. —Sei muito bem, senhor. San Salvador, na Bahia, no Brazil. Sim, temos voos para la. Nao acreditei! A voz me surpreendera mesmo. E ainda por cima, ela conhecia o termo Sao Salvador, esse jeito tao carinhoso que nOs baianos usamos para se referir a ela. Achei uma fofura alguern em Nova Iorque chamar a minha querida Salvador de San Salvador. Ecos de Caymmi me chegavam aos ouvidos na voz doce (quando era doce) de Gal Costa, trazendo saudades inusitadas do nosso ritmo lento, faceiro, amigo, cadente. De repente, me sinto envolto pela magia baiana, sentindo ate um cheiro de acaraje no ar, coisas que contrastavam totalmente corn o barulho, correria, e a famosa atitude nova-iorquina. Me senti culpado de estar fazendo pouco caso e mal juizo dos conhecimentos geograficos da voz. Mas tambem, depois de um ano respondendo as perguntas de meus co legas de doutorado sea capital do Brasil 6 Buenos Aires e se nos falamos espanhol, nada mais me surpreendia e desenvolvi uma atitude blasé para lidar corn esse tipo de pergunta. A voz era realmente uma excecao! —E quanto custa a passagem?—quis saber. —A passagem ida e volta custa 280 dOlares. —A senhorita tern certeza de que é este realmente o prep para Salvador, Bahia, Brazil?—repeti incredulo, embora o texto em ingles tivesse sido politicamente correto para evitar confronto feminista de preconceito sexual, coisa que tive que me acostumar a duras penas, pois se voce desconhece o jargao feminista, voce acaba quebrando a cara e sofrendo reprimendas iradas das mulheres. —Absoluta! Temos urn vOo que sai depois de amanhd. 0 senhor quer fazer reserva? "Depois de amanhal?", pensei, dessa vez cá corn as mangas da camisa. Precisava refletir. —Olha, posso ligar novamente para reconfirmar depois? Sabe como é, nao estava pretendendo viajar assim tAo de supetdo, em cima da hora. Preciso de um tempo para pensar se terei condicOes. —Pois nAo, senhor. E qual é mesmo o seu nome? —Cruz—dei o meu ultimo nome, pois o primeiro é uma dificuldade terrivel para eles pronunciarem. —C-R-U-Z— soletrei para que ela nao pensasse que eu era parente de Tom Cruise, como já haviam me perguntado varias vezes devido semelhanca fonetica. seu nome e espanhol? —E sim, como é que adivinhou? —Nao sabia se ela queria dizer hispanico em vez de espanhol, e nunca se sabe se ha um preconceito por detras da pergunta ou nao. —Na verdade, meu nome é brasileiro da cruz (e nao da silva), mas a minha pretensa arvore genealogica indica que minha familia é originaria de Sevilha, na Espanha, antes de meus ancestrais se debandarem pelo resto da peninsula iberica, atravessarem os mares, e se engalfinharem pelas florestas brasileiras, metendo urn pe na taba e outro na senzala alheia, se voce consegue entender a ironia do meu discurso pOs-colonial. Como?! Nao, nao moramos mais em florestas, a unica floresta que sobrou foi a amazonica, pois meus ancestrais eram tao anti-ecolOgicos quanto os seus, talvez um pouco menos, porque pelo menos a Amaz6nia ainda esta la, ate quando, se) Deus sabe! A gente vive em casas e edificios, localizados em ruas e avenidas, em cidades modernas e antigas vilas coloniais, algumas grandes, outras pequenas, outras gigantescas, que nem aqui. Mas, continuando, meu outro nome, Torres, vem de Toledo, tambern na Espanha, e nao Toledo em Ohio. A gente no Brasil é tudo uma mistura so, e acho que é por causa dessa minha ascendencia espanhola que o povo daqui fica me perguntando se no Brasil falamos espanhol, tido é? Ah, voce tambem nao sabia que nao falamos espanhol? A gente entende espanhol porque ambas sac, originarias do Latim Vulgar, mas os falantes de espanhol nao nos compreendem. Por que? Acho que é por causa do sistema fonetico, nossa lingua tern mais sons que em espanhol. Nao, nao falamos latim na America Latina, mas falamos urn bando de vulgaridade, sim! 30
because the exam papers were sent to San Salvador, instead of Salvador. lefM17: "I know it very well, sir. San Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. W do have flights to this place!" ffmi&161)&1 ' --I couldn't believe it! The voice really surprised me! On top of that, she knew the term of endearment sao Salvador, this tender way which we, compatriot city dwellers, use among ourselves. I found it so neat for somebody in NY to call my dear Salvador Sao Salvador. Echoes of Dorival Caymmi, who immortalized this name in a song, reached my ears through the sweet voice of Gal Costa, bringing back a nostalgia for our laid-back, singsong, candid, friendly rhythm: Scio Salvador Bahia de Soo Salvador Pedaco de terra que e meu... All of a sudden, in a total contrast with the noise, rus and the famous New York attitude, I am enveloped by the Bahian magical mystique. I can even smell the fragrance of acaraje, that yummy African delicacy sold on the streets by women dressed in African attire. I felt guilty for having misjudged the geographical knowledge of the voice. Well, after a year telling my Ph.D. fellow classmates that the capital of Brazil was not Buenos Aires, nothing else surprised me. I had developed a nonchalant blasé attitude to deal with similar questions or comments. The voice was a real exception! "And how much does the ticket cost?," I was eager to find out. "A round trip ticket costs $280.00." "Are you sure this is the correct price to Salvador, Bahia, Brazil?," I repeated incredulously, attempting a sweet tone to avoid denoting confrontation. "Sure I'm sure! We have a flight which leaves the day after tomorrow. Would you like to make a reservation?" "The day after tomorrow?! It's too early for a quick decision," I thought. "Listen, can I call you back for a confirmation later? You know, I wasn't planning on flying that soon, so abruptly. I need some time to think things out and see if I'll be able to make it." "That's OK, sir. What's your "Cruz," I told her my last name, since my first name presents lots of difficulties for people to pronounce. "C-RU-Z," I spelled it out so that she wouldn't mistake me for a relative of Tom Cruise's, as it'd happened several times due to phonetic similarities. "Oh, is it a Spanish name?" "Oh, yes, how did you guess?" (I didn't know if she meant Hispanic instead of Spanish, and one never knows if this is a biased remark or not). "Actually, my name is Brazilian, but my presumed genealogical tree indicates that my family originated in Seville, Spain, before my ancestors took to the rest of the Iberian peninsula, crossed the seas, and lost themselves' side the Brazilian forests in the 1500s, interfering in th4 lives and businesses of both the native Indians and the f reed immigrated Africans, if you can get the irony ofmy post-colonial discourse. Come again? No, we don't live in forests nowadays, the only original forest left is the Amazon, for my ancestors were as unecological as yours, maybe a little less, because at least the Amazon is still there, God knows for how long. We live in houses and buildings, located on streets;and avenues, in modern and old colonial cities, some big, iome small, some gigantic, just like here. My other name, Torres, comes from Toledo, no, not from Toledo, Ohio, from that beautiful old pearl in Spain. In Brazil we are a total mixture, and I think it's because of my Spanish background that people here keep asking me if we speak Spanish in Brazil, don't you agree? Oh, so you didn't know that either? We understand Spanish, because it has the same root, since we are all romance languages. No, it's not that we use the language only for romance, we also do, but BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
411411 1, NAci, nossa lingua nap é brasileiro, brasileiro é nossa nacionalidade. Ernbora muita gente ache que nossa lingua seja brasileira mesmo, como aqui muita gente acha que voces falam americano e nAo inglés,. nos falamos portuguesbrasileiro e nAo portugues-portugues, entende? Sim, claro, de Portugal. Como 6 que os portugueses foram parar no Brasil? Sei la, dizem que foi por cause de uma falta de vento no mar, mas isso é histOria pra boi dormir. Na verdade os portugueses estavam era cacando umas indiazinhas para comer, sacume? Sim, sei que eles foram politicamente incorretos, mas isso foi ha quase quinhentos anos atras, e os portugueses nao eram nada puritanos como os ingleses. Espanhol? Sim, espanhol frances, holandes, e depois veio gente de todo canto, que nem aqui, so que la o povo se misturou mesmo! Resolvi brincar corn a voz, rev elando urn pouco de intimidades familiares e historicas para quebrar o torn impessoal que essas converses telefonicas sempre adquirem, coisa que adoro fazer. Lembro que quando liguei pare a NYNEX instaler o meu novo numero telefonico, fiquei horas de papo coin a telefonista, que, inusitadamente, parecia nAo ter nada a fazer na vida a nAo ser falar ao telefone. A voz da companhia telefonica acabou me contend° metade da vida dela, filhos, gato, e cachorro! Afinal de contas, telefone 6 pare comunicacao, nAo 6? E haja papo! Essas coisas tambem acontecem por aqui, principalmente quando a solidAo ataca. —E quais sac) as condicaes?—perguntei interrompendo meu devaneio. —Bern, o senhor nap podera lever nenhuma bagagem akin de uma pequena male de tnAo, e terá que retornar dentro de uma semana. Naturalmente, como se trata de servico courier, o senhor terá que lever uma encomenda. —Ah, 6? E como you saber se nAo estarei carregando alguma muamba, ou droga, ou bomba, sei la?—perguntei para me certificar. Isso tudo dava a viagem urn tom de transgressAo, de risco e aventura, A la James Bond. Ja pensou se carrego algo proibido e me barram na alfandega, qual seria a manchete dos jornais? "Professor universitario, corn a desculpa de ester fazendo doutorado no exterior, foi pego corn a mlo na botija contrabandeando drogas!"—imagino a pagina policial do jornal A Tarde. 0 que diriam meus colegas e amigos? Melo, o espito vestido que abalou Salvador, parodio os folhetins dos anos 70: "Giselle, a espiA nua que abalou Paris". — Meu senhor, os nossos servicos sao seguros e de alta confianca!—repreendeu-me a voz, destruindo o ball° da minha fantasia em quadrinhos. — Desculpe, era sO uma brincadeira—minto. —Voltarei a ligar mais tarde. nAo, senhor Cruz, fico aguardando a sua ligacao. —E qual a sua graca?—perguntei em tom de gozacao. —PerdAo?!—retrucou ela, literalmente como eles costumam dizer por aqui quando nAo entendem algo. Ela nAo havia captado a brincadeira no estilo shakesperiano. Tambem era querer demais dapobre coitada, acostumada corn roteiros bem precisos, demarcados dePonto-a-ponto. Na sua pequena cabine onde provavelmente deve atender as ligac6es, nAo havia muito espaco sobrando para imaginacao ou abstraclo. Tudo deveria se resumir a objetividade e a precislo da linguagem. Sem metiforas. —Qual C o seu nome para que eu possa contacta-la diretamente quando voltar a ligar e nAo ter que me perder no labirinto borgeano e no processo penal da burocracia telefonista kaflciaria?—perguntei, obviamente omitindo as referencias literarias pare nAo confundir ou entediar a moo. (ou a senhora, ou o senhor, sei Quem me garante que nAo havia urn travesti de voz rnacia, tipo la Close, do outro lado? Nessa cidade pos-moderna, tudo é possivel, e tudo o que eu tinha como fonte de referencia era apenas uma voz), BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
it's romance because we all originated from Vulgar Latin. No, we don't speak Latin in Latin America, but we speak a lot of vulgarity, mind you. Like I said, we can understand Spanish, but S anish speakers cannot understand us that easily. Why's hat? I think it's because of the phonetic system; our Ian age has more sounds than theirs. No, our language is not Brazilian, Brazilian is our nationality, you see, and althou h many people think our ienguage is Brazilian, as many pe'pie here think that you speak American, we speak Brazilian Portuguese and not Portuguese Portuguese, see? Yes, of co rse, from Portugal! How did the Portuguese end up in Brazi ? They say it was due to a lack of wind in the sea, but I don t ,buy that. Actually, the Portuguese were cruising some Indian girls, or women, to be politically correct, you kn w I don't want to offend you,! had to learn how to use the eminist jargon the hard way after I got here, to avoid being reprimanded, or worse, being sued for my innocence. Sp nish? Oh, yes, Spanish, French, Dutch, and after that peopl came from all over the world, just like here, the difference i that it became a real melting pot there, since the Portuguese after having cruised the oceans, cruised the Indians and th African women as well. Yes, I know they were politicall incorrect, but that was some centuries ago, you see, and t ey were not Puritans at all!" I joked all along, a thing which I love doing, revealing a little of family and historical intimacies to break the impersonal tone these phone conversations always have. I remember when calling NYNEX to have my new phone hooked up, I spent hours talking with the operator, who, unexpectedly, seemed to have nothing else to do but talk on the phone. She ended up telling me about half of her life: her children, her cats and her dogs! After all, telephones exist for communication, don't they? These endless talks, so common in Brazil, also happen here, mainly when loneliness hangs over our souls. "And what are the restrictions?,"! asked interrupting my reverie. "Well, you won't be able to carry any luggage except for a small carry-on suitcase, and you will have to return within a week. Obviously, as this is a courier service, you wil have to carry some envelopes or a package with you." "Oh, reall ? And how am Ito know if! am not carrying some smuggl d item, like drugs, or a bomb, or some top secret piece o information?" I asked to make sure I wouldn't be running in trouble. "I don't think I'm cut out for the role of a spy or a lade runner." All this e veloped the trip with an aura of transgression, of risk and a venture James Bond-like. What if! were to carry sorneth ng forbidden and they stopped me at the Customs. I can i agine the newspaper headlines: "University Professor, al egedly finishing a Ph.D. program overseas, caught red-h nded smuggling drugs into the country!" What would my fr ends and colleagues think of that? "DECIO, THE SPY WI HOUT A CAUSE WHO FOOLED ME," I mix the seventies. film titles fr "Sir, our ervices are perfectly safe and highly trustworthy," the voi e reproached me while destroying the balloon of my comic fantasy. "I'm sor , it was just a joke," I lied. "I'll call you later to confirm." "That's I right, Mr. Cruz. I'll be expecting your call." "And m I know by what name would you smell as sweet, Your race?", I tested her. " ' beg y ur pardon?" She had ot Understood the punning joke, Shakespearean style It was oo much to ask of the poor voice totally used to the precisio of well-defined tours, objectively traced from 31
—Ah, sim, desculpe. Me chamo Mary!—respondeu enfatica, estranhamente me dando o prenome. "Mary! Que coisa mais impessoal, comum, e no entanto, pura! Como deve ser ter um nome que reporta sempre a um simbolo de virgindade e santidade?", pensei comigo mesmo. (Existe outra forma de pensar a nao ser consigo mesmo? E cada uma! [Ou cada duas?] Portugues tern tanta maluquice gostosa de se brincar, principalmente piada de portugues! Depois de dois anos afastado da minha lingua, me deleitava corn certas expresses, e sentia saudades de nossas brincadeiras, de falar besteira, do dicionario de baianes. 0 povo aqui é serio demais). —Obrigado, Mary. Te ligarei mais tarde. A alegria me invadiu de repente. Que maravilha poder passar uma semana em Salvador pelo mesmo prep sue gastei para ir a Daytona Beach no Spring Break, essas ferms de uma semana que sao concedidas aos estudantes americanos para poderem fugir do tedio infernal e do frio invemal Contactei o meu amigo Daniel, que havia me dado a dica, para confirmar se ndo era armacao, e depois fui passear pelas largas ruas de Manhattan em direcao ao Central Park. Traduzido literalmente, "parque central", nao sei porque cargas eletricas, sempre me lembra uma marca de biscoito creme cracker, em born baianes. ,Qual sera a sensacao de comer, no Parque Central, biscoito Aguia Central (ou bolacha, comp se diz no interior da Bahia)? 0, cluvidas filosoficas de besteirol que me tranSportam aos cacos teatrais de minha amiga Fanta Maria da Bofetada, agora Santa Novica Rebelde. Lembrei de outra historia que um amigo me contara. A tia dele, bem baiana, visitando Nova York e querendo ligar para casa a cobrar, dirige-se a um guarda na rua e pergunta em baianes: "Moco, onde é que fica a Telebahia daqui?" Rio das minhas proprias maluquices. A vontade de estar em Salvador era maior do que a de ver o show de Gilberto Gil programado para o Parque na proxima semana: E se essa passagem nao fosse para Salvador? No ano anterior, quase perdia minha reserva em um voo para Daytona Beach na Florida porque a agente da American Airlines tinha me colocado em urn voo para Dayton, Ohio, que de Beach IA° tern nada. Alem de ter que fazer milhares de escalas desnecessarias, iria pagar o triplo do que me custaria, para ir para urn local que IA° pretendia ir. A gente reclama que brasileiro nao sabe escrever, mas o americano escolarizado é pessimo em ortografia. Sera que a norma escrita esta fadada ao esquecimento?—divago enquanto passeio. Lembro a hist6ria do homem que foi parar em Atenas, na Grecia, quando ele s6 queria ir para Atenas, no Texas. Ou era Atenas na Georgia? Tambem nao culpo as pobres coitadas que sao bombardeadas por uma propaganda constante de que o mundo é aqui. Para confundir mais ainda, varias cidades possuem o mesmo nome de cidades europeias e de xaris americanas: Atenas e Paris, no Texas. Napoles na Florida. Toledo em Ohio, e Salamanca em Nova York. Ate uma replica de Nueva Jork, como hablan los hispanicos, pode ser encontrada agora em Las Vegas. E viva o pals do simulacro! Como se nao bastasse as cidades aqui serem todas iguais umas as outr,as, corn raras excecoes, os nomes tambem pouco importam. E tudo padronizado: American Standard, que ironicamente é uma marca de privada. Ando pelo parque lembrando de Simon e Garfunkel, Olodum, John Lennon. A musica me acompanha. Ao longe, escuto um grupo de mitsicos andinos tocando "El Condor Pasa." Penso, repenso, decido! Preciso voltar as minhas raizes. Nao, a minha voz nao ia fazer uma sacanagem dessas. Ela era pura e virgem demais para isso. E la fui eu feliz da vida reconfirmar minha reserva, antevendo e antegozando (pode-se gozar por antecedencia?)os prazeres da terra brasilis. —Boa-tarde! Senhorita Mary? —Sim, eu mesma, quem deseja? —Aqui é aquele brasileiro chato que lhe encheu de perguntas de manhd sobre a passagem para Salvador. —Ah, sim, senhor Cruz. 0 senhor quer confirmar sua 32
place to place. In the voice's tiny office where she probably takes calls, there wasn't much room left for imagination or abstraction. Everything was restricted to the objectivity and precision of language. Without metaphors. "What's your name so that I can contact you directly when I call you back, without having to get lost in the Borgesean labyrinth and the Kafkaesque penal process of phone bureaucracy?" I asked, and obviously omitted the literary references so not to bore the girl (or woman, or man, God knows! Who can guarantee that there was not a transvestite with a soft voice, like RuPaul, at the other end? Everything's possible in this postmodern city, and all I had as a reference point was just a voice). "Oh, yes, I'M sorry. My name's Mary!", she said, giving me her first name. I guess we had become intimate by now. "Mary! What an impersonal, however pure name! What would it feel like to have a name which always implies a symbol of virginity and sanctity?", I thought to myself. (Is there any other way of thinking but to oneself? Language has such crazy expressions! After two years away from my language, I delighted in language games, both in English and Portuguese, and I missed the familiarity of the latter. Brazilians play a lot with language. Americans are too serious for that, at least in academia.) "Thank you very much, Mary. I'll call you later." Suddenly I was overjoyed! How wonderful it would be to spend a week in Salvador for the same price I had paid to go to Daytona Beach over the spring break, those week-long vacations conceded to the American students so that they can catch up with their work, but also escape the infernal boredom of the wintry West cold. I called my friend Daniel, who had tipped me on this service, to make sure that it wasn't a setup, and then went for a walk on Manhattan broad avenues -toward Central Park. Translated literally, the name central park, I don't know why on Mars„ always reminds me of the brand of a Brazilian cracker, Aguia Central. Only Freud could explain the reason for such an association. Conversely, the name in English reads Central Eagle. How would it feel to eat that Brazilian cracker in Central Park? Like an eagle cracking? Oh, philosophical nonsensical doubts which transport me to the impromptu gags of an actor friend in Nunsense, or the Rebel Nuns, as the translation read in Portuguese, in a parody of the translation of the title of the film The Sound of Music. Translations! Words, words, nothing more than' words! So much is lost in the process, so much is gained. I laugh at my own reveries. Go or not to go, that wat my present question! What if the ticket was not for Salvador? Last year I almost missed my flight to Daytona Beach in Florida because the American Airlines agent had booked me for a flight to Dayton, Ohio, which, as far as I know, has no trace of beach. Besides having to make lots of unnecessary stops, I'd end up paying the triple of what it would normally cost me to go to a place I had no intention of going. In Brazil, we complain that Brazilians do not know how to write, but Americans are as bad in spelling. Maybe the rules for written language are doomed to forgetfulness everywhere in the world, I wonder while wandering. I remember the story of a man who ended up in Athens, Greece, when he just wanted to go to Athens, Texas. Or was it Athens, Georgia? The poor operators and travel agents are not to blame, though, since they are constantly massacred by a mesmerizing propaganda that the world is here. To make matters worse, several American cities share the names of European and other American cities. Even a replica of New York may now be found in Las Vegas. Cheers for the country of simulacra! As if it were not enough for every city here to be equal one to the other, with a few exceptions, city names don't mean much either. Everything's standardized: the American Standardk which ironically is the brand name of a toilet. I walk through the park remembering Simon & Garfunkel, BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
reserva? —Sim, mas antes ainda tenho uma pergunta. Onde e a primeira escala? — Deixe-me ver no computador. Ah, o senhor vai parar em San Juan e depois segue para San Salvador. —Voce quer dizer, Salvador da Bahia, nao e? — Sim, la mesmo. — E qual é o nome da companhia? — QWFRT Linhas Aereas. —Ndo entendi. —QWFRT Linhas Aereas. —Estranho, nunca ouvi falar dessa companhia. Ela vai ate o Brasil? — Vai sim. — E qual a duracao de voo? —0 senhor sai de Nova York ate San Juan, sao tres horas e meia. De San Juan ate San Salvador sac, mais duas horas. —Estranho. Cinco horas e meia de voo somente?! 0 minimo sao oito horas e meia. —S6 s5o cinco horas e meia de voo de Nova York ate San Salvador. — Mary, sem querer ser chato, mas voce poderia confirmar se esta cidade para a qual voce esta me mandando, com muamba e tudo, é no Brasil mesmo? —Um momento. (Pausa. Escuto o barulho do teclado do computador do outro lado). — Sr. Cruz, infelizmente a nossa linha nao opera corn o Brasil, so corn a America Central. —0 que!!?—exclamei indignado. — Mary Virgem do ceu, como é que voce me faz perder meu tempo e toda a minha emoy5o quando desde o cpmeco eu vinha lhe dizendo que eu queria ir para Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, America do Sul, e nao para San Salvador em El Salvador, America Central? 0 que vai acontecer corn todos os meus pianos que alimentei durante o intervalo do almoco ate agora? 0 que sera dos meus sonhos de fugir dessa cidade, onde todo mundo vive deprimido e irritado, para ver os amigos, familia, minha terra, passear pela praia, ao sol ou na chuva de junho, tomar agua de coco, corner um acaraje em Itapua corn guarand ou cerveja, passear pelas ruas coloniais do Pelo ao som do Olodum ou do Ile Aye? Dancat forro, corner milho e canjica, tomar !icor? A senhorita sabe o que isso significa? Ndo é a mesma coisa que comer feijoada na rua 46 ou em Newark! —I'm sorry, Sr. Cruz. Infelizmente nao compreendo nada do que esta dizendo, nem posso fazer nada pelos seus sonhos. Talvez o senhor deva acomoda-los a realidade. Se quiser ir para San Salvador, o vOo sai depois de amanha. Caso contrario, passar bem.—e desligou, deixando-me a ver barcos valsando na agua azul do Porto da Barra projetados na parede azul do apartamento. Como posso passar bem depois dessa decepcao? Talvez a nao-tao-virgem mae-do-filho Mary tivesse razao e eu devesse ir conhecer a homonima de minha cidade. Ou talvez eu devesse escrever para o prefeito de Salvador requisitando a volta do antigo nome popular de Cidade da Bahia. Certamente, se os governantes tivessem adotado a fala dos personagens do amado Jorge, eu nao teria passado por essas tribulacOes. Mas personagens literarios so fazem est6ria, pois a Historia, da mesma forma que o minasculo cubiculo de Mary e sua indiferenca aos sonhos alheios, nao tern lugar para a imaginacao. Decio Torres Cruz teaches at the Federal University of Bahia and at the State University of Bahia, in Salvador, Brazil. He is presently a Fulbright scholar on a Ph.D. program in Comparative Literature at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He has published several articles, essays, poems, and short stories in renowned journals, newspapers, and anthologies in different places in Brazil, and also in Buffalo, NY. BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
Olodum, and Jo n Lennon. The music follows me. In the distance, I hear a group of Andean musicians playing "El Condor Pasa". I hink the whole issue over and make up my mind: I must ret rn to my roots. No, my voice wouldn't do such a dreadful t ing. She's too pure and virgin for that. And there I went, happily homeward bound to confirm my reservation, looking forward to the pleasures and jouissance of my homeland. "Good after oon! Is this Mary?" "Yes, who's calling?" "It's that lo hsome Brazilian who loaded you with tons of questions in he morning about a ticket to Salvador." "Oh, yes, . Cruz. Do you wanna make a reservation now? "Yes, but I still have a question. Where's the first stop?" "Let me ch ck in the computer. Your first stop is San Juan, and then ou go to San Salvador." "You mean alvador, Bahia, right?" "Yes, that's right!" "And what irline am I flying?" "QWFRT A rlines." "Pardon me "QWFRT A'rlines." "That's wel d. I've never heard of this airline before. Does it fly to B azi I?" "Sure." "And what' the duration of the flight?" "From New ork to San Juan, it's three hours and a half. rom San Juan to San Salvador it takes two dditional hours." "That's odd! Only five hours and a half? t usually takes at least eight hours and a alf." "Like I said, it's only 5 hours and a half rom New York to San Salvador." "Mary, I'm sorry to be bothering you gain, but could you confirm ifthis city you're sending me to is really in Brazil?" "Just a moment." (Pause. I hear the noise Of the computer keyboard at the other end) "Mr. Cruz, unfortunately our courier service doesn't operate with Brazil, only with Central America." , "What?!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. "Holy Mary, how could you make me waste my time and all my emotion when from the very beginning I kept telling you I wanted to go to Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, South America, and not San Salvador in El Salvador, Central America? What's gonna happen to all the plans I've been feeding from lunch until now? What will happen to my dreams of escaping from this city, where everyone's depressed and irritated, to see my friends, family, my country, arid walk on the beach in the June sun, rain or shine drink c conut water, eat an acaraje with guarana or beer, stroll along the colonial cobblestone streets of Pelourinho at the sound of Olodum or Ile Aye? Do you know what that means? It's not the same thing as eatingfeijoada on 46th Street or in Newark." "I'm sorry, Mr. Cruz. Unfortunately I can't understand a word you're saying. I can't do anything about your dreams either. Maybe you should adapt them to your reality. If you want to go to San Salvador, the flight leaves the day after tomorrow. Otherwise, have a nice day!" and she hung up on me, leaving me struck dumb, watching the boats, which so far had been waltzing on the blue sea of Salvador, start to fade away on the blue wall of the apartment. How can I have a nice day after such disappointment?! Maybe the not-so-virgin Mary was right and I should take the opportunity to know the namesake of my hometown. Or maybe I should write to the city mayor of Salvador requesting the return of the old popular name Cidade da Bahia. Certainly, if the ruling characters had adopted the speech of Jorge Amado's literary characters, I would not be undergoing such tribulations now. But literary characters only make up stories, they don't make history, for History, like Mary's tiny cubicle and her indifference to other people's dreams, • has no place f r imagination. 33
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children to private schools. Almost all university students are from private schools, so very few poor children reach university and the poverty cycle is renewed. Many poor children must work to eat and never attend school. Even for those who are able to go, there aren't enough schools, teachers or desks to go around. The Brizola overnment of Rio de Janeiro was one of the first to un erstand and act upon the connections between povert , hunger and illiteracy, and set up food programs in sc ools. The kids come to school for the food and stay fo the lessons. Some schools have classes at night for tho e children who work during the day. Mass media has also been used in Brazil with some success. Since 1 72, TV and radio educational programs have been on the air. They concentrate on primary (primeiro grau) and secondary (segundo grau) students, but not exclusively. One course consists of 235 radio and TV programs, with the objective of qualifying primary teachers. I In 1989, Universidade Aberta (Open University), a tertiary education program, was introduced. You'll often see the workbooks on newsstands. While thes measures are not enough—many primary school s dents still have only three hours of classes per da —they show that some programs are successful.
Cultural Potpourri You'll have a tough time finding a more musical people than Brazilians. Samba, tropicaltsmo, bossa nova, rock, MPB (Popular Brazilian Music) and a spate of regional sounds make up for a rich melodic cauldron. And Brazilian culture has been shaped by Indians, Africans, and European and Asian settlers. EDUCATHON The government claims a literacy rate of 80% but acc3rding to EDUCAR, the government department for adult education, only 40% of Brazilians old enough to be in the workforce are capable of reading a newspaper with comprehension. The government considers literate those who can write their names, know the alphabet and sound out a few words. In the workplace it has become obvious tha: these people are functionally illiterate. According to the go-,ernment. half of the nation's pupils do not pass the first school year and many do not attempt to repeat it. Oniy two out of every 10 students make it through elementary. school. The remainder drops out to support theinselv:,., and their family. Educaticm in Brazil is based on class. Public schools are so bad that anyone with the means sends their BRAZZIL -SEPTEMBER 1397
ARTS Music Brazilians e among the most musical people on the planet. Where er you go, you'll find people playing, singing and d ncing. Perhaps because of its African roots, Brazili music is a collective act, a celebration, a festa. Brazilian p pular music has always been characterized by great di ersity. Shaped by the mixing of a variety of musical influences from three different continents, the music of the people is still creating new and original forms. Thus samba canctio, for example, is a mixture of Spanish bolero with the cadences and rhythms of African music. Bossa nova was influenced by North American music part cularly jazz, and samba. And the music called tropical smo is a mix of musical influences that arrived in Brail in the '60s, including Italian ballads and bossa nov . Samba—T do dá samba: everything makes for a samba. The mo t popular Brazilian rhythm, samba, was first performed at the Rio Carnaval in 1917, though its origins go bad much further. It is intima ly linked with African rhythms; notably the Angolan t -tam which provided the basis for its music and distinctive dance steps. It caught on quickly after the advent of radio and records and has since become a national symbol. It is the music of the masses. The 1930s are known as the Golden Age of Samba. By then, samba canctio had also evolved, as had choro, a romantic intimate music with a ukulele or guitar as its main instrument, playing off against a recorder or flute. The most famous Brazilian singer of this period, perhaps of all time, is Carmen Miranda. A star of many Hollywood musicals of the period, she was known for her fiery, Lati temperament and her "fruity" costumes. She has since become a cult figure among Rio's gay community, aifid Carnaval in Rio sees many of them impersonating her. Bossa Nova— In the '50s came bossa nova, and the democratic na ure of Brazilian music was altered. Bossa nova was new modern and intellectual. It also became internationall popular. The middle class stopped listening to the old i terpretations of samba and other regional music like the orro of the Northeast. Bossa nov • initiated a new style of playing instruments and sin ing. The more operatic florid style of singing was re laced by a quieter, more relaxed sound; remember the soft sound of "The Girl from Ipanema" composed by he late Antonio Carlos (Tom) Jobim and Vinicius de M raes? Joao Gilberto is the founding father of bossa nova and leading figures, like Baden Powell 35
and Nara Lea° are still playing in Rio. Another bossa nova voice, who became Brazil's most beloved singer, was Elis Regina. Bossa nova was associated with the rising middle class of urban, university-educated Brazil. It was a musical response to other modernist movements of the '50s and '60s such as the Cinema Novo, the Brazilian Modern Architecture of Oscar Niemeyer et al, and other aspects of the cultural life of the nation during the optimistic presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek from 1956 to 1960. Tropicalismo—At the end of the '60s the movement known as tropicalismo burst onto the scene. Tropicalismo provoked a kind of general amnesty for all the forgotten musical traditions of the past. The leading figures--Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Rita Lee, Macale, Maria Bethania and Gal Costa—believed that all musical styles were important and relevant. All the styles and traditions in Brazilian music could be freely mixed. This kind of open thinking led to innovations like the introduction of the electric guitar and the sound of electric samba. Musica Popular Brasileira—Paralleling these musical movements are several incredibly popular musicians who are hard to categorise: they are simply known as exponents of MPB—M6sica Popular Brasileira (Popular Brazilian Music). Chico Buarque de Holanda, who mixes traditional samba with a modern, universal flavor, is immensely popular, as is Paulinho da Viola, a master sambista who also bridges the gap between traditional samba and pop music. Jorge Benjor comes from a particular black musical tradition of the Rio suburbs, but plays an original pop samba without losing the characteristic black rhythms. Another example is Luis Melodia, who combines the samba rhythms of the Rio hills with more modern forms from the '70s and '80s, always with beautiful melody. Milton Nascimento, also from Minas, was elected by readers of DownBeat magazine as the number one exponent of world music. He has long been famous in Brazil for his fine voice, stirring anthems and ballads which reflect the spirituality of the Mineiro (someone from Minas). Brazilian Rock—Derived more from English than American rock, this is the least Brazilian of all Brazilian music. It's all the rage with the youngsters. Groups like Titas, Kid Abelha, Legiao Urbana, Capital Inicial and Plebe Rude are all worth a listen if you like rock music. Heavy metal bands like Sepultura and Ratos do Porao have huge domestic followings. Sepultura are now very famous amongst head bangers worldwide. Brazilian rap music is also popular, with groups like MRN (Movimento e Ritmo Negro) and Racionais MC with their hard-edged lyrics about life in the favelas. Regional Music—Samba, tropicalismo and bossa nova are all national musical forms. But wherever you go in Brazil you'll hear regional specialties. The Northeast has perhaps the most regional musical styles and accompanying dances. The most important is theforro,a mix of Northeastem music with Mexican music—maybe introduced via Paraguay with nuances of the music of the Brazilian frontier region. The forro incorporates the European accordion, the harmonica, and the zabumba (an African drum). Another distinctive type of music is the wonderful Bumba Meu Boi festival sound from Sao Luis in Maranhao. Frevo is a music specific to Recife. The trio eletrico, also called frevo baiano, began much more recently and is more of a change in technology than music. It began as a family joke when, during Carnaval in Salvador, Dodo, Armandinho and Osmar got up on top of a truck and played frevo with electric guitars The trio eletrico is not necessarily a trio, but it is still the backbone of Salvador's Carnaval, when trucks piled high with speakers with musicians perched on top, drive through the city surrounded by dancing mobs But it wasn't popularized until Caetano Veloso, during the period of tropicalismo, began writing songs about the trio eletrico. Afoxe is another important type of black music of Brazil. Religious in origin, it is closely tied to Candomble (Afro-Brazilian religion), and primarily found in Bahia. Afoxe is the most African-sounding music in Brazil. It has been rejuvenated by the strong influence of reggae and the growth of a blackconsciousness movement in Bahia. The influence of the music of the Indians was absorbed and diluted, as was so much of the various Indian cultures in Brazil. In musical terms, several whites have idealized what they thought those influences were. The carimbo, the music of the Amazon region—where the majority of Indians live today—is influenced primarily by the blacks of the littoral. Maybe theforro is the Brazilian music most influenced by the Indians, via Nordestinos (people from the Northeast) who have occupied a good part of the Amazon region since the end of last century. Recent Trends—Pagode, a type of samba that has existed for some 36
time, was recently picked up and promoted by record producers. For some of the best pagode, listen to Bezerra da Silva, who was popular in the favelas before ever recording. Pagode, samba, frevo and forro all have corresponding dances—perhaps a reflection of the African influence on Brazilian music and the Brazilian use of music as a celebration of communication. Lambada is a rhythm with a sensual dance that has become another international success story. Originating in Belem, and influenced by various Caribbean rhythms like rumba, merengue and salsa, lambada became really popular in Porto Seguro, which today is considered its home. From there it spread to the cities of Brazil and eventually to Europe and the USA. It even inspired a couple of terrible Hollywood movies The most successful lambada artist is Beto Barbosa and his group Kaoma, made up of Brazilian, Argentine and French musicians. Other Brazilian musicians who have recorded lambada tracks include Lulu Santos, Pepeu Gomes and Moraes Moreira, and even Caetano Veloso. Also hugely popular is sertanejo, a kind of Brazilian country and western music. It has long been a favorite with truck drivers and cowboys, but has only recently entered the mainstream of popular Brazilian music. Usually sung by male duets wearing cowboy hats, fringed jackets and large belt buckles, sertanejo is characterized by its soaring harmonies and, of course, its lyrics about broken hearts, life on the road, etc. Some of the popular exponents are: Jose Rico and Milionario, Chitaozinho and XororO, and Leandro and Leonardo. Axe, a samba-inspired, pop/rock/reggae/ funk fusion from Salvador, has also become well known thanks to the music of the flamboyant Daniela Mercury. If you want to have a listen to some Brazilian music before you arrive, the "Brazil Classics" series, compiled by David Byrne and distributed by Warner Brothers, is a good starting point. These records are readily available, and cover samba and forro, and feature some individuals like Bahian Tom Ze. Bossa nova records are reasonably plentiful, especially the Grammy-winning collaborations between Brazilian and American artists, like Joao Gilberto and Stan Getz. The Rhythm of the Saints, an album by Paul Simon, was heavily influenced by Brazilian music. It included backing by Milton Nascimento and the popular Grupo Cultural Olodum from Bahia. Purchasing Records & Tapes—The widest selection of records can be found in the large Brazilian cities, like Sao Paulo and Rio. Regional music enthusiasts should check out the selection available at the Museu FolclOrico Edson Carneiro in Rio. Records and tapes (called K7 in Brazil) cost around $8. Compact discs are available in Brazil, but there are doubts as to their quality compared to "imported" CDs. They cost around $12 to $15. Painting & Sculpture The first painters of the colonial period were the Jesuit and Benedictine missionaries, who painted their churches and sacred objects in a European baroque style. The Dutch invasion in the north brought with it some important Flemish artists, such as Frans Post, who painted the flora and fauna in their tropical surroundings. Brazilian baroque art peaked in the 18th century, when the wealth provided by the gold rush allowed talented artists to reach their full potential and create many beautiful works. The acknowledged genius of this period is the sculptor and architect Antonio Francisco Lisboa, better known as Aleijadinho. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Brazilian artists have followed the international trends of neo-classicism, romanticism, impressionism, academicism and modernism. BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
The internationally best known Brazilian painter is Candid° Portinari. Early in his career he made the decision to paint only Brazil and its people. Strongly influenced by the Mexican muralists like Diego Rivera, he managed to fuse native, expressionist influences into a powerful, socially conscious and sophisticated style. Indian Art—In its original form, Indian art was created for religious or utilitarian purposes and was considered part of the Indian way of life. After first contacts with Europeans had been made, Indians were soon visited by traders who perceived their art as valuable items to be acquired by bartering and then sold as curiosities or collectables in Brazil and abroad. Today many Indians produce art items for sale as tourist curios—the income pays their keep on the margin of a society which has destroyed their environment, their way of life, and left no other purpose for their art. The Indians are renowned for a wide range of artistic handicrafts. The plumage of forest birds is used to create necklaces, bracelets, earrings, headdresses, capes and blankets. Some tribes pluck the original feathers from a bird such as a macaw, and smear the plucked area of the bird's skin with a vegetable dye which changes the color of the new plumage. Members of some tribes use dyes and tattoos to decorate their bodies with intricate designs of great beauty. Ceramic arts were a specialty of the Marajo Indians who flourished long before the arrival of the Portuguese, and today the Carajds tribe in the state of Tocantins is famed for its skillfully painted figurines. Grasses, leaves and bark from the forests are used in highly developed Indian handicrafts such as weaving and basketry. The Kaxinawã tribe in the state of Acre is especially skilled at producing woven bags and baskets to transport or store forest foods. Architecture There are many examples of outstanding Brazilian architecture that have been proclaimed by UNESCO as part of the world's cultural heritage. Representing the colonial period are Olinda, in Pernambuco, and the historic center of Salvador, which is considered to be the finest example of Portuguese colonial architecture in the world. In Minas Gerais, the town of Ouro Preto and Aleijadinho's masterpiece, the church of Born Jesus de Matozinhos in Congonhas, represent the golden age of Brazilian baroque architecture. The remains of the 17th-century Jesuit missions in Rio Grande do Sul, on the border between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, are notable for the fine woodcarving and masonry of the Guarani Indians, who achieved their own distinct style. The central urban plan of the capital, Brasilia, also earns a UNESCO rating as a striking example of modern architecture Literature There are a few dozen excellent Brazilian works of fiction translated into English but, sadly, many of today's best writers have not been translated. Machado de Assis is simply world class. The son of a freed slave, Assis worked as a typesetter and journalist in late 19th-century Rio. A tremendous stylist, with a great sense of humor, Assis had an understanding of human relations which was both subtle and deeply cynical, as the terse titles of books like Epitaph of a Small Winner (Avon Bard, 1977) and Philosopher or Dog (Avon Bard, 1982) might sugBRA7_ZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
gest. He wrote five majornovels; my favorite is Dom Casmurro (Avon Bard, 1980). The most famous writelr in Brazil is Jorge Amado. Born near Ilheus, Bahia, in 1912, and a long4ime resident of Salvador, Amado has written colorful romances of Bahia's people and places. Strongly influenced by Communism during his early work, Amado's later books are better, although the subjects are lighter. His books are widely translated and easy to obtain. The best are Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon (Avon Bard, 1974), which is set in Ilheus, and Dona Flor and her Two Husbands (Avon Bard, 1977), whose antics occur in Salvador. Amado's Tent of Miracles (Avon Bard, 1978) explores racial relations in Brazil and Pen, Sword and Camisole (Avon Bard, l96) laughs its way through the petty worlds of military and academic po itics. The Violent Land (Avon Bard, 1979) is another of Amado's classics. The three short stories about a group of Bahian characters that ma e up Shepherds of the Night (Avon Bard, 1980) inspired our first visit to razil. Without a word to was e, Graciliano Ramos tells of peasant life in the sert do - in his best book, B rren Lives (University of Texas Press, 1965). The stories are powerful ortraits—strong stuff. Autran Dourado's The Voices of the Dead (Tapli ger, 1981) goes into the inner world of a small town in Minas Gerais. He as penned another couple of books about Minas Gerais, his home state. Re d anything you can find by Mario de Andrade, one of Brazil's pre-emine t authors His Macunaima is comic and could only take place in Brazil. Clarice Lispector has everal collections of short stories, all of which are excellent. Ligia Fagun es Telles's books contain psychologically rich portraits of women in today's Brazil. Dinah Silveira de Queiroz's The Women of Brazil is about a Portuguese girl who goes to 17th-century Brazil to meet her betrothed. Marcio Souza is a modern satirist based in Manaus. His biting humor captures the horror of t e Amazon and his imaginative parodies of Brazilian history reveal t e stupidity of personal and governmental endeavors to conquer the rai forest. Both the Emperor of the Amazon (Avon Bard, 1980), his first boo , and Mad Maria (Avon Bard, 1985) shouldn't be missed if you're going to the Amazon, but his latest farce, The Order of the Day (Avon Bard, 986), is disappointing. The Impostors (Avon Bard, 1987) by Pablo Vie ci is a humorous novel about Amazon mayhem. The bizarre and brutal Zero (Avon Bard, 1983), by Ignacio de Loyola Brandao, had the honor o being banned by the military government until a national protest helped lift the ban. The Tower of Glass (Avon Bard, 1982), by Ivan Angelo, is all Sao Paulo: an absurdist look at big-city life where nothing that matter , matters. It's a revealing and important view of modern Brazil, 'where all hat's solid melts into air.' Joao Ubaldo Ribeiro's Sergeant Getzilio (Avon Bard, 1980) is a story of a military man in Brazil's Northeast. No book tells better of the sadism, brutality and patriarchy which run through Brazils history. CULTURE Brazilian culture has been shaped not only by the Portuguese, who gave the country its Ian uage and religion, but also by native Indians, black Africans, and other settlers from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Although often igno ed, denigrated or feared by urban Brazilians, Indian culture has helped shape modern Brazil and its legends, dance and music. Many native food and beverages, such as tapioca, manioc, potatoes, mate and guaranci, ave become Brazilian staples. The Indians also gave the colonizers nume ous objects and skills which are now in daily use in Brazil, such as ham ocks, dugout canoes, thatched roofing, and weaving techniques. The influence of A ican culture is also very powerful in Brazil, especially the Northeast. The slaves imported by the Portuguese brought with them their religion, usic and cuisine, all of which have profoundly influenced Brazilian ide tity. All these elements have combined to produce a nation of people well known for their spontaneity, friendliness and lust for life. As you would expect from such a diverse population mix, there are many regional differences and accents. One of the funniest aspects of this regional diversity is the rivalry between the citizens of Rio and Sao Paulo. Talk to Paulistas (inhabitants of Sao Paulo state) and they will tell you that Cariocas (inhabitants of Rio) are hedonistic, frivolous and irresponsible. Cariocas think of Paulistas as materialistic neurotic workaholics. Both Pauli ta and Carioca agree that the Nordestinos, from the Northeast, do things ore slowly and simply, and are the worst drivers! Mineiros, from the state f Minas Gerais, are considered the thriftiest and most religious of Brazil ans—Cariocas claim they're saving up for their 37
tombs! In Brazil time is warped. The cities and their 20th-century urban inhabitants exist only a short distance from fisherfolk, cowboys and forest dwellers whose lifestyles have varied little in 300 years. In the forests, the ancient traditions of the native Brazilians remain untouched by TV soap operas—for the time being. Brazilians have an excellent sense of humor. They adore telling jokes about the Portuguese, in the same way that Americans tell Polish jokes and Australians and Brits tell Irish jokes. If you manage to get a grasp of the language, listen to Brazilians when a group of them get together on the beach or in a corner bar. If you can get past the fact that they all talk at once, you'll discover that the conversation almost always turns to football, criticism of the government, family matters or the latest twist in the current soap opera. So what unifies the Brazilians? The Portuguese language, love of football, Carnaval and the sound of samba. Listen and watch their expressive way of communicating; go to a football game and watch the intensity and variety of emotions, both on the field ad in the stands; experience the bacchanalia of Carnaval and attempt to dance the samba and you may begin to understand what it is to be Brazilian. RELIGION Officially, Brazil is a Catholic country and claims the largest Catholic population of any country in the world. However, Brazil is also noted for the diversity and syncretism of its many sects and religions, which offer great flexibility to their followers. For example, without much difficulty you can find people from Catholic backgrounds who frequent the church and have no conflict appealing for help at a terreiro de umbanda, the house of one of the Afro-Brazilian cults. Historically, the principal religious influences have been Indian animism, Catholicism and African cults brought by the blacks during the period of slavery. The slaves were prohibited from practicing their religions by the colonists in the same way that they were kept from other elements of their culture, such as music and dance, for fear that it would reinforce their group identity. Religious persecution led to religious syncretism. To avoid persecution the slaves gave Catholic names and figures to all their African gods. This was generally done by finding the similarities between the Catholic images and the orixcis (gods) of Candomble. Thus, the slaves worshipped their own gods behind the representations of the Catholic saints. Under the influence of liberalism in the 19th century, Brazilians wrote into their constitution the freedom to worship all religions. But the African cults continued to suffer persecution for many years. Candomble was seen by the white elites as charlatanism that showed the ignorance of the poorest classes. The spectrum of Brazilian religious life was gradually broadened by the addition of Indian animism to Afro-Catholic syncretism, and by the increasing fascination of whites with the spiritualism of Kardecism. Today Catholicism retains its status as the official religion, but it is declining in popularity. Throughout Brazil, churches are closing or falling into disrepair for lack of funds and priests, and attendances at church services are dwindling such that people now merely turn up for the basics: baptism, marriage, and burial. The largest numbers of converts are being attracted to the Afro-Brazilian cults, and spiritist or mystic sects. Nowadays, the intense religious fervor of Brazilians extends across gradations and subdivisions of numerous sects; from purist cults to groups that worship Catholic saints, African deities and the Caboclos of the Indian cults simultaneously. Afro-Brazilian Cults These cults do not follow the ideas of major European or Asian religions; neither do they use doctrines to define good and evil. One of the things that was most shocking to Europeans in their first contact with the African images and rituals was the cult of Exu. This entity was generally represented by combined human and animal images, complete with a horn and an erect penis. Seeking parallels between their own beliefs and African religions, European Catholics and Puritans identified Exu as the devil. For Africans, however Exu represents the transition between the material and the spiritual worlds. In the ritual of Candomble, Exu acts as a messenger between the gods and human beings. For example, everything related to money, love, and protection against thieves comes under the watchful eye of Exu. Ultimately, Exu's responsibility is the temporal world. Candomble—This is the most orthodox of the cults brought from Africa by the Nago, Yoruba, and Jeje peoples. CandombM, which is an African word denoting a dance in honor of the gods, is a general term for the cult in Bahia. Elsewhere in Brazil the cult is known by different names: in Rio it's known as Macumba; in Amazonas and Para it's Babassue; in Pernambuco and Alagoas it's Xang 6; in Rio Grande do Sul it's either Parci or Batuque; and the term Tambor is used in Maranhao. The Afro-Brazilian rituals are practiced in a casa-de-santo or terreiro 38
directe by a pai or mile de santo (literally father or mothe of the saint—the Candomble priest or priestess). This is where the initiation of novices takes place as well as consultations and rituals. The ceremonies are conducted in the Yoruba tongue. The religious hierarchy and structure is clearly established and consistent from one terreiro to the next. Not all ceremonies are open to the public. If you attend a Candomble ceremony, it's best to go as the invited guest of a knowledgeable friend Or commercial guide. If your request to visit is declined, you sh4iild accept the decision. Some ceremonies are only open to certain members of a terreiro, and there is gen ne concern that visitors may not know the customi involved and thereby interrupt the rituals. Although the rules for Candomble ceremonies are not rigidly fixed, there are some general points which apply to most of these ceremonies. If in doubt, ask the person who has taken you to the ceremony. Dress for men and women can be casual, but shorts should not be worn. White is the preferred color; black, purple, and brown should be avoided. Hats should not be worn inside the terreiro; and if you wish to smoke, you should only do so outside. On arrival at the terreiro, make sure you do not stand blocking the doorway. There's usually someone inside who is responsible for directing people to their seats—men are often seated on the right, women on the left. The seating pattern is important, so make sure you only sit where indicated. Watch respectfully and follow the advice of your friend or guide as to what form of participation is expected of you. Sometimes drinks and food are distributed. Depending on the ritual involved, these may be intended only as offerings, or else for your consumption. In the case of the latter, there's no offence taken if you don't eat or drink what's offered. According to Candomble, each person has an orixa (god) which attends from birth and provides protection throughout life. The orixo for each person is identified after a pal or mile de santo makes successive throws with a handful of bUzios (shells). In a divination ritual known as Jogo dos Btizios (Casting of Shells) the position of the shells is used to interpret your luck, your future and your past relation with the gods. The Jogo dos Bitzios can be traced back to numerology and cabalism. It is a simple version of the Ifa ceremony in which the orixa Ifa is invoked to transmit the words of the deities to the people. The mcie de santo casts 16 seashells on a white towel. She interprets the number and arrangement of face-up and face-down shells to predict the future. The Jogo dos Bitzios is a serious, respected force in Bahia.tIn 1985 it was used by many politicians to forecast he election results. In Salvador, visitors can consult atm& de santo for Candomble-style fortune telling alp day of the week, except for Friday and Monday,thut Thursday is best. Like the gods in Greek mythology, each orixa has a personality and particular history. Power struggles and rulership conflicts amongst the many orixas are part of the history of Candomble. Although orixas are divided into male and female types, there are some which can switch from one sex to the other. One example is Logunede, son of two male gocts, Ogun and Oxoss. Another example is Oxumare who is male for six months of the year and female fo the other months. Oxumare is represented by the ri r that runs from the mainland to the sea or by the ra bow. These bisexual gods are generally, but not necessarily, the gods of homosexuals. Candomble is very accepting of homosexuality and this may '', plain the foundation of these practices and why they re legitimized by the cult's mythology. To ke ,p themselves strong and healthy, followers of Candoinble always give food to their respective orixa. In the ritual, Exu is the first to be given food because he is the messenger for the individual to make contact with the orixa. Exu likes cachaca and
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other alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, cigars, strong perfumes and meats. The offering to the orixa depends on their particular preferences. For example, to please Iemanja, the goddess/queen of the sea, one should give perfumes, white and blue flowers, rice and fried fish. Oxala, the greatest god, the god and owner of the sun, eats cooked white corn. Oxum, god of fresh waters and water falls, is famous for his vanity. He should be honored with earrings, necklaces, mirrors, perfumes, champagne and honey. Each orixci is worshipped at a particular time and place. For example, Oxasse, who is the god of the forests, should be revered in a forest or park, but Xango, the god of stone and justice, receives his offering in rocky places. In Bahia and Rio, followers of Afro-Brazilian cults turn out in huge numbers to attend a series of festivals at the year's end—especially those held during the night of 31 December and on New Year's Day. Millions of Brazilians go to the beach to pay homage to Leman* the queen of the sea. Flowers, perfumes, fruits and even jewelry are tossed into the sea to please the mother of the waters, or to gain protection and good luck in the New Year. Umbanda—Umbanda, or white magic, is a mixture of Candomble and spiritism. It traces its origins from various sources, but in its present form it is a religion native to Brazil. The African influence is more Angolan/Bantu. The ceremony, conducted in Portuguese, incorporates figures from all, of the Brazilian races: preto velho, the oldblack slave; o caboclo and other Amerindian deities; o guerreiro, the white warrior; etc. In comparison to CandombM, Umbanda is less organized and each pal or mile de sanio modifies the religion. Quimbanda is the evil counterpart to Umbanda. It involves lots of blood, animal sacrifice and nasty deeds. The practice of Quimbanda is illegal.
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Kardecism During the 19th century Allan Kardec, the French spiritual master, introduced spiritism to Bra ilian whites in a palatable form. Kardec's teachings, which incorporat d some Eastern religious ideas into a European framework, are now ollowed by large numbers of Brazilians. Kardecism emphasizes spirit sm associated with parlor seances, multiple reincarnations and speaking o the dead. Kardec wrote about his teachings in The Book of Spirits and T e Book of Mediums. ,Other Cults Brasilia has become th capital of the new cults. In the Planaltina neighborhood, visit TiaNeiv and the Vale do Amanhecer, and Ecletica de Mestre Yocanan. A few of the Indian rit s have been popularized among Brazilians without becoming part of A ro-Brazilian cults. Two such cults are Uniao do Vegetal in Brasilia, Sao Paulo and the South; and Santo Daime in RonclOnia and Acre. A hallu inogenic drink called ayahuasca, made from the root and vine of two pl ts, cipojagube and folha chacrona, has been used for centuries by the in igenous peoples of South America. This drink is central to t e practices of these cults, which are o herwise very Excerpts from Brazil straight—hierarcliy, moral behavior ,and dress follow a strict code. T e government A Travel Survival Kit tolerates the use of ayahua ca in the reli3rd edition, gious ceremonies of these c Its, which also by Andrew Draffen, tightly control the producti in and supply. Chris McAsey, The cult of Santo Daime as founded in 1930 in Rio Branco, Acre, by Raimundo Leonardo Pinheiro, Irineu Serra. Today it claim around 10,000 and Robyn Jones. members, including notabl Brazilian figFor more information ures such as the flamboy t singer Ney call Lonely Planet: Matogrosso, the cartoonist lauco, and the anthropologist Edward Ma rae. (800) 275-8555. The cult, led by Luis F lipe Belmonte, Copyright 1992 Lonely has 10 churches and commu ities in Brazil. Planet Publications. The two major communit' s are Ceti da Used by permission. Mapia in Amazonas, and Co 8nia Cinco Mil in Rio Branco, Acre. ..... ...........
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Titanic Days From romanticism to repugnance, the band Titas has been riding the roquenrol roller coaster for a decade and a half. Each new Titas release foreshadows rock's next phase and they have kept themselves in front of innovation. Their latest work, Acustico, is a sensational 22 track repertoire of quintessential Brazilian rock.
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BRUCE GILMAN
Allowing artists a rare opportunity for exposure in an intimate setting, without the amplification that has become standard in today's pop music, MTV's Unplugged series has both rejuvenated and propelled the careers of artists as diverse as Melissa Etheridge, Tony Bennett, and Pearl Jam. By furnishing musicians a more relaxed format, this innovative program has inadvertently disbursed the Midas touch. Unlike other small-screen presentations, Unplugged offers the artist the opportunity to perform an entire set, rather than just one hit tune. CDs extracted from the series, like Gilberto Gil's Acoustic, have achieved remarkable success, and many of the Unplugged recordings have earned Grammys. The latest MTV spawned CD is from Titas, a group that has exemplified the vitality of Brazilian rock since the mid 1980s. Titas (Titans) is a group from Sao Paulo that has continuously fused their vision with the rhythm of the times. The band has constantly reinvigorated its playing by keeping in front of innovation and by incorporating the best and most compatible elements into an approach of rhythmic power and individuality. Each new Titas release foreshadowed rock's next phase and established an artistically diverse moment in pop music. Viewed by many as an institution that has inscribed its name in the
Pantheon of MPB (Brazilian Popular Music), Titas ascended onto the rock scene with their first recording, Tiro's, in 1984. Their first hit, "Sonifera Ilha- (Sleepy Island), was a romantic lament and was indicative of the band's initial direction. Their second effort, Televiseio, produced by Lulu Santos in 1985, maintained a similar style. But tastes were shifting toward New Wave, and lyrics with a sarcastic edge also appeared on the recording and were soon to become an important characteristic of the band's work. After two projects, Titas had acquired the savvy and studio experience that placed them in a position to dicker with their record company regarding aesthetic exploration, and in 1986 Titas returned to the studio to record an album that was to become the touchstone of Brazilian rock, Cabeca Dinossauro (Dinosaur Head). Its use of guitar distortion, electronic effects, persistent rhythms, compact forms, and tongue-lashing lyrics, which implicitly protested society's ills, awed critics and consolidated a multitude of Titas fans. The poetic force and musical strength of Cabeca Dinossauro marked the maturity of the band and separated them from other Brazilian rock bands. Produced by Liminha, Cabeca Dinossauro was designated as the best recording of the 1980s by Jornal do Brasil. Working again with Liminha, Titas reached their most turbulent phase in 1987 with Jesus Ndo Tern Dentes no Pais dos Banguelas (Jesus Doesn't Have Teeth In the Country of the Toothless). Attacking the political situation and the status quo, Titas accidentally threw open the floodgates of success. From that point on, each release brought the band greater popularity, even among critics who loathed the current climate in rock 'n' roll. With Go Back, recorded live in Montreux, Switzerland, in 1988, Titas formally introduced themselves to hordes of international admirers. In the blur of these successes the band released 0 Blesq Blom in 1989, a project strongly influenced by the repentistas Mauro and Quiteria. Repentistas are musicians who travel through the countryside (primarily in the Northeast of Brazil) telling stories, inventing, embellishing, and insulting each other in rapid-fire storytelling duels. The term stems from the expression "de repente," or suddenly. The title 0 Blesq Blom doesn't mean anything. It is simply a sound that a duo of blind street singers from Recife, Pernambuco state, used when they wanted to pretend they were singing in English. 0 Blesq Blom marked a stylistic turning point for Titas and a landmark in Brazilian rock. Unrestrained lyrical sarcasm and sly wit, mocking conventional society, is unmistakable throughout the recording, as seen in this excerpt from the tune Pulso- by Arnaldo Antunes, Marcelo Fromer, and Tony Bellotto: 0 pulso ainda pulsa 0 pulso ainda pulsa Peste bubonica cancer pneumonia Raiva rubeola tuberculose anemia Rancor cisticercose caxumba difteria Encefalite faringite gripe leucemia 0 pulso ainda pulsa 0 pulso ainda pulsa The pulse still throbs The pulse still throbs Bubonic plague, cancer, pneumonia Rabies, rubeola, tuberculosis, anemia Rage. cirrhosis, mumps, diphtheria Encephalitis, pharyngitis, flu, leukemia The pulse still throbs The pulse still throbs It seemed like Titas couldn't be stopped. These
40
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
eight consummate musicians were on a roll. They knew what they were doing and were earning big money doing it. There was a strong balance of talent within the group, yet Arnaldo Antunes stood out as the force that ignited the band with his electrifying stage presence and his rich, dissident poetry, full of puns. In this promising atmosphere, Titas decided in 1992 to produce their own work and presented the public with their 7th and most controversial recording to date. The release of Tudo ao Mesmo Tempo Agora (Everything At the Same Time Now) brought a rash of negative reviews. Music critics who had been raving about Titas for years, were suddenly complaining about an "alternative" sound. It seemed like reviewers were playing their familiar game of lift then demolish. And the surprises were not over. Panned by the media, Tudo ao Mesmo Tempo Agora was commercially a flop, and following the tour, Arnaldo Antunes left Titas to embark on a solo career. His departure was a slap in the face. One year later, still in the shadow of Tudo ao Mesmo Tempo Agora, and without Arnaldo Antunes, the band reappeared with a continuum of intensity called Titanomaquia. The title is an invented word that comes from the word tauromaquia (bullfight). Produced by Jack Endino, the recording remains a pinnacle of hardcore Brazilian New Wave. "Felizes Sao os Peixes" (Happy are the Fish) is cutting, muscular, and bursting with heavy slash guitar work. Controversial lyrics, dissonant harmonies, and primal screaming on tunes like "Agonizande (Agonizing) reflect a musical angst that would soon be imitated by countless other bands. Although underrated by the press, Titanomaquia set a new standard for Brazilian rock 'n' roll and anticipated the musical aesthetic to come. Rumors about the dissolution of the band leaked out with the release of Titas 84-94. The two volume retrospective commemorated the different phases of the band and its 10 years together. Gossip continued to grow as each member of Titas embarked on individual projects. Nando Reis recorded his debut solo disc, 12 Janeiro, and wrote for other artists like the reggae group Cidade Negra and singer Marisa Monte. Toni Bellotto wrote a novel, Be/ii e a Esfinge (Belini and the Sphinx). Marcelo Fromer produced a singer of brega. Sergio Britto and Branco Mello formed the band Kleiderman. Charles Gavin studied abroad. Paulo Miklos recorded his diversified solo project. Despite the talk, Titas surfaced in 1995 with a tour de force of rock, punk, New Wave, and techno dance music called Domingo. The project was organized and focused with each Titan playing brilliantly. Special guests included Herbert Vianna and Joao Barone (Paralamas) and Igor Cavalera (Sepultura). In addition, there was a reunion with Arnaldo Antunes on the tune "Tudo em Dia" (Everything On Time). It was hard for the press to ignore this fanfare of fine musicianship, and Domingo was an overnight sensation. Differing stylistically from past recordings, Actistico, their latest work for MTV's Unplugged, is an exhibition of indisputable artistic achievement. The challenge for Titas this time was to convey their familiar sledge-hammer delivery with acoustic instruments; no post-show overdubbing is allowed in the Unplugged format. Playing turbulent rock 'n' roll in a large auditorium presents a musician with one set of obstacles; acoustic playing presents quite another. It is especially a drummer's dilemma, and Charles Gavin was impelled to completely reinvent his approach to the drum set. For Unplugged he would not be driving a band of seven accomplished musicians with amplifiers cranked up to the verge of pain and flooding through an oppressive sound technology, but a tightly controlled chamber orchestra. In this unorthodox format Titas rose to the challenge with a deluge of adventurous ideas. One of them was to form a close creative alliance with cellist and arranger Jacques Morelenbaum, well known for his affiliation with Caetano Veloso. Morelenbaum's imaginative arrangements called for three brass, a woodwind quartet, an additional percussionist (Marcos Suzano), a string quartet, and a harpist. With this orchestration he created a distinct sound mass that not only preserved the explosive character of the music, but also strengthened it. The Titas punch remains, but it comes through the melody lines and the sharp-tongued lyrics rather than a head-banging wall of amplifiers. Recorded during two shows at the Joao Caetano Theater in Rio during the 6th and 7th of March, Actistico is as much a video as it is a CD. The disc/video holds blazing performances by BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
•
Nao You Lutar 1997
•
by Paulo Miklos and Sergio Britto
• • •
Nao you lutar contra o que eu sinto Vou me entregar como um soldado cansado e faminto Nao you lutar contra o que eu sinto Porque a verdade explode cada vez que eu minto Nao posso mais viver em conflito
I'm Not Going to Fight
Nao you negar o que é tap claro Vou me entregar em tudo que eu faco, em tudo que eu falo Nao you negar o que é tao claro Porque a verdade explode mesmo quando eu me cabo NA° posso mais viver sem estar ao seu lado
I'm not going to fight what I feel I'm going to give up like a soldier tired and hungry I'm not going to fight what I feel Because the truth explodes every time that I lie I cannot live in conflict anymore I won't deny what is so clear I'm going to surrender everything that I do, everything that I say I won't deny what is so clear Because the truth explodes even when I'm quiet I can't live anymore without you by my side
Nao you lutar coritra o que eu sinto Nao you lutar cotra o que eu • sinto
I'm not going to fight what I feel I'm not going to fight what I feel
A verdade explocl cada vez que eu minto Nao posso mats viver em conflito
The truth explodes every time that I lie I cannot live in conflict anymore
• Nao you lutar coptra o que eu • sinto • Nao you lutar contra o que eu • sinto
I'm not going to fight what I feel I'm not going to fight what I feel
• • • •
The Best Way
• • • •
• • • • • • • •
• • • •
• • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A Melhor Forma 1997 by Sergio Britto, Paulo Miklos, and Branco Mello melhor forma de esquecer E dar tempo ao tempo melhor forma le curar o vicio E no inicio melhor forma e escolher E provar o gosto melhor forma e chorar E cobrindo o ros o Evitar as rugas E nao olhar no espelho Esvaziar o revolver E puxar o gatilho A melhor forma le esconder as lAgrimas E na escuriclao A melhor forma e enxergar no escuro E corn as maos As ideias estao no chao Voce tropeca e acha a solucao Acabar corn a dor E tomar analgesic° Matar a saudade E nao olhar pra tras A melhor form de manter-se jpvem E esconder a id de melhor forma de fugir E a toda velocid de As iddias estao io chao Voce tropeca e cha a solucao
The best way to forget Is to give time to time The best way to cure a vice Is at the beginning The best way to choose Is to check the taste The best way to cry Is to cover the face To avoid wrinkles Don't look in the mirror To empty the revolver Pull the trigger The best way to hide your tears Is in the dark The best way to see in the dark Is with your hands The ideas are on the ground You stumble and find a solution To end pain Take an analgesic To kill the longing Don't look back The best way to keep yourself young Is to hide your age The best way to escape Is with complete haste The ideas are on the ground You stumble and find a solution 41
Marvin
Marvin
R. Dunbar and G. N. Johnson Meu pai ndo tinha educacdo Ainda me lembro, era um grande coracdo Ganhava a vida corn muito suor Mas mesmo assim ndo podia ser pior Pouco dinheiro pra poder pagar Todas as contas e despesas do lar Mas Deus quis ve-lo no chdo Corn as 'lidos levantadas pro au Implorando perddo Chorei, meu pai disse, "Boa sorte," Corn a mdo no meu ombro Em seu leito de morte ' E disse "Marvin, agora é s6 voce E ndo vai adiantar Chorar vai me fazer sofrer." Tres dias depois de morrer Meu pai eu queria saber Mas nao botava nem o fie na escola Mamde lembrava disso a toda hora Todo dia antes do so! sair Eu trabalhava sem me distrair As vezes acho que nAo vai dar pe Eu queria fugir, mas onde eu estiver Eu sei muito bem o que ele quis dizer Meu pai, eu me lembro ndo me deixa esquecer Ele disse "Marvin, a vida é pra valey Eu fiz o meu melhor E o seu destino eu sei de cor." E entdo urn dia uma forte chuva veio E acabou corn o trabalho de um ano inteiro E aos treze anos de idade eu sentia Todo o peso do mundo ern minhas costas Eu queria jogar mas perdi a aposta Trabalhava feito urn burro nos campos S6 via came se roubasse um frango Meu pai cuidava de toda a familia Sem perceber segui a mesma trilha Toda noite minha nide orava Deus, era em nome da fome Que eu roubava Dez anos passaram, Cresceram meus irmAos E os anjos levaram minha mde pelas mdos Chorei, meu pai disse, "Boa sorte," Corn a mdo no meu ombro Ern seu leito de morte "Marvin, agora é s6 voce E nAo vai adiantar Chorar vai me fazer sofrer Marvin, a vida é pra valer Eu fiz o meu melhor o seu destino eu sei de cor."
My father was not an educated man Still I remember, he had a great heart He earned his living with a lot of sweat Even though it could not be worse Little money to pay All the bills and expenses of our home But God wanted to see him on the ground With his hands raised to Heaven Begging for forgiveness I cned, and my father said, "Good luck," With his.hand on my shoulder On his deathbed And said "Marvin, now it's only you And it's no use to go on Crying, you will only make me suffer." Three days after his death I want to know But I couldn't put a foot in school Mom reminded me about this every time Every day before the sun rises I work without distraction At times I believe that it's going to be impossible I would like to escape, but where would I be I know very well what he wanted to tell me My father, I remember, will not let me forget He said "Marvin, life is hard I did my best And your destiny I know by heart." And then one day a strong rain came And the work of a whole year was finished And when ! was thirteen, I felt All the weight of the world on my shoulders I wanted to gamble, but lost the bet I worked like a mule in the fields I would eat meat if! stole a chicken My father took care of the whole family Without realizing, I followed the same road Every night my mother would pray God, was in the name of hunger That I did steal Ten years passed My brothers grew And the angels took my mother in their hands I cried, my father said, "Good luck," With his hand on my shoulder On his deathbed "Marvin, now it's only you And it's no use to go on Crying, you will only make me suffer Marvm, life is hard I did my best And your destiny I know by heart."
I.
Discography: 1997 1995 1994 1993 1992 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 I. 42
Acustico Domingo Tit& 84-94 Titanomaquia Tudo ao Mesmo Tempo Agora O BlésqBIom Go Back Jesus Neio Tern Dentes no Pais dos Ban guelas Cabeca Dinossauro Televislio Mils
.1
some of the brightest lights on the scene today including Marisa Monte, Rita Lee, Marina Lima, Fito Piez, and reggae star Jimmy Cliff. Moving through romantic ballads, MPB, New Wave, funk, reggae, and grunge, Aciistico embraces familiar hits, never recorded material, and new works. It is not a "Best Of' compilation, but a sensational 22 track repertoire of quintessential Brazilian rock. There is an undeniable group gestalt injecting the entire recording with a firmly ordered and seamless consistency. This should occasion no surprise given the caliber of each player's musicianship. All are performing at aroused levels of expressive power and focused intensity. This latest recording confirms that Titds has remained a questing, exploratory unit and assures the delivery, of a slew of hits. Ironically the first hit was "P4a Dizer Adeus," (To Say coocl-b cedo Ou tarde demais Pra dizer adeus Pra dizer jamais It's early Or way too late To say good-bye To say never Born again as a ballad, "Pra Dizer Adeus" ho *s the listener with the simplicity and sincerity;f its lyricism. Its clearly focused structure and fin harmonic logic is augmented by Morelenbautn' s variegated string arrangement. How aproposthat "Pra Dizer Adeus," recorded first in 1985 on Televisilo, has returned as a hit 12 years later. ?laying with power and assurance, Charles Gavin is absolutely riveting on "Comida," (Food) the disc's opening track. Rising to the challenge of the acoustic instrumentation, his controlled passion fuses provocatively with the rhythmic currents set up by acoustic guitars in the hypnotic introduction. The drum set is literally an extension of himself. Originally an electro-funk arrangement on Jesus Nao Tern Denies no Pais dos Banguelas, the tune's current reincarnation combines the heated fervor of a tenor sax solo with Sergio Britto's inspired keyboard work. The tongue-in-cheek reggae "Familia" from Cabeca Dinossauro, dissects one of society's idiosyncrasies—familial 'chemistry—with relevant alacrity while the Tads rhythm section—Nando Reis and Charles Gavin—administers a foundation of economical bass lines and strong back beats. A complex, richly colored introduction and coda arrangement for two flutes contrasts the caustic societal matter of the lyrics sung by Nando Reis. "Marvin," a funk tune that was first released on eip Back and again on Tit& 84-94, has returned refreshed. This time "Marvin" is nourished by a consistently spark-producing cuica and a somber trombone solo that epitomizes the savory insight of the lyrics, again sung by Nando. Marisa Monte radiates on "Flores" (Flowers). Time and again she claims our attention with a gripping intensity on this tune from O Blésq Blom. An original voice of great distinctiveness, her performance in this duet with Branco Mello is another illustration of Monte's deepening individuality and magnetism. An intriguing, always perfectly controlled tension grows as Monte floats ethereally over the driving rhythm and horn sections. "NA° VotiLutar" (I'm Not Going To Fight), a tune Paulo Miklos started writing some time ago, but finished during the Actistico rehearsals is consistently absorbing. Miklos excels as both a BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
player and a writer. "Os Cegos do Castelo" (The Blind Men in the Castle) is a composition Nando Reis wrote especially for Aczistico. But here, the bass roll passes into the hands of the disc's producer, Liminha. The tune has an MPB. spirit and is laced by woodwinds and strings. "Diversdo" (Entertainment) from Jesus Nilo Tern Denies no Pais dos Banguelas hammers the listener with insistent power. Its melodic structure is illuminated by the originality of a horn arrangement by Marcelo Martins. "Diversdo" achieves a total detonation through the masterful integration of horns, percussion, hard acoustic guitar attacks, and an unrelenting bass line. The Titas Acustico CD has already sold over 500 thousand copies and has brought pressure to other vanguard groups like Os Paralamas, formerly Os Paralamas do Sucesso (The Mudguards of Success) to release works of similar import. Paralamas actually considered recording an Unplugged project but found the market already congested by the Tit-as release and has since opted for a commemorative box-set reissue titled Polvora (Gunpowder). Dazzling live performances by Tit a - s have always been rooted in electricity, a specialty of the band. Thus, the public's tremendous reception for this "unplugged" Titds CD was somewhat surprising. And now the logistics of touring with Acastico have posed some problems. The original idea was to have shows only in Sdo Paulo and in Rio. These would be easier in terms of hiring session musicians who could realize the concept and read
the charts with m'nimal rehearsal time. But because the show has been growing at a startling rate and involves many musicians, a lot of scenery, and a large production crew; the breaking down, moving, and re-assembly of the production has become expensive and complicated. Titas, nonetheless, intends to produce the same Actistico show with the same personnel and travel with it. At the end of this year Titds plans to release a disc of compositions that have never made it to a CD. In 1998 the band will pause briefly for work on solo projects. By dividing their time between new releases and work on individual projects, the band has managed to stay together for 15 years. The temporary interruptions in the band's career for parallel work appear to be fundamental for encouraging its overall imaginative and artistic experimentation. After a decade and a half on the roguenrol roller coaster, this band has become an obligatory reference of Brazilian pop and continues to provide innumerable lessons for up and coming musicians. Their influence has thoroughly shaped the face of Brazilian rock music since the 1980s. One reason Titas is still in the forefront of Brazilian rock is the enduring quality of their music. Aclistico amply demonstrates another: T tas can still hand out a surprise. Bruce Gilman, music editor for Brazzil, received his Masters degree in music from California Institute of the Arts. He leads the Brazilian jazz ensemble Axe and plays culca for escola de samba MILA. You can reach him through his E-mail: cuicaginterworld.net
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43
Music for Grownups Hungry for some truly original Brazilian music? Go listen to Arthur de Faria'slatest CD, Musica Pra Gente Grande. This Gaacho (from Rio Grande do Sul state) musician isn't offering the same old stuff. It's real art, not just well-produced craftsmanship. FABIANO GOLGO
How often can you say the CD you are listening to is more than just another piece manufactured or electronicfactured for your easy swallowing— following that ol' rule of repeating what has already been created— this time by someone with more original talents? Fourteen times, in my case, only within two days. Wait. Don't try, you, thirsty for good sounds, to find my E-mail address to request the name of these dozen plus names. It is a single piece of art that inhabited my stereo for a couple of days and seemed to not want to leave. And that is because Jam a true lover of art. As in original. Not as in good craft. And we need to make the distinction between art and craft. Let's face it: many people can draw cubist influenced pictures nowadays, but Picasso showed how in the first place. Anyone can make rhymes on the Jobim or Vinicius' style — but who introduced the marvel to us?? And to the world, for that matter? Well, don't rush. I will tell you the name of this finding. Yes, finding. Because, like most talents, it comes from an unexpected place and has no big pop machine backing its release. But, first, go into that area in your gray matter that stores the good things that life has to offer. There yet? Well, when was the last time a new name entered it as being truly original, pure, humorous and sensual Brazilian music? And played by a real musician and his real musician friends—with names, not numbers)? Oh, ok: you are remembering that Caetano, or that solo by that great former band member who had full reasons to show you what he/she /it had best. All right, there are plenty of authors in our "verde-amarelo" repertoire to make us proud to be from the Patria Amada (Beloved Country). But is this list of a recent (green-yellow—the national colors) season? Or a compilation of well-endowed names, for long making our intimate moments more intimate, giving our "get-togethers" a better ambiance? Now, let me get deeper, and more anal: which one of them had a great set of pieces of varied—truly varied— sound styles, With real swift lyrics and elegy? Which was celebrated by the national unanimity—one of the few unanimities that is not stupid: writer Luis Fernando Verissimo, to cite only one? Which was played homage to by a radio station in the city where whoever isn't a musician is a tourist: Prague? If you want to hear a sincere scorn on the capabilities of our average musician, please go get Mfisica Pra Genie Grande, by Arthur de Faria. And don't shy away because of the title—a paradox remnant of that Sunday morning hour of Concertos Para a Juventude (Concerts for the Youth). And it is not Arthur and his band necessary to be "genie grande" (grown-up person) to listen to this CD. You will become one afterwards, at least musically. Arthur offers this blind date with the widest ebb of genres in his typical childish maturity. Like an unpretentious "Gaficho" (that is possible, sometimes), he spreads his years of music knowledge with a flagrant sensuality and the fluency of an outrageous flexibility that you haven't—and can't—find in the current constellation of artists. It was necessary for someone with the sole ambition of making something good (let's put it in capital letters, if you will: GOOD!) so that we could have this witty extravaganza that not only compellingly advocates the Brazilian true sounds, but stylishly contributes another few to them. When you listen to Arthur's work you will find that it isn't just another version of the good old stuff you love. You will find originality at its most, a satire that stings, a warm ductile length of lyrical spins you are not used to, and will be besotted by a soft vibration that is acquiescing in a sanity that our latest media-celebrated offspring has not, and will never, achieve. Replete with styles we would be otherwise afraid of or unprepared for, like waltzes (in a way grandma would never imagine, but would certainly enjoy as well), cantiga de roda (for the wise ones), choro-cancdo (originality, anyone?), samba (not from Som Livre, that is), milonga (for all nationalities outside the Pampas, too), bailio (by a Gaticho: don't miss it!), corta-jaca (check it, I can't explain...), and even covers that won't disappoint. Performed by a population of instruments that goes from the pocket latophone to the fagote, the banjo and the trombone, a sax alto, mandolin, drums and other percussion instruments, plus the homey piano and Verbosis of Arthur himself. For those who need to categorize, there could be comparisons to the old sambistas de bar, to Arnaldo Antunes in a Gilberto Gil mood, or a drunk Jobim, also a tropical Badalamenti, even a crazier Noel Rosa... who knows? For me, it's a pledge for good sense in music, a graphic verve for the non and initiate alike. It is something that can be listened by the widest array of tastes. It smoothes out all distress without the need for dimming the lights, it speeds the brain without the pretension of the professional anarch-artist, it adds to our feelings without tiring our patience and gives us the opportunity to dive into the classical without having to make up for the sleepy parts... It is a creation, not a release. Something that will endure. Like it or not, mass-media-oriented consumers. You can contact the author, Fabiano Golgo, through his E-mail: fgolgo@hotmail.com Information on the CD can be obtained at 107.1@ulbra.tche.br, the E-mail of musician Arthur de Faria. 44
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
Verse and Reverse It is so rare to see Portuguese-language poems translated into English and published in the U. S. that the release of an anthology of Brazilian poets should be enough reason for celebration. It is a shame though that most of the poems g_athered in ITothing the Sun Could Not Explain seem bland and disconnected from the Brazilian soul. Nothing the Sun Could Vol Explain: 20 Contemporary Brazilian Poets, edited by Michael Palmer, Regis Bonvicino, and Nelson Ascher (Sun & Moon Classics, 312 pp., $15.95 paper)
Untitled poem Paulo Leminski once we were going to be homer the work an iliad no less later things got tougher we could maybe manage a rimbaud an ungaretti some fernando pessoa a lorca a ginsberg an eluard finally we ended up the minor provincial poet we always were hiding behind the many masks time treated as flowers Trans. by Regina Alfarano, with revisions by Robert Creeley
BONDO VVYSZPOLSKI Anthologies of Brazilian poets published in English are few and far between. Usually it's the isolated poet who gets some attention, such as Carlos Drummond de Andrade (Travelling in the Family, published by Random House ten years ago) and Ferreira Gullar (Poema Sujo, University Press of America, 1990). The paucity is all the more puzzling when one considers, as Joao Almino points out in his foreword, that world-wide some 200 million people speak Portuguese— more than those who speak French. All the more reason to welcome a collection that purports to be up-to-date, whose 20 poets are mostly between 30 and 50 years old. Almino also points out that the poetry we're getting all set to read "is highly representative of what has been produced in Brazil throughout the last 20 years, a period during which the country witnessed, in the mideighties, the transition from a military regime to a civil government." Two points of reference in which most contemporary Brazilian poetry has its roots would be the modernist movement of the 1920s (a style which broke with inflexible, outworn structures) and the concretism of the 1950s (an approach to poetry which took into account the technological and industrial advances of the era). The work gathered here, says Almino, focuses (for want of a better term) on the post-concrete generation. I'm not exactly sure what it means either, except to indicate, and here's Almino again, "the establishment of new parameters both in theory and in the poetic tradition." Paulo Leminski and Ana Cristina Cesar were apparently leading figures, but both of them—despite their relative youth—are already dead. The title of this book, it turns out, is from a short Leminski poem: Nothing the sun could not explain everything the moon makes glamorous no rain fades this flower. Of the many men and women whose works are gathered here, the images in Waly Salomao's poetry compelled me to read on, and to do so more intently. Nelson Ascher also has engaging, and clever images. Arnaldo Antunes, like Ascher, presents images that both intrigue and delight, for example such adjacent lines as "Monkeys' tails are used as arms. Dogs' tails are used as smiles." In particular I enjoyed Carlos Avila's "The Sun," about the backwoods sun bleaching the cover of Baudelaire's The Flowers of Evil. BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
Editors Palmer and Bonvicino with Sun & Moon's Douglas Messerli
One finds muscle in the short poems of Horacio Costa. "Natural History" begins: Behind th taxidermist, there's the straw, behind th rhinoceros, the savannah, behind thi writing only the night, night whi h gallops to the fore The other poets not mentioned above include Torquato Neto, Francis o Alvim, Duda Machado, Hai° Castafion Guimardes, L nora de Barros, Regis, Bonvicino, Josely Vianna Bapti ta, Age de Carvalho, Angela de Campos Carlito Azevedo, Frederico Tavares Bastos Barbosa, Ruy Vasconcelos de Carvalho, and Claudia Roquette-Pinto— names which may never be familiar in this country except to those who avidly follow Brazilian poetry. Portuguese-language originals and English translations are printed on facing pages, and although the 'body' seems to hay been captured in most cases, perhaps the spirit hasn't. n few cases do the English versions leap avidly from t e page. One might think that this can't always be the fault of the translators. To a large extent—the exceptions having been noted ab ve—the poets and their poetry give little sense of plac (their lines could have been written anywhere), nor d they address substantial issues or intriguing topics. F r a country with a rich, heady aroma of rhythms and ounds, most of the poems gathered in Nothing the un Could Not Explain seem bland and inconsequenti I (read the Drummond de Andrade volume and you'll see what I mean). Perhaps the best place to find Brazilian poetry (and the elusive Brazilian spirit) remains the Brazilian pop song—from Gilberto Gil to Milton Nascimento and Caetano Veloso. 45
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Plays
Movies
Rio
American films just released: Addicted to Love (A Lente do Amor), Anaconda (Anaconda), Face Off (A Outra Face), Big Night (A Grande Noite), Box of Moonlight (A Chave da Liberdade), For Roseanna (Para Roseanna), Gridlock 'd (Na Contramao), In Love and War (No Amor e na Guerra), Kissed (Kissed. Cerimonia de Amor), The Last Supper (0 Ultimo Jantar), Looking for Richard (Ricardo III—Um Ensaio), Men in Black (MIB—Homens de Preto), Mr. Bean—The Ultimate Disaster Movie (Mister Bean-0 Filme), Romy and Michele 's High School Reunion (Romy e Michele), Speed 2. Cruise Control (Velocidade Maxima 2), That Old Feeling (Guerra dos Sexos) Baile Perfumado (Fragrant Ball) -- Brazil —
Alcovas de Cetim (Satin Alcove) — Rebeca Fonda, an unrecognized great actress lives in a fantasy world. Written by Regiana Antonini, who won the Sharp prize as Brazil's 1996 best playwright. Ines Vianna does the monologue. Candido Damm directs. Bonifticio Bilhoes (Bonifacio Billion) — Comedy by world-renowned playwright Joao Bethencourt who also directs. How winning the lottery changes a man's life. It premiered in 1975. With Francisco Milani, Rogerio Cardoso, and Elizangela. Bravissimo (Bravissimo) — Written by Regiana Antonini e Marcelo Saback, who is also the director, with Edwin Luisi, Luisa Thire and Fabio Villa Verde. Fifteen years after leaving the man whom he loves to pursue a successful career, a maestro, now with AIDS, meets again his former lover. Teatro Villa-Lobos. Cabaret Brazil - From Getulio Vargas (1954) to the military dictatorship's cruellest year (1968), the history of Brazil on a cabaret stage. Musical from Wolf Maya and Cininha de Paula directed by WolfMaya. With Rosa Marya, Serjao Loroza, Claudia Lira, Adriana Garambone, and Danielle Winits.
Sao Paulo
Antonio Mora Recebe Fernando Pessoa (Antonio Mora Receives Fernando Pessoa) Comic monologue from Marco Ant6nio Braz and Mauncio Marques. A medium trying in vain to chanel the great Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa who also used the Antonio Mora pen name. Directed by Marco Antonio Braz. With Mauricio Marques. 0 Cord& Umbilical (The Umbilical Cord) — Comedy written by Mario Prata. The '70s' youth through the eyes of a prostitute, an actress and a student. Directed by Paolino Raffanti with Camila Raffanti. As Sereias da Zona Sul (The South Side Mermaids) — Written by Miguel Falabella and Vicente Pereira. This is the successful ten-year-old besteirol (nonsense) comedy from Rio with Paulista clothes. Two actresses, Rosi Campos and Zezeh Barbosa, play 10 characters. Um Espirito Baixou em Mim (A Spirit Possessed Me) — On the eve of his wedding, super macho man is possessed by a &ay spirit who starts to flirt with the bride's brother. Comedy written by Ron aldo Ciambroni. With Walter Carvalho and Vitor Branco, who also directed. 46
Cr
Cr
1996 — Directed by first time directors Paulo Caldas, 33, from Paraiba state and Lirio Ferreira, 32, from Pernambuco. The story of Lebanese Benjamin Abrahdo, the only person who in the '30s was able to film bandit Lampido and his band. With Claudio Mamberti (Benjamin), Luis Carlos Vasconcelos (Lampido), and Jofre Soares (Padre Cicero). Ed Mort Brazil 1996 — Private eye Ed Mort (his name plays with the word morte, death in Portuguese) is hired by a suspicious wife to locate her husband a master of disguise — when he disappears. Based on the comical characters created by writer Luis Fernando Verissimo. Direct by Alain Fresnot. With Paulo Betti, Claudia Abreu, Irene Ravache and Otavio Augusto. Je T'aime Moi Non Plus (Paixdo Selvagem) — France 1976 — Directed by Serge Gainsbourg with Jane Birkin and Joe Dalessandro. Homosexual truckdriver falls in love with a yo,ung waitress. o Que E Isso, Companheiro? (What's That, Pal?) Brazil 1996 The story ofthe young guerrillas from the ALN (Acdo Libertadora Nacional) and MR-8 (Movimento Revolucionario) who on September 4, 1969 kidnapped Charles Elbrick, the American ambassador in Brazil exchanging him for 15 political prisoners. Loosely based on Fernando Gabeira's book of same name. Directed by Bruno Barreto. With Alan Arkin, Pedro Cardoso, Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, and Fernanda Montenegro. 0 Serra() das MemOrias (Backlands of Memories) Brazil 1996 — Antero Marques Araujo e Maria Emi Ice Pinto, parents of director Jose Araitio, show their social conflict in dealing with the constant drought in Brazil's backlands. 0 Velho: A Historia de Luiz Carlos Prestes (The Old Man: The Luiz Carlos Prestes's Story) — Brazil — 1995 Documentary based on a 1985 interview given by the founder of PCB (Partido Comunista Brasileiro—Brazilian Communist Party), Luiz Carlos Prestes (1898-1990). By Toni Venturi, narrated by actor Paulo Jose.
Books
best-sellers Fiction 1. 0 Sado John Grisham
2. 3001: A Odisseia Final Arthur C. Clarke
3. Violetas na Janela Vera L. de Carvalho
4. 0 Didrio de Um Magro Mario Prata
5. 0 Mundo de Sofia Jostein Gaarder
6. Asterix—A Galera de Mel& Goscinny & Uderzo
7. 0 Paciente Ingles Michael Ondaatje
8. 0 Monte Cinco Paulo Coelho
9. Legitima Defesa Jonathan Kellerman
10. 0 Xango de Baker Street J6 Soares
Nonfiction 1. Inteligencia Emocional Daniel Goldman
2. Terra Sebastido Salgado
3. Viagem pela Histdria do Brasil Jorge Caldeira
4. Minutos de Sabedoria Simples C. Torres Pastorino
5. Eleglincia—Como o Homem Deve Se Vestir Fernando de Barros
6. Inteligencia Emocional: A Arte de Educar Seus Filhos John Gottman
7. Chic— Urn Guia Btisico de Moda e Estilo GlOria Kalil
8. 0 Principio Dilbert Scott Adams
9. Che Guevara—Uma Vida em Vermelho Jorge Castaileda
10. Pequeno Diciontirio Amoroso Torreno Werneck According to daily newspaper
0 Estado de S. Paulo BRAZZIL -SEPTEMBER 1997
TROPICAL TRUMPET BEAUTY FEAST Brazucas (Brazilians overseas) are busy again selecting the fairest of their girls in several regional competitions across the United States. Come October 25 the chosen ones will have a chance to become Miss Brasil-USA 1997, when all the winners get together in Miami for the pageant's ultimate party. On September 28, for the sixth year in a row, three contestants will be selected on the West Coast to represent San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco in the finals. The California pageant, sponsored by Rio Roma Travel, is happening at the Bahia Cabana restaurant in downtown San Francisco. For information and tickets you can call (415) 921-3353.
STARTING OVER Although born in the U.S., Philippe Seabra is more green and yellow than many Brazilians. For 18 years Seabra lived in Brazil and in the '80s he created the rock group Plebe Rude, which together with Paralamas do Sucesso and Legido Urbana constituted the movimento de Brasilia, a movement that revolutionized rock in Brazil. Now, Seabra is starting an American career at New York's New York Café with the band Daybreak Gentlemen. He composed a series of new songs all with English lyrics for this new phase in his life. The musician didn't lose his stinging social conscious style of writing songs. Daybreak Gentlemen, with tunes from the New York show, will also be the title of Seabra's solo CD to be soon released. BRAZZIL -SEPTEMBER 1997
There is a little of everything: rock, funk, contemporary and Brazilian jazz, Amazonian climate, and a lot of samba in trumpeter Randy Brecker's latest album. With Into the Sun Brecker shows how deep and sincere his love for Brazilian music is. "The seeds of this album," said Brecker recently, "were planted in the fall of 1979— my first trip to Brazil. The beauty and the spirit of the people, their sensibility and love of life, kept me there many extra joyous days." The romance got more serious in the coming years until the musician surrendered, declaring himself an "addicted lover of Brazil and Brazilians." Into the Sun is being released by Concord Vista.
FROM RIO WITH LUST The latest formature-audiences edition of Brazil Carnaval is out and it again features all the rhythms, debauchery and permissiveness of Brazil's yearly bacchanalia. The video tape brings the parade of Rio's major samba schools, including the 1997 champion, with an explanation of how they are judged, and also makes incursions at some balls and the street Carnaval in Salvador, Bahia. Brazil Carnaval 1997, released by Washington, DC-based A-VID International, has a treat for samba aficionados: a Salgueiro samba school rehearsal, in which sambistas work themselves into a frenzy. For information or to order the video call (202) 547-3054.
Learn Another Language on Your Own! Learn to speak a foreign language fluently on our own and at your own pace with what are considered th finest in-depth courses available. Many were developed by the Foreign Service Institute of the U.S. Department of State for diplomatic personnel who must learn a language quickly and thoroughly. Emphasis is on learning to speak and to understand the spoken language. Atypical course (equivalent to a college semester) includes an album of 10 to 12 audio cassettes (10 to 18 hours), recorded by native-born speakers, plus a 250-page textbook. Some of our Courses: $160 0 Serbo-Croatian $195 $185 0 Latin 13 Arabic, Saudi $185 0 German I $185 $185 0 Slovak $155 0 Latvian 0 Egyptian $185 0 German II $185 $185 0 Lithuanian $135 0 Spanish! 1:3 Bulgarian $24$ 0 Greek $165 $185 0 Spanish II 0 Cantonese $185 0 Haitian Creole $225 0 Mandarin $185 $255 0 Norwegian $125 0 Swedish El Catalan $185 0 Hebrew $225 $185 0 Swahili $195 0 Persian $125 0 Hungarian Ill Czech $295 $185 0 Polish $185 0 Tagalog $185 0 Italian 0 Danish $195 $185 0 Portuguese $215 0 Thai 1:1 Dutch $125 0 Japanese 0 Turkish $195 (Brazilian) 0 Estonian $295 0 Khmer $225 $195 $115 0 Ukrainian $195 0 Romanian 0 French! $185 0 Korean $185 $225 0 Urdu $215 0 Lakota O French II $185 0 Russian 0 Vietnamese $225 You can order now with a full 3-week money-back guarantee. I"Call (203) 453-9794, fax (203) 453-9774, e-mail: 74537.550@compuserve.com
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BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
FEIRA LIVRE OPEN MARKET ACTORS/COMMERCIALS
INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE
TV Commercials - Secrets of "How You Can Star in Commercials and Make Big $$ Money". (All ages, all sizes, all ethnic groups.) Valuable report. Send $12 to M. C. Randell, Box 17564, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 [138]
Prepaid International Callback Telephone Cards - Low rates between any countries. Brazil to USA for 730 per minute! (619) 738-7005 or (619) 4329709 [135]
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Precisamos de sambistas para shows. (213) 812-7393 [140] Singers wanted. Male/Female English/Portuguese (310) 5595052 [143]
JOB OFFERED
Get paid at home!!! Assembly, crafts, stuffing envelopes, etc. Send $3.00 and S.A.S.E for details. Work at home. 150 South Glenoaks Blvd. #9205Z Burbank, CA 91502 [142] International Company exporting to Brazil. High $ potential for individuals with contacts in Brazil. (805) 449-5507 [141] SOUTH AMERICA/EUROPE EXPANSION - Billion $ Corporate expansion looking for individuals with contacts in Brazil and Europe. High income potential. 1(800) 337-0264 [141] CATERING
ATENGA0 BRASILEIROS Cozinhamos na sua residencia para congelar. (562) 438-3415 [140] CLASSES
Aprenda Inglis - $20 cada hora -Individual (310)398-9228 Professor: Christopher Rudolph [137] Conversational Brasilian Portuguese Method - I tried several methods to learn BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE, but when I started lessons with NILSON, I knew immediately that I'd found the best one. And in just a few months, I was able to communicate on a one-on-one basis." Individual, Total Immersion, Corporate Group and Semi-Private. Phone (310) 379-0738 [141] Looking for a very fast, efficient, and pleasant way to learn Brazilian Portuguese? (415) 9913476 [141] COOKING
Delightful Brazilian Cooking by Eng Tie Ang, two for one sale $14.95, plus $5 shipping and handling. Over 130 authentic, quick and easy recipes. P.O. Box 30818 - Seattle, WA 98103 Phone and Fax (206) 789-3693. [142]
Urgente! Wanted PortugueseEnglish speaking communicable people. $$ 2000-4000 p/t, $$ 4000-8000 f/t. Call (818) 8120256 [141] MISCELLANEOUS
Agradecendo Graca Recebida - Orar o Salmo 38 ties vezes ao dia tres dias consecutivos. Publicar agradecendo graca recebida. B.A.R. [137] Coming to Rio? American living in Rio needs someone to bring guitar equipment from San Francisco. Will compensate. Please, send your E-mail to Peter at leilacostaax.ibase.org.br [140] Divido conteiner para Sao Paulo. Outubro ou novembro de 1997. Entre em contato com Karla. (415) 334-1559 [140] Vendem-se dois bilhetes -LAXSao Paulo-BHZ - Data: 2 de outubro. Call ASAP (714) 7707715 [141] MUSIC
Brazilian Music in its totality. Samba, bossa nova, chorinho, baiao, axe, and more. Merchant Express (954) 785-5991 Music for all occasions. Live, D.J. or Elvis impersonator. Affordable (213)469-2204 - Gerry [138] Norma Blase - soft Brazilian jazz, bossa, samba. Vocal/guitar duo to larger ensemble. Oakland (510) 451-3639 [135] NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES
Jornais e revistas do Brasil. Recebemos jornais diarios e todas as principais revistas, incluindo masculinas e femininas. Tel. (954) 785-5991 PERSONAL
brazzil-ADS (213) 255-8062 BRA7_ZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
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FEIRA LIVRE RATES: 500 a word. Phone is one word. DISCOUNTS: For 3 times deduct 5%, for 6 times deduct 10%. for 12 times deduct 15%. POLICY: All ads to be prepaid. Ads are accepted at our discretion. Your canceled ch, ck is your receipt. Please, include address and phone number - which will be kept confidential. DEADLINE: the 25th of the month. Late material will be held for the following month if appropriate. TO PLACE AD: Send ad with check, money order or your Credit Card number (plus your name and expiration date) to: BRAZZIL P.O. Box 42536 Los Angeles, CA 90050-0536. leiro, bem educada, que adora a mnsica, o samba, a cultura, a linguae o povo brasileiros, queria conhecer urn brasileiro solteiro de 40 anos ou mais, e boa forma, morando em New Y rk City ou pertinho.Messages o E-mail: sylvia2125@aol.co [130]
PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP AND CHATTING
Male, 30, wants to meet Brazilians to practice Portuguese. I studied for a year but need to practice. (818) 548-5935 [137] PRODUCTS
PERSONAL MAN SEEKS WOMAN
American, male, wh te, 45 years old, would like to m eta Brazilian or Portuguese 1 y. I speak English only. Age open. Call (415) 757-1946 (Ev s) [142] mericano„ en repreneur seeks Brazilian lady 8-36, open mind and attractive. Send letter/ photo. Chris - 109 Minna St. #338- San Francisco CA 941053728 [136] Americano, 36, atraente, romantic° e sincerd. Procura brasileira 18-45. Enviar foto para: 2440 - 16th St. #179. San Francisco, CA 94103 [148[ Americano, 38 anos, olhos azuis, fala portugues, queria conhecer brasileira de 18 a 30 anos. Chamar William (310) 2047913 [139] English male, 39, Antique dealer, own business financially secure, attractive, sophisticated, has toured Brazil, seeks slim attractive Brasileira f r long-term relationship and to share life. Send letters and pho os to Mike, 50, Cranworth Rd., Worthing, West Sussex, Engl BN I 12JF [141] Sort-of-American, corporate jaguar, very succesf I, 33, needing some serious stress relief... looking for a very exy, furry Brazilian kitten to pay with. If you are 22-32, in Brazil or USA, no problem... I'll fly you. Letter with photos to GS. 342 S. Highland Ave. #14A, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206. USA [138]
pfio de Queijo —30 por $10 -Angela (310) 398-9228 [137] PSYCHOTHERAPY
Chronic & Life Threatening illnesses, A.D.D. & dyslexia, life transitions, bicultural & relationship issues, sexual identity conflict — Edison de Mello, M.D.; Ph.D./MFCC — Portuguese/ Spanish/ English. (310) 656-6987 [137] Emotional & psychological help -Elizabete Almeida MFCC licensed psychotherapist. English/Portuguese. Reasonable rates. (310) 281-7536. [146] TAX
A TTT Services - Tax & Translation & Travel and Notary (909) 627-2171 [146] TOURISM
Excursao Las Vegas - Saidatodo sabado: (LA) 8:00 AM - Chegada: (Vegas) 2:00 PM - Saida: (Vegas) 10:00 PM - Chegada: (LA) Domingo/manha 4:00 AM - $69/pessoa Tel. (310) 815-8717 TRANSLATION & INTERP.
English to Portuguese, technical translation. Precise, fast turnaround - Ricardo Paoletti (716) 839-5310. Fax: (716) 839-5410. E-mail: paolett@ibm.net Translations - Barbara Maglio, to & from Portuguese, General and Computer. Tel.: (561) 3911057, Fax: (561) 391-2174, Email:bjmaglio@ compuserve.com [134] 49
calendar - sep/oct 97 - u.s.a. MA 4 II I *1 BLUE ID=
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,
o •razzi • ',razz! .co
TV & RADIO
MIAMI 9:00 PM - Djavan at Gusman Center for the Performing Arts in Dowtown
i:tui i.j.T&i VM
:mmus BEVERLY HILLS 8:00 PM - Ana Gazzola at Cava (213) 6588898
IRVINE, CAL.
MIAMI
8:00 PM - Sonia Santos at Sutton Place Hotel (714) 476-2001
COAST TO COAST
9:00 PM - Olodum at Clam Slam Club in South Beach (305) 3581047 11111.+1111 III:1 OMAN Mill
9:30 PM - Lula & Afro Brasil at Zabumba 10:00 PM - MILA Samba School at Café Danssa
SHORT WAVE RADIO Radio Nacional da Amaz6nia - Daily, especially on evenings and early morning - 6,180 & 11,780 Khz Radiobras - All universal time - From 12 noon to 1.20 PM, in English and from 1.30 PM to 2:50 PM, in Spanish 15,445 Khz BOSTON Coragao Brasileiro - Every Monday, 8:00 PM - 10:3 PM with Dennis Miller 88.1 FM - WMBR Brazilian Style of Music Every Friday, 11.00 am 2:00 pm, 91.5 FM, WMFO with Marlon Catao
NEW YORK
CHICAGO The Sounds of Brazil - Every Saturday, 10:00 pm Midnight, 95.5 FM, WI\JUA with Scott Adams Show Brazil - Every Friday, 8.00 am - 11:00 am, 91.5 FM, WMFO with Edna Moreno DENVER Brazilian Fantasy - Every Sunday, 4.00 pm - 6:00 pm, 89.3 FM, KUVO LOS ANGELES TV Brazil TV - Buena Vision, Channels 6 or 56 (Mon. 8:30 pm), LBCTV-CVI (Long Beach & Signal Hill), Channel 57 or 65 (Wed. - 6:30 pm); CVI (San Fernando Valley), Channel 27 (Tue. 7:30 pm) RADIO Sounds of Brazil - Every Saturday, 1:00 PM - 3:0 pm. KPFK, 90.7 FM with Sergio Mielniczenko Brazilian Hour - Every Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 am - 10:00 am, KXLU, 88.9 FM with Sergio Mielniczenko MIAMI RADIO Brazilians Love Jazz - Every Sunday, 8:00 pm- 10:00 pm with Gina Martelli -93.9 - Love 94
9:00, 11:00 PM, & 1 AM - Samba Novo (2:00 AM -Manhattan Samba Group) at S.O.B.'s
MIAMI 9:00 PM - Olodum at Millenium in Pompano Beach (305) 358-1047 8:00 PM - Pianist Luis Fernando Benedini at University of Miami's Maurice Gusman Concert Hall (305) 284-4940
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. 7:30 PM - Claudio Fornaro at Brazil-Brazil (954) 561-8200
LOS ANGELES ANAHEIM, CAL. 7:00 PM - Brazilian Music at Ginga Brasil Illg ialUalLyfrA11111M
NEW YORK 9:00, 11:00 PM, & 1 AM - Juliana Aquino (2:00 AM - Manhattan Samba Group) at S.O.B.'s
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. 7:30 PM - Claudio Fornaro at Brazil-Brazil (954) 561-8200
SAN FRANCISCO 10:00 PM - Entre N6s at Bahia Cabana
ANAHEIM, CAL.
SEATTLE, WASH.
7:00 PM - Brazilian Music at Ginga Brasil
9:00 PM- Festa Brasileira with Beija Flor at Ballard Firehouse (206) 6280888
8:00 PM - Sonia Santos at Sutton Place Hotel (714) 476-2001
IRVINE, CAL.
CARMEL, CAL.
LOS ANGELES
8:00 PM - Damien & Intercambio at Jazz Store (650) 595-2274
9:30 PM - Flavia de Mello and ULA at Zabumba 9:30 PM & 11:00 PM - Katia Moraes at La Ve Lee (818) 980-8158 10:00 PM - Constellation Band at Cafe Danssa
IRVINE, CAL. 8:00 PM - Sonia Santos at Sutton Place Hotel (714) 476-2001
ANAHEIM, CAL. 7:00 PM - Brazilian Music at Ginga Brasil
LOS ANGELES 9:30 PM - Flavia de Mello and ULA at Zabumba 111111Wi11ZIMUMMENI
SAN FRANCISCO 10:00 AM - Festival de Las Americas at 24th Street
LOS ANGELES 8:00 PM - Lula & Afro Brasil at Zabumba 111*:1UAW PIM
LOS ANGELES 9:00 PM - Axe plays choro, balk), and samba at Zabumba EWA RI I *1 OM& Vali
CORONA DEL MAR 9:00 PM - Lula & Afro Brasil at Carmelo's (714) 675-1922 1.101111;111 f1 I;
BERKELEY, CAL. 9:00 PM - Carlos Oliveira & Liza Silva at Nino's
LOS ANGELES 9:00 PM -Samba Tropical & Marcia Brito at Zabumba 10:00 PM - Kleber Jorge & Meia Noite at Mamagaya (310) 659-4999
EmiLviajaskimii. MIAMI 8:00 PM - Guitarists Sergio and Odair Assad at University of Miami's Maurice Gusman Concert Hall (305) 284-4940
LOS ANGELES 8:00 PM - Lula & Afro Brasil at Zabumba LII :1
LOS ANGELES 9:00 PM - Axe plays choro, baiao, and samba at Zabumba 11111111.1101 III I *1117:NIVE
CORONA DEL MAR 9:00 PM - Lula & Afro Brasil at Carmelo's (714) 675-1922
BEVERLY HILLS 9:00 PM - Katia Moraes at Bokaos (310) 659-1200
LOS ANGELES 8:00 PM - Ana Gazzola at Farfala (213) 938-2504
Ammo= BERKELEY, CAL.
9:00 PM - Carlos Oliveira & Liza Silva at Nino's
LOS ANGELES 9:00 PM - Samba Tropical & Marcia Brito at Zabumba 10:00 PM - Kleber Jorge & Meia Noite at
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
Mamagaya (310) 659-4999
imaggigavitiam LOS ANGELES
9:30 PM - Lula & Afro Brasil at Zabumba 10:00 PM - MILA Samba School at Café Danssa
IRVINE, CAL. 8:00 PM - SOnia Santos at Sutton Place Hotel (714) 476-2001
ANAHEIM, CAL. 7:00 PM - Brazilian Music at Ginga Brasil 1.11111.MillialgArlAMM
NEW YORK 9:00, 11:00 PM, & 1 AM - Samba Novo (2:00 AM - Manhattan Samba Group) at S.O.B.'s
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. 7:00 PM -Claudio Fornaro at Brazil-Brazil (954) 561-8200
SAN FRANCISCO 10:00 PM - Liza Silva & Voz do Brasil at Bahia Cabana
ANAHEIM, CAL. 7:00 PM - Brazilian music at Ginga Brasil
LOS ANGELES 8:00 PM - Ana Gazzola, Sonia Santos and Lula at Fais Do Do (213) 931-4636 9:30 PM - ULA at Zabumba 10:00 PM - Constellation Band at Cafe Danssa
immuniial utuimm SAN FRANCISCO
8:00 PM - Miss Brasil-California with live entertainment at Bahia Cabana
LOS ANGELES 8:00 PM - Lula & Afro Brasil at Zabumba
9:00 PM - Samba Tropical & Marcia Brito at Zabumba 10:00 PM - Kleber Jorge & Meia Noite at Mamagaya (310) 6594999
ANAHEIM, CAL. 7:00 PM- Brazilian Music at Ginga Brasil
MIFfIllLIIZi 11/MIE MIAMI 8:00 PM - Pianist Luis FernandO Benedini and cellist Ant6nio Menezes at University of Miami's Maurice Gusman Concert Hall (305) 284-4940
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 7:30 PM - Claudio Fornaro at Brazil-Brazil (954) 561-8200
LOS ANGELES 9:30 PM - ULA at Zabumba
9:00 PM - Axe plays choro, baiao, and samba at Zabumba
Lamm.
9:00 PM - Axe plays choro, baiao, and samba at Zabumba
WWI 001 aCiBlAva:= CORONA DEL MAR 9:00 PM - Lula & Afro Brasil at Carmelo's (714) 675-1922
:111:1-1 B/Ava!=i1 LOS ANGELES 10:00 PM - Kleber Jorge & Mel
Noite at Mamagaya (310) 659 4999
IIIIIV111PIN BY.A.VM I FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. ANAHEIM, CAL. 7:00 PM - Brazilian Music at Ging Brasil
Il1144197.:VM LOS ANGELES
Eimmay Ti 4 91 I 4-1 BEM CORONA DEL MAR, CAL. 9:00 PM - Lula & Afro Brasil at Carmelo's (714) 675-1922
ANAHEIM, CAL. Ginga Brazil - 821 N. Euclid, (714) 778-0266
BERKELEY Ash:kenaz - 1317 San Pablo Ave. (510) 525-5054 Nine's - 1916 Martin I.. King Jr. (510) 845-9303
LOS ANGELES 14 Below - 1348 14th Si.. Santa
Monica -(310) 451-5040 Cafe Danssa - 11533 W. Pico BI. West L.A.- (310) 478-7866 Tony's -701 Long Beach Blvd.
BP,A7_ZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
9:00 PM - Axe plays choro, baiao, and samba at Zabumba
Wel 4 I 4.1 eliVM CORONA DEL MAR 9:00 PM - Lula & Afro Brasil at Carmelo's (714) 675-1922
LOS ANGELES
(310) 628-9789 La ye Lee - 12514 Ventura BI. - Studio City - (818) 980-8158 Zabumba -10717 Venice Blvd Culver City - (310) 841-6525
MIAMI Brazil Samba Café - Hollywood (954) 920-4426 Scala Miami -(305) 371-5604
SOB -200 Varick St. (212)307-
7171 Supper Club - 240 W. 47 St.
(212) 921-1940 Scala Brazil - 35-50 31st St. -
Astoria (718) 937-0352
OAKLAND, CAL. Yoshi's -6030 Claremont Ave. (510) 652-9200
NEW YORK
S. FRANCISCO
Blue Note - 131 West 3rd St. (212) 475-8592
Bahia Cabana -(415)861-4202 Chambord - 152 Kearney St.
Cafe Wha - 115 MacDougal St.
(415) 434-3688 Coconut Grove-(415)776-1616
- (212) 254-3706
TV BTN (Brazilian TV Network) 11:00 pm - 1:00 am, DCI ch.
40, S. South ch. 51, Adelphia ch 52, Gold Coast ch. 99 Luqui Corporation - Jornal
Bandeirantes - 11.00 pm 1:00 am, Dynamic ch. 20, S South ch. 41, Gold Coast ch 44, DCI ch. 45 NEW YORK RADIO
LOS ANGELES
7:30 PM -Claudio Fornaro at Bra zil-Brazil (954) 561-8200
LOS ANGELES
TV & RADIO
Brasil corn S - Every Saturday, 9:00 PM with Judith King, 88. 3 FM - WBGO Canta Brasil - Every Saturdday, 8.00AM -93.1 FM -WPAT Radio Amazonia - Every day, 6:30 PM on short wave -6.185 MHZ TV Brazil News - Every Wednesday, 8:30 PM - Channel 34 Brazil Update - Every Saturday, 3:30 PM - Channel 69 Brazilians in America-TV Every Sunday, 5:30 PM -Channel 16 Media Flux: Brasil - Every Saturday, 4:00 PM - Ch. 16 S. FRANCISCO Brasileirinho - Every Wednesday, 9.30 PM, KZSC, 88.1 FM with Renato Frota Brasil Musical - Every Sunday, 1.00 PM - 5:00 PM, Radio Bilingue, 91.5 FM via satellite, with Ricardo and Amarina Pugh - Fresno Canta, Brasil - Every Sunday, 6.00 PM - 8.00 PM - KKUP, 91.5 FM, with Xuxu, Maria Jose and David Heyman Programa de Domingo - Every Sunday, 1:00 PM - 2.00 PM, KSQQ 96.1 FM with Lino Bugatti A Taste of Brazil - Every Sunday, 11:00 PM - 12:00 AM, KKSF, 103.7 with Dick Conte SO Da Brasil - Every Friday, 8.00 PM - 9:00 PM, KUSF, 90.3 with Jorge Lima & Simone Odom WASHINGTON, DC Waves of Patropi - Every Saturday, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, WDCU, 90 FM with Andre Lacerda
51
Boston Area Books Livraria Plenitude (800) 532-5809 Consulate Consulado G. do Brasil (617) 617-542-4000 Dentist Sylvio P. Lessa (617) 924-1882 Food & Products Aqui Brazil (617) 787-0758 Brasil Brasil (617) 561-6094 Jerry's Cachaca (617) 666-5410 Instruction Approach Student Ctr (617) 787-5401 Braz. & Amer. Lg. Inst. (617) 787-7716 Music Brazil CDs (617) 666-3747 Publications The Brazilian Monthly (617) 566-3651 Bossa: Braz. Jazz Guide (617) 262-9997 Restaurants Cafe Brazil (617) 789-5980 Ipanema (508) 460-6144 Tropicilia (617) 567-4422 Pampas Churrascaria (617) 661-6613
Chicago Consulate Consulado G. do Brasil (312) 464-0244 Translations Portuguese Lang. Ctr. (312) 276-6683
Los Angeles Accountant Sheila Shanker (310) 836-3436 Airlines Yang (800) GO VARIG Vasp (310) 364-0160 Arts & Crafts Bakari Art Studio (213) 938-0523 Folk Creations (310) 693-2844 Culture Planet (310) 441-9808 Zebi Designs (310) 391-6530 Auto Repair Cosmo Auto Parts (213) 259-9818 Banks Banco do Brasil (213) 688-2996 Catering Joy's Catering (562) 438-3415 Churches Igreja Evang. Bras. (714) 534-9437 Clothes Samba Collection 52
(562) 437-1939 Summer Brazil (310) 455-1772 Clubs & Associations Brazil-Cal. Chbrof Corn. (310) 665-0166 Centro Cultural Gaucho (213) 256-6548 MILA - Samba School (310) 391-6098 SambaLsi -Esc. de Samba (562) 437-1939 Consulate Brazilian Consulate (213) 651-2664 Dentists Gilberto Henriques
(213) 464-0524 Events Promotion Brazil 'N You Prom. (562) 863-3463 Brazilian Nites Prod. (818) 566-1111 Pegasus - Parties & Ent. (818) 549-0383 Sayegh Promotions (800) 507-3653 Health & Fitness Herbs from Brazil (213) 851-7016 Westside Acupuncture (310) 914-1624 Import/Export N & R International (909) 626-3656 Instruction Brasil Brasil Cult. Ctr (310) 397-3667 Modern Lang. Center (310) 839-8427 Legal Services Meiojas & Ferraz (310) 360-0901 Loans Finance Plus Mort. Corp.
(310) 585-8911 Music Braz. Jazz /All Occasions (310) 839-3788 Jazz - Richard Samuels (818) 798-5424 Physician Paulo Coharte (310) 285-9670 Dick) Rangel (310) 828-7454 Ingrid Rodi - Gynec. (310) 451-8144 Nilson A. Santos (213) 483-3430 Psychother/Counsel. Elizabeth Almeida M.A. (310) 281-7536 Dr. Jefferson Si (818) 592-0402 Publications Brazzil (213) 255-8062 Real Estate Cent. 21 - Solon Pereira (310) 633-0787 Cold. Banker-J. Freitas (818) 304-9562 Restaurants & Cafes Bossa Nova (310) 657-5070 Brazilian Tropical (714) 720-1522 By Brazil (310) 787-7520 Cafe Brasil (310) 837-8957 Ginga Brasil (714) 778-0266 Lulu's Alibi (310) 479-6007 Yolie's Brazilian Steak (714) 251-0722
Zabumba (310) 841-6525 Translation/Interp. Brazilian Int. Affairs (310) 854-5881 Tocantins Communic. (818) 248-3667 Tray ell Toirs Around the World Tn. (800) 471-6333 Brazil Air (800) 441-8515 Brazil Tours (818) 767-1200 Cheviot Hills Travel (310) 202-6264 Traveland (800) 321-6336
Airlines Transbrasil (800) 872-3153 yang (800) 468-2744 Vasp (800) 732-8277 Banks Banco do Brasil (305) 358-3586 Banco Nacional (305) 372-0100 Banco Real (305) 358-2433 Banespa (305) 358-9167 Clubs & Associations ABFC -As. Bras. da Fier. (407) 354-5200 Cim. Corn. Brasil- EUA (305) 579-9030 ABABA - Amazon. As. (813) 842-3161 Consulate Consulado do Brasil (305) 285-6200 Dentists Arnaldo Souza (305) 595-3238 Hedimo de Si (305) 262-8212 Food & Beverages All Braz. Imp. & Exp. (305) 523-8134 Guarani Esteves (305) 345-1540 Via Brasil (305) 866-7718 Physicians Dr. Jorge Macedo (305) 271-7311 Dr. Mario Sanches (305) 541-7819 Dr. Neri Franzon (305) 776-1412 Publications Florida Review
(305) 374-5235 Restaurants Brazilian Tropicana (305) 781-1113 Brazilian Delight (305) 374-0032 Brazilian Pie (305) 866-1001 Cheese Bread House (305) 443-5358 Gula Gula (305) 532-3636 Travel Agencies Brazilian Wave (305) 561-3788 Discover Brazil Tours (800) 524-3666 Euroamirica (305) 358-3003 International Tours (800) 822-1318 Luma Travel (305) 374-8635
Monark Travel (305) 374-5855 New Port Tours (305) 372-5007 Venture Travel (305) 379-7678 Via Brasil Travel (305) 866-7580
New York N. Jersey Books Luso-Brazilian Books
(800) 727-LUSO Clubs & Associations Brazilian Ch. of Corn. (212) 575-9030 Brazilian Corn. Bureau (212) 916-320Q Brazilian Trade Bur. (212) 224-6280 Consulate Brazilian Gen. Cons. (212) 757-3080 Food & Products Amazonia (718) 204-1521 Coisa Nossa (201) 578-2675 Merchant Express (201) 589-5884 PllhilCations The Brasilians (212) 382-1630 Brazilian Voice (201) 955-1137 OCA Magazine (516) 596,1853 Portugal-Brasil News (212) 228-2958 Samba Newsletter (718) 937-0574 Restaurants Brasilia (212) 869-9200 Brazil 2000 (212) 877-7730 Brazilian Pavillion (212) 758-8129 Cabana Carioca (212) 581-8088 Indigo Blues (212) 221-0033 S.O.B. (212) 243-4940 Tapajds River (201) 491-9196 Travel Agencies Barb Tour Service (201) 313-0996 Odyssea Travel Service (212) 826-3019
San Diego Clubs & Associations Clube Bras. San Diego (619) 295-0842 Sunday Night Cl. Brazil (619) 233-5979 Import/Export Brazil Imports (619) 234-3401 Money Remittance Vigo-California (619) 479-VIGO
San Francisco Airlines Varig (415) 986-5737 Vasp (800) 732-VASP Attorney Manoel Faria (10) 537-3533
Ralph Baker
(415) 871-2201
(510) 444-8100
Physician
Auto
Dr. Guilherme Salgado (415) 832-6219
Nelson Auto Body (415) 255-6717 Malls Auto Body (415) 565-3560 Beauty Salon Bibbo (415) 421-BIBO Carmen's International (415) 433-9441 Neyde's (415) 681-5355 Clubs & Associations
Printing M. C. Printing (510) 268-8967 Publications Brazil Today (510) 526-1115 Brazzil (415) 587-4990 Restaur./Night Clubs
B.A.S.O. (415) 661-2788 Bay Area Brasilian Club (415) 334-0106 Brazilian Cult. Movem. (415) 437-6991 Dance&MusicSum.Camp (510) 655-8207 Computer Micronet (415) 665-1994 Consulate Brazilian Consulate (415) 981-8170 Dance Instruction Aquarela (510) 548-1310 Brazil Culture & Arts (510) 215-8202 Ginga Brasil (510) 428-0698 Escola Nova de Samba (415) 661-4798 Samba do Coracio (415) 826-2588 Samba, Swing & Suor (415) 282-7378 Dental Care Roberto Sales, DDS
(510) 451-8315 Events Promotion F. B. C. Events (415) 334-0106 Nativa Productions (408) 287-9798 Food Brazilian Coffee Dist. (415) 648-5966 California Produce (415) 586-6200 HGC Imp. Wholesale (408) 947-8511 Instruction Portuguese. A. Frame (510) 339-9289 Portuguese Lang. Serv. (415) 587-4990 Money Remittance Brasil Express (415) 673-0262 Vigo (415) 863-0218 West Brazil (415) 695-9258 Music Celia Malheiros (415) 738-2434 Damien's Intercambio (415) 595-2274 Fogo na Roupa (510) 464-5999 Marcos Silva ' (510) 945-0138 Terra Sul (415) 752-9782 Viva Brazil (415) 342-8508 Voz do Brazil (415) 586-2276 Musical Instruments Tamborim & Samba
Bahia Cabana (415) 861-4202 Balboa Braz. Rest. (415) 387-1118 Cafe do Brasil (415) 626-6432 CafĂŠ Mardi Gras (415) 864-6788 Canto do Brasil (415) 626-8727 Colusa Restaurant (415) 526-1500 Joio's Restaurant (408) 244-1299 Little Rio (415) 441-3344 Michelangelo CafĂŠ (415) 986-4058 Mozzarela Di-Bufala (415) 346-9888 Nino's (510) 845-9303 Paulo's Juice Bar (415) 437-0839 Stelladoro (415) 928-2662 Tropicilia (408) 471-0294 Translation Port. Lang. Services (415) 587-4990 Travel Agencies Rio Roma (415) 921-3353 Santini Tours (510) 843-2363 Travel Americas (415) 334-0404 Tropical Travel (510) 655-9904 Tucanos Travel (415) 454-9961 Winship Travel (415) 863-2717
ash ington DC Airlines Transbrasil (202) 775-9180 yang (202) 331-8913 Vasp (202) 822-8277 Banks Banco do Brasil (202) 857-0320 Banco do Est. de S. Paulo (202) 682-1151 Clubs & Associations Braz. Am. Cult. Inst. (202) 362-8334 Inst. of Brazil. Business (202) 994-5205 Embassy Embaixada do Brasil (202) 238-2700 Restaurants Amazonia Grill (202) 537-0421 Travel Agencies Intern. Discount Travel (703) 750-0101 BRAZZIL -SEPTEMBER 1997
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Sharing the Joy A behind-the-scenes look at Carnaval San Francisco Although this year's Carnaval that took place in June in San Francisco is just a memory for some, for others who really care, the memories linger on. Some people feel that, despite its multicultural identity, and even after 18 years, San Francisco's Carnaval is still searching for authenticity, a certain central theme besides inclusiveness. This year the focus was on the ecology of the Rain Forest—with participants appropriately dressed to celebrate its flora and fauna—and it is good to have a theme, but, for sure, it is still the samba that saves Carnaval, giving it its sense of spectacle, glamour and, yes, sophistication. DAWN A TYLER The Source Olodum, Araketu, Timbalada, he Aye. Carnaval! It's not all bacchanal and masquerade, it is also inspiration: From the rituals of Bahia and Rio, the gods of music are invoked, summoned to appear at Carnaval in San Francisco. And it is in this spirit and the spirit of the Carnaval tradition that some of the samba groups participate, such as Mara-Reggae whose theme this year was "The Spirit Cannot Be Enslaved." Mara is derived from rnaracatu, a processional dance form with characters from the court: king, queen, lesser royals, court jester, musicians, and umbrella carriers, all dressed in appropriate caricature to mock Portuguese royalty. This also is the essence of Brazilian Carnaval. C-a-r-n-a-v-a-I. It's the Brazilian word that comes to mind when you think of celebration: street parades, floats, dancing. And Brazilians here are the heartbeat and soul of Carnaval, sharing their dances and music with San Francisco and the world. Their spirit is inspiring and becoming increasingly important in the Bay Area where thousands of Brazilians live. Ever since seeing the movie Orfeu Negro, Marcel Camus's hauntingly tragic 1959 film that intertwined the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice with the Carnaval of Rio, and starring that enchantingly beautiful actress Marpessa Dawn and the handsome, charismatic actor Breno Mello, I have had a mystical love affair with mythic Brazil. Orfeu Negro meant to me the picturesque beauty of Rio, the joyous explosions of life, music and dancing in hillside favelas, the hypnotic drums of the
5,4
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
baterias, and the pain, when you reflect on the crushing poverty ofthesefavelas; and to Brasileiros, Carnaval seemed to have a certain urgency and importance. Ever since seeing Orfeu Negro, Brazil has also been my reflection pool on life— my manna' de Carnaval. On the morning after, if you listen closely, in the same way that you can hear the sounds of the sea on a silent seashore, you can hear the layers of samba rhythms that underlie the poetic, soulful, philosophical laments—songs in Portuguese that penetrate the soul and heart—and the words and what they mean. The Week Before Here in San Francisco, it is the Sunday before Carnaval, a two-day event that begins with a street festival during the day on Saturday followed by the Carnaval Ball that Saturday night at the Galleria, a beautiful performance space, and culminates in a street parade the next day, Sunday. Featured at the ball this year were the Brazilian All-Stars Big Band, directed by Celia Malheiros with Liza Silva; samba groups Aquarela and Fogo na Roupa and over 50 dancers and singers; and Sueldo Soares and Band from Bahia, featuring Axe making a special guest appearance. "Carnaval Meets Mardi Gras" was the theme and prizes included a trip to Rio and a trip to New Orleans. But some clubs, like Bahia Cabana on Market Street, start celebrating from Friday. The genesis of Carnaval was the apparent need for San Franciscans to express themselves in dance and music, so in 1979 there was an impromptu festival in Precita Park in the upper Mission (Bernal Heights) in the Mission District. What was just a neighborhood festival later became a street parade from Mission Street to City Hall. This developed into the parade and the festival, now confined exclusively to the Mission—still a predominantly Latino neighborhood despite gentrification and the site of carnavals since 1985—but celebrated by thousands of people from all over the Bay Area. There are two components to Carnaval San Francisco, as it is called: the festival and parade. The festival is the celebration of food and music under the pavilions and in the streets of the designated blocks of the Mission. The parade starts at 24th and Bryant, continues along Mission, then east on 14th to Harrison and then south for a block, where it disbands. The community where Carnaval takes place is bounded by 24th and Bryant on the South, Mission Street on the West, 14th Street on the North and Harrison Street on the east. On this foggy afternoon, the day of the Bay to Breakers, the world's biggest footrace, which starts at one end of the Bay and winds down to the Pacific Ocean, where earlier some 75,000 "run-
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
ners" had their own Carnaval, some of whom were dressed as dancing fish or dalmatians, even as a human dogsled racing team with people taking the place of dogs, and a band, Elvis and His Hound Dogs, and what not. But for those who can feel it Carnaval is in the air. It's not the fervor of Rio nor Bahia; but it is chilly, hilly San Francisco, with its multicultural Carnaval. I arrive at Golden Gate Park to watch the samba group Mara-Reggae practice. In this spot in the park, about 150 dancers of a full contingent of 175 comprising all races, ages, sizes, sexes and sexual orientations have congregated to practice their choreography to get a feeling for the sensation of being on the street, in an open space. Brasileiro musician Wilson Low, a native of Minas Gerais, and Rhonda Stagnaro, who teaches highly successful African-Brazilian rhythm and motion classes, lead the group. As his name does not sound Brazilian, I inquire o Wilson about his ancestry and he offers that his father is Austrian, his mothe Brazilian, that ancestry is impossible to trace in Brazil because all document and records of slavery were burne around the time of emancipation whe there was a land grab. The Mara-Reggae choreograph combines samba and reggae, and fo Carnaval includes the choreography o Blanche Brown, a teacher of Haitia dance for 21 years and the director o Group Petit La Croix (and it is Petit L Croix because it is Creole, Ms. Brow emphasizes). A San Franciscan who ha studied the Haitian Carnaval, the Ra R Carnaval that is celebrated right afteil: Lent, she has collaborated with MaraReggae on the dance sequences, and this collaboration produces an interesting juxtaposition of styles. As her dancers make circular motions with hips and skirts while others punctuate the ai waving what looks like stalks of wheat Ms. Brown explains that the Haitia Carnaval style is sensual and teasing. Simultaneously, the Mara-Regga dancers samba in their own formation to the pulsating rhythms of the bateri Rhonda Stagnaro, who is married t Low and has been participating Carnaval and Brazilian dance for te years, declares: "We put the accent o community, working together. It's abo everybody," she says, as she encourage dancers to interact with each other ançi with the audience. The dancers are d' vided into three sections—the first re resenting Africa; the second Haiti an the slaves being brought to the Ne World; and the third the Mara-Reggatheme "The Spirit Cannot Be Enslaved;' A virtuoso at wielding two machet,s in either hand as she dances, Ms. Brow
tells me that she and her troupe will perform again in this year's San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival doing the juba, a dance that is done after the harvest. On remarking on how much of African culture Haitians have retained, she mentions that she will be presenting dances of the Fon and Mahi of Dahomey and the Ibo and Yoruba of Nigeria. On Sunday in the parade she will be dressed as a peacock in red, yellow, green, black and white. Other costumes will portray the sun, fire, water and earth. I get comments from one of the four dance captains, Lisa Greenfield, also of Group Petit La Croix, who speaks Brazilian Portuguese and will be dancing with Mara-Reggae for the second year. Of American culture and Carnaval she says, "[Dance] is one of those things that our culture does not celebrate. It is a day to come together and enjoy." Lisa is a photographer who was in Salvador, Bahia, last year to photograph the festival of lansd, which she says is equivalent to the religious festival of Santa Bdrbara. Cars stop, people get out to stare in awe at the spectacle on the grass. People take pictures. The bateria plays nonstop for about an hour and a half. And the King of Carnaval is here, Roger Dillahunty, an Arkansan who lives in San Francisco, who is without his queen, Milanda Moor. They won their titles at a contest in March at Cesar's Latin Palace, the entertainment mecca of the Mission. Roger says he will portray a colonial caricature, a king who alternates his demeanor by being appropriately royal and then unroyal as he mingles with his subjects. At this statement, he laughs heartily. The original founder of CitiCentre Dance Theatre in Oakland, where he danced from 1981-1988, Roger has been teaching modern jazz dance for 18 years and has taught at UC Berkeley, Cal State-Hayward, at Third Wave Dance Studio in San Francisco in the Mission for 12 years, and with the dance group Rhythm & Motion for 15 years. As I mingle with dancers and musicians and penetrate their conversations, I overhear that Kevin Welch is building the floats, Adrianna Moreno is the group's singer, and Rosa Williams, a nurse and dancer, warns urgently that the float to be paid for by a common fund has not yet been built. So far there is "a solid group of two"—she and her husband—she notes wearily at the prospect of having to build the float themselves. Manuel DeMoussy of Guadeloupe offers help. Walter Mackins, a native San Franciscan who plays the surdo (big drum) with Mara-Reggae and regularly with a group called Vivendo de Pao
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(Living From Bread) at the popular Elbo Room in San Francisco where Afro-Brazilian music is played on Tuesday nights, waxes passionate at the mention of the word Brazil. Able to get along in Brazilian Portuguese, he has traveled to Sao Paulo, Rio and Salvador, Bahia, declaring that he feels very comfortable, at home in Bahia, and will be returning for a visit around the time of Rio's Carnaval next year. Like me, he is a wannabe Brazilian (he will be tickled to read this) and has a great love for and knowledge of the music and people of Brazil. Tall and impressive, he cuts a dashing figure in a Kente-cloth vest. He looks Brazilian, so much so that he is often mistaken for a Brazilian. Of the multicultural spectacle of dancers, bateria and audience, he philosophizes: "This is the universe right here. The common bond is that we like Brazilian music." The Mission My pilgrimage now takes me into the Mission to Third Wave Studio on 24th Street to Ginga Brasil, a Brazilian dance group. Some 25 dancers and a bateria of 15 are practicing for Carnaval. I solicit comments from some of the participants, some of them Brazilians, which are revealing: "Life is so stressful, it's a release for me," says Rhonda Ngom of Carnaval. She is one of the Ginga Brasil dancers who at a glance looks Brazilian; she lived in Brazil from 19911992. Kristen Makita, a former performer with Batucaje, a group she feels has "taught San Franciscans a lot of about the spirit of Carnaval," has danced in Carnaval for 20 years and feels that everyone should take part in the celebration of music and dancing; she sees it as "medicine": "I realize what happiness is, I love being part of a community. It's the heartbeat of the world, drums are," she declares, in an oblique reference to the drumming, dancing and singing that is the life force of Carnaval. Another Ginga Brasil dancer, an underwriting assistant, will be "princess ofthe derriere." One ofthe freestyle dancers, Tracy Grantham, a San Franciscan who will be dancing extemporaneously on the street (not on the float) has paid $95 for her costume, and Frances Cavalho, a twenty-something dancer who is proud of being "75% Brazilian Indian," is passionately against the rape of the resources in the Rain Forest while thirty-one-year-old Leandro Loquercio, a Brazilian PH.D. student of plant molecular biology and a musician, likes to express "that side" of his personality. He observes that "human nature is culturally induced and sees Carnaval as "an opportunity to show how Brazilians have fun and appreciate the beauty of women."
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Conceicdo Damasceno, a Bahian from Salvador and the artistic director of Ginga Brasil Dance Theater, is directing this rehearsal. This is Ginga Brasil's second rehearsal space, having moved to Third Wave in the Mission from the International Center on Oak Street, home of world-famous Lines ballet company. (This is also where Rhonda Stagnaro gives Afro-Brazilian rhythm and motion classes and where Blanche Brown teaches Haitian dance.) Conceicao, an elegant Brazilian woman with a mane of untamed hair, teaches Afro-Brazilian dance in the Bay Area and is something of an entrepreneur. For a modest fee of $5 you can contact her for discounts on dance workshops, purchases of percussion instruments and information about lectures, parties, dinners and trips to Brazil. Tania Santiago, also a Brasileira from Salvador, the lead dancer of the internationally acclaimed Afro-Bloco "Olodum" is also here. A dancer with a group called Fusdo, she has a great feel and reverence for ritual ,dance and teaches dance at A.B.A.D.A. Capoeira Brazilian Cultural Academy in the Mission. She is the choreographer of Ginga Brasil's street dancers. The Day, The Parade: Sunday, June 1st "Everybody, samba!" trumpeted the San Francisco Bay Guardian, San Francisco's biggest alternative newspaper in announcing Carnaval in its Calendar section. Another newspaper described it as "a taste of Rio in San Francisco." And in San Francisco, it is just a taste that you get because it is a multicultural festival where anyone can participate—(the cost is $25 per person)— not just escolas de samba. So there are different drums and different groups dancing to different beats. Participants are from Afro-Brazilian samba schools, Caribbean steel bands, Aztec dancers ,folklorico ensembles from Latin America, dancers from Hawaii, and community organizations that run the gamut. It is now about an hour before the parade. As I walk along Mission from 16th Street I see only a few people, but when I reach 22nd Street and Mission, making my way to my favorite viewing spot, a bus stop near 24th and Mission, hoping to secure a seat, by degrees a crowd starts to form. I do carve out a spot, but do not get a seat. Expectation is in the air. The sights and sounds of Carnaval are everywhere. A small group of men dressed in Hawaiian shirts try to put on a Carnaval face, laughing loud and long. Horns toot, monitors in go-carts, vendors of colored ices, balloons and soft drinks are evident here and there, as are cops on motorcycles, or on the street usually in twos or threes, everywhere
(there are well over 100), and there are a few photographers. It is a gloriously sunny day, about 65 degrees in the shade and 70 in the sun. (I am truly grateful, because last year it was cold and rainy.) Drums sound and the first vehicle, a car with the grand marshal, rounds the corner. Next there are children, and women pushing baby carriages. The float of the Bahamas appears. Those teasing words and lilting rhythms of calypso resound: "You ask me 'Who do you love?' I tell yuh, 'I love nobody." Then there is a folkloric° group followed by Masked Revelers and their steel drums, #3A (this year the groups are numbered.) The crowd is not attentive, the parade slows. The King and Queen of Carnaval, #5, appear to very little audience response. The Queen sambas, smiling bravely. The Mara-Reggae dancers are next; but they do not have a float. However, they provide the first real excitement with their red, green and yellow costumes as they display their banner "The Spirit Cannot Be Enslaved." Soon, #7, one of my favorites, the Aztec Dancers, about 35 strong, make an impressive appearance with their dancing. The brass-eagle headdress of the lead dancer shines while the plumed headdresses of the other dancers, resplendent in their brightly colored costumes, shimmer in the sun in ritualistic synchronicity. The men are dressed in loin cloths and the women in Indian dresses and beads. The simple, repetitive steps are affecting. There is a ritualistic synergy. On hearing the rhythmic echoing sounds of the drums, my spirit is yet a little freer, and I am so moved that I feel impelled to follow them along the street but decide to maintain my vantage spot. Next comes a float bearing a pyramid to commemorate the famous stone pyramids of Mexico and Central America. Renacer Bolivia follows, their dancers dressed in red, yellow and purple, their gold high-heeled boots clicking in step to a polished choreography, A bateria dressed in white, Longfellow Elementary School, is next, followed by a group from Panama of about 80 women doing a comparsa, their skirts billowing as they execute restrained steps that are uniquely Caribbean. Their float, which has a king and queen, is decorated with red, white and blue tropical fish and birds. The Mission District Police Department, which has a van pulling a fringed float with a very professional-sounding steel band, receives respectable applause. Then a stiltwalker dressed in white and depicting death leads The African Outlet, a colorful group attired in a variety of garbs and headdresses: Some are Africans, others Arabs, and some of the
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
women belly dancers. But it is the sanitation workers (#18, the Scavengers Protective Association) who get the most spontaneous, sustained and loudest applause of the day. They struck an ecological note with their banner "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." Ginga Brasil (#19) appears. Numbering about 80, the dancers are dressed in green and yellow as they represent their theme, "Spirit of the Amazon." Conceicdo Damasceno stands out in her body stocking as she dances on the float. This looks like Brazil. Beautiful women in Carnaval costumes, dancing the samba. Ginga Brasil is followed by the San Francisco School of Circus Arts accompanied by a dog. The sky is now overcast with scudding clouds; only glimmers of sunshine punctuate the somber sky. Somos Insetos, a group of about 200, most of them children, makes a colorful statement in imaginative costumes. Bees and butterflies are everywhere. Children in green headdresses with yellow and purple stamens sticking out like those of flowers represent the flora and fauna of the rain forest. Then there are Birds of Paradise in purple, yellow and red plumes. The sun returns to shine, to smile again on Carnaval. Number 23, Bay Area Caribbean Congress, a soca band with singers on a truck, captures the attention ofthe crowd as members try to communicate in true Caribbean Carnaval style: "Follow de leader. Follow de leader, follow de leader, leader. Are yuh ready to party? Put yu hand on yu head and wine." (I translate wine (Caribbean slang) to mean moving your hips around suggestively.) And the suggestive lyrics delight the crowd; there is a new feeling in the air. (Soca bands like All Ah We have always provided that happy, relaxed, carefree Caribbean style, and their infectious - music, always first-rate, has complemented the samba groups and added another dimension to Carnaval.) At this point, the parade is backed up, so the Caribbean Congress takes control and entertains the crowd. One of the two singers who sports dreadlocks tries to get a better reaction so he turns to the crowd and says: "Too quiet, man, yuh hungry?" He tries to exhort the crowd as best he can: "Carnaval is boss, are yuh ready to party? Jump up, jump; I love soca; move yuh body, move yuh body; move to the left, move to the right; move to the left, move to the right." For me, the rhythms are liberating. My spirit is emancipated by their spirit and I decide to follow them along the parade route until they disband at
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 1997
Harrison and 16th Street. On the way I see a little Brazilian boy, who is dancing, wearing a T-shirt with a map of Brazil on it. I ask his mother, Jacqueline Alves, how she feels about Carnaval and she struggles to tell me in English that the difference between San Francisco's Carnaval and that of Rio is in the music. She explains that in Rio there are numerous baterias—so much so that "you feel the sound going into your body. It is impossible to keep still." Further along the parade route I encounter a few more Brazilians. One is wearing a T-shirt that is green and yellow, the colors of the Brazilian flag, with the word Romario, Brazil's virtuoso soccer player, emblazoned on it. At this point I estimate that almost half of the businesses along Mission street are closed and I decide to leave the socc band at 16th and Harrison where peoplo are lined up to get into the festival in filo six-block area designated for food, vendors' stalls, entertainment, and music. I rejoin the parade at 16th and Mis• sion, where I began at 10 a.m. to seo what I have missed, surprised at a really huge gap about eight blocks long in du parade. There is the sort of quiet tha suggests that the crowd is tired and ha apparently been awaiting the arrival o the next group for a longtime—so mud so that a man being arrested for havin a beer can in his hand ("open liquor" becomes a focal point of attention. An I am relieved that he is let go after th police computer turns up nothing to de tam n him. (According to news report after Carnaval, there were very few ar rests despite a police detail of 200.) Along comes All Ah We, one of m favorite Caribbean soca bands. I see giant green grasshopper with gauz wings. Samba do Coracao, whose them is "Heartbeat ofthe Jaguar," promenade next. A huge jaguar is perched on a tre on their float and another jaguar i painted on the truck pulling their float. Their costumes are green and yellow and their bodysuits are decorated with tree branches to imitate the habitat ofthe jaguar. While the sounds of a jaguar penetrate the air, about 100 dancers do the. r routine. Next comes Mas Makers Ma sive, #38, representing a huge tropic .l rain forest, and their contingent of t least 200 dressed in green, orange, purpl and brown is an impressive presenc . Following is Fogo na Roupa (#42) wit a bateria and some 150 dancers dresse in red and yellow and red and black wit black feathers doing the samba. D'Mid s is behind them, and I strain to make o t their number; it looks like #43. At this point I am tired and it see s' late, so I decide to abandon Carnav I
until next year and walk home as I live in another neighborhood within walking distance. I go away thinking that I have been attending Carnaval since 1981 and it seems that after all these years Carnaval is still fine-tuning itself, that it is the Brazilian ensembles that add color and a sense of celebration. On the way home, on hearing familiar samba tunes in what seems to be a gay bar, I enter, feeling gratified that some San Franciscans really appreciate Brazilian samba music. After Carnaval The parade began at 11 a.m. and ended about between 3:30 and .4 p.m., but the festival in the designated area ended at 6 p.m. according to artistic and parade director Marcus Gordon, who picks the judges for the parade. Estimates of crowd size ranged from 200,000 to 500,000. Brazil Today, a Portugueselanguage paper, estimated that there were 450,000 in attendance. The groups participating in the Brazilian category were Mara-Reggae, Escola Nova de Samba (another favorite of mine), MILASamba, Ginga Brasil, Batii-Pitn, Birds of Paradise, Samba do Coracao, and Fogo na Roupa—the latter two winning second and third prizes respectively. The first prize was won by Mas Makers Massive, a Trinidadian group. Brazil Today also reported on the behind-thescenes controversy: Maria Helena Souza, director of MILA-Samba, which won in the best music category, feels strongly that there should be more Brazilians in the Brazilian category. Ginga Brasil did not compete for a prize because this year there was no cash prize and therefore no incentive to compete; and it is understandable considering the weeks ofdance practice, the long hours of preparation, the time and expenses put into making or buying costumes and making floats— all at considerable personal expense to dancers, musicians and others. Then there are the bateria jams, parties and events dance groups put on to try to raise money to finance their participation in Carnaval. At first, MECA awarded prizes like a float, a sound system, etc., but, according to parade director Marcus Gordon, two years ago a decision was made to award cash prizes. The grand prize was $3000, second prize $1500 and third prize $750. This year, however, due to fiscal constraints, there were no cash prizes. The Week After And After Almost a week after Carnaval "A BRAZILIAN BLOCKBUSTER WEEKEND!" was announced by Omulu Capoeira Group Action Project (CAP) via the Internet to begin on Friday, June 6, with the introduction "Just when you thought Carnaval was over ...." That Friday there was a showing of the movie "Quilombo" (directed by Brazilian director Carlos Diegues) at the Victoria
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Theater in the Mission; on Saturday, a dance party by Fogo na Roupa and an exhibition by Omulu Capoeira, with salsa, samba, Afro-Bloco (African-inspired Brazilian dances), hip-hop, and maculele—a dance with sticks held in the hand (some dancers even wield machetes like Blanche Brown of Group Petit La Croix). CAP offers free classes in the African-Brazilian art form of capoeira to young people in the Bay Area. The organization works with youth services and recreation agencies, including the San Francisco Department of Parks and Recreation, Horizons Unlimited, Mission Cultural Center, Casa de los Jovenes, Daly City Parks and Recreation and Guerrero House, to target young people who are vulnerable to street violence and drugs—at-risk youth. Its mission, according to CAP, is to "create a safe, healthy environment for young people to train and express themselves; develop strong relationships with parents, relatives, teachers, community workers and other supportive adults who are part of our students' lives; emphasize the connection between education and a healthy mind and body." This was billed as a family-friendly event where no smoking or alcohol was allowed. MECA Since 1985, Mission Educational and Cultural Association (MECA) has been the organization responsible for the production of Carnaval, and MECA owns the trademark for Carnaval San Francisco. The organization was established to promote Latino culture and produces three events a year: Cinco de Mayo, Carnaval, and Festival of the Americas (a festival that will take place on 24th Street on September 14th this year). Each of these events employs people in the neighborhood and the umbrella organization that contracts with MECA to produce Carnaval is Mission Neighborhood Centers, a community nonprofit that provides services for young people, seniors and various community organizations. MECA has a regular paid staff and employs security people, monitors and others for Carnaval so that "some people can get a little work in the community," according to Dennis Broughton, events coordinator of Carnaval for the past 13 years. A musician, Broughton has been a familiar face in the Brazilian community playing music for 10 years. He is in charge of food concessions for the festival. This year there were 50 food vendors, and food ran the gamut—American, Brazilian, Caribbean, Chinese, Filipino, Latino, etc., and a variety of bands performed in the festival area during the weekend of Carnaval. Broughton has been to Brazil about 10 times and has an avid appreciation for things Brazilian, so much so that this summer, he and Marcelo Pereira, a capoeira teacher, hosted the first California/Brazil Summer Camp for adults
from August 24-30 at Cazadero Performing Arts Camp in Sonoma County in Northern California. People slept in dormitories, tents, or their own RVs, and some 30 performers, including dancers, singers, musicians and capoeiristas from Brazil, performed. "Top-notch," is how he described them. High-school students from Brazil attended and there were other participants from Brazil, Japan, Russia, and from all over the United States. Broughton said there is a need for a yearly camp because so many people are interested in capoeira and Brazilian culture. On inquiring of artistic and parade director Marcus Gordon about the possibility of reducing the number of participants to minimize the lag in appearance between groups, and the possibility of putting dancers, baterias and bands at the beginning of the parade--giving them more focused performance time so that crowds do not have to wait three, four, or even five hours to see them— Gordon countered that the large groups, like some of the previous and current winners, this year's winner Mas Makers Massive (#37), D'Midas International, which won in 1994, 1995, and 1996, and Samba do Coracao want to be at end of the parade so that they have more time to promenade. "They want to do Carnaval," he declared, "politically it would not work." According to Gordon, about 45 groups participated in the parade. And on my questioning the need for what seems like an excess of participants, some of whom seem disinterested as they walk in the parade, he emphatically declared that his organization tries "to keep a balance. We need that flavor in the parade," adding that crowds "come to see those kinds of groups." In my opinion, however, it puts a lot a pressure on the musicians in the baler/as because some of them have to perform for three to five hours almost nonstop from the beginning of the parade to the end. It might be better to put all the dance and musical groups participating for prizes at the beginning of the parade where they can be seen earlier by crowds who come out to see them and be entertained. Judging Carnaval Gordon explained how the judging works: There used to be two judges in the categories of music, dance, costume and visual presentation ("the overall look"), but for 1997's Carnaval a decision was made to have three judges in each category. Gordon tried to get one judge familiar with Caribbean music, one with Brazilian music, and one with visual presentation. "Musicians judge musicians, costume designers judge costumes and visual artists judge the visual effect," he emphasized. Of the decision not to award money, he said, "Some of the groups took it well, others didn't." On my noting the absence of Samba da
Alegria in the parade, he mentioned that the group has not participated for quite a few years and has disbanded. Brazil, Brazil, Brazil On reflection, I do hope that the samba groups can hold together and participate every year in Carnaval; or else it will be adios (adeus as they say in Brazil) to Carnaval San Francisco because advertisements for the event invariably include comparisons with Rio's Carnaval, and show scantily-clad women in colorful costumes. Without these groups it will not be the same. Post-Carnaval I have made some resolutions: I will resume taking Portuguese lessons, especially after hearing Brazil's beloved singer Caetano Veloso say, "I love every word in the Portuguese language." This was his apology— to an audience that was perhaps at least 95 percent Brazilian who went to see him at the Masonic Auditorium on June 27th this summer—that most of his songs were sung in Spanish in an effort to expand the market for his music and appease his record company. And I will take more samba lessons: As Brazilophiles know, when you samba you sashay, and sway a certain way. Viva Brasil! Dawn Tyler hears the samba even when she is working, and especially when she is on the street. Copyright ©1997 by Dawn A. Tyler SOURCES A.B.A.D.A. Capoeira Brazilian Cultural Academy, 2376 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 (between 19th and 20th Streets), (415) 2846196; 642-9596; Tania Santiago (415) 426-7563 Bahia Cabana Nightclub & Restaurant, 1600 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102, (415) 621-4202 Brazil Today, P.O. Box 1121, El Cerrito, CA 94530-1121, (510) 2363688 Blanche Brown, Group Petit La Croix, (415) 626-0678 California/Brazil Summer Camp from August 24-30 at Cazadero Performing Arts Camp in Sonoma County in Northern California: Dennis Broughton, (510) 655-8207 or (415) 6474764. Carnaval Web Sites: http://carnaval.com/SF/index; http:/ /www.carnaval.com Elbo Room: 647 Valencia Street (between 18th & 19th Streets) in the Mission, (415) 552-7788 Ginga Brasil: Conceicab Damasceno, (510) 428-0698. Mission Educational and Cultural Association (MECA), 2899 24th Street (at Florida), San Francisco, CA 94110, (415) 826-1401 Omulu Capoeira: (415) 255-9354; Tonya Hennessey, director, (415) 5129025)
BRAZZIL - SEPTEMBER 199-
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