RUNNING HEAD: THE HEART OF BRAZIL
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The Heart of Brazil
Hidden Truths behind the Brazilian Identity
by
Jordan Pigott
An essay prepared for CIS 110
Prof. William Cooper
University of Kentucky
Fall 2014
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Abstract
Perceptions of the Brazilian community are often flawed due to the inaccurate portrayal of its
members in society and the media today. This work aims to challenge these preconceptions, by
examining the numerous individual characteristics and traditions that help form the basis of the
Brazilian identity. This in-depth analysis explores the background of the Brazilian culture as well
as the many different individuals that come together to form one great loving community. Along
with its vast diversity, the Brazilian culture contains many strong customs and beliefs that simply
cannot be defined through one stereotypical public image. Brazilians are very proud and
optimistic individuals, yet are deeply concerned with the misrepresentation of their national
image. In order to fully appreciate the Brazilian culture, the hidden truths of its identity must be
revealed.
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Many people cannot fully recognize what the world has to offer until they take a look
through someone else’s perspective. As a matter of fact, this idea has become an increasingly
common issue in today’s society. Most individuals simply stick to the “comfort zone” of the
communities they belong to without ever feeling the need to branch-out to explore the countless
other cultures that make up the world. Often times, this behavior tends to lead to stereotyping
and the misrepresentation of cultures unfamiliar to us. The Brazilian culture is no exception to
this everyday social norm. After exploring the hidden truths behind the culture, I have discovered
this: The cultural identity of the Brazilian community is far more diverse and dynamic than what
is portrayed in society and the media.
One of the most important contributing aspects to a community’s culture is its history.
Brazil was discovered by Pedro Álvares Cabral on April 22,1500. From that point on, Portugal
ruled over the land focusing greatly on agriculture and European immigration to achieve its
wealth and success. Brazil also relied heavily on the
importation of slaves from Africa to keep up with the
high labor demands, as well as to help fully develop the
nation. These major factors in Brazilian history later led
to a great mix in the country’s race and ethnicity and
well as the declaration of its independence on
September 7, 1922 (Poelzl, 2002).
Along with its history, the geography of Brazil
Figure 1: States and Great Regions in Brazil
is a major factor in forming the diversity of its culture.
Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world, and covers a total of 3.3 million square miles. It is
composed of five regions, as denoted in Figure 1, that divide the country into the following:
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North, Northeast, Central West, Southeast, and South. Each region is composed of it’s own
unique identity and characteristics, as further explained here. Ms. Gabriela Rangel, a member of
the Brazilian culture, further expanded upon the idea of regional cultures through her experience
growing up in South Brazil:
“The place I’m from, and if you go to the south, is very European influenced, because
there was tons of immigration-especially from Italy, Portugal, and Germany. So you see a
lot of Southern Brazil is like European places. But if you go up north, it’s much more
pure and just Brazilian people. It’s a whole different culture. So it is very hard to compare
Brazil as one whole thing, because it is so diverse” (personal communication, September
24, 2014).
The Brazilian culture cannot be defined as one culture, but rather, it is commonly known
as a melting pot of diversity. The sheer mass of Brazil, along with the increasingly large amount
of immigration and the geographic regional divisions, has led to the creation of various cocultures, each with their own unique characteristics and traditions (Poelzl, 2002, p. 48). One of
the largest reasons for this mix is the large mass of immigration during the early years of
colonization.
Immigration is a leading aspect in shaping the identity of the Brazilian culture today.
Therefore, when asked what is a Brazilian – there is much more complexity and ambiguity to
that answer than one would typically realize. Most of the Brazilian community is composed of
indigenous colonizers, black African slaves, and white European settlers. However, groups such
as the mulatos, coboclos, and mamelucos also exist, which are composed of mixed combinations
of those three main individualities (Branco & Williams, 2006, p.29). These main groups are
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directly a result of two waves of immigration that completely transformed the Brazilian
community into the multifaceted and diverse culture it is today.
The first wave of immigration refers to the millions of African slaves that were
involuntarily shipped over to Brazil’s sugar plantations. Once slavery was abolished, these slaves
started identifying themselves as part of the Brazilian community, by referring to themselves
“Afro-Brazilians.” According to Darlington, (2013) “Today, more than half of Brazilians identify
themselves as black or of mixed race” (p.1). This leads to the strong African influence seen in
many of the famous Brazilian customs and celebration we see in modern-day Brazilian culture.
This includes African ties to music, religion, samba, and the great Brazilian Carnival.
Along with the heavy African influences in the Brazilian culture, very strong modern-day
connections are seen through the second wave of immigration- European settlers. Facing
hardships in their own countries, many people immigrated to Brazil in hopes of creating wealth
and success for themselves. They, therefore, added their previous industrial ideals of progress
and development to the Brazilian society and culture (Branco & Williams, 2006, p.41).
This culture offers the unique opportunity to live in a community side-by-side with
Europeans, Africans, Arabs, Jews, Japanese, and indigenous peoples, without any social
segregation based on background (Darcy De Oliveira, 2001, p.2). According to President
Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil, “we Brazilians are an extremely homogenous people in
cultural terms. Our regional differences are mere variations on a basic cultural theme, the result
of a fusion of Western and Portuguese with Africans and Amerindian traditions”(Poelzl, 2002,
p.47). Despite the huge mix in race, ethnicity, and origin, a very strong sense of national identity
continues to exist in the Brazilian people.
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When it comes to the identity of Brazil, it’s best to think big. Brazilian people love to
dream big and set high aspirations for themselves, although many times they can be a little
unreasonable. This community is very self-sufficient, not only because of its sheer size, but also
because of its language. Brazil happens to be the only country in Latin America that speaks
Portuguese, rather than the traditional Spanish. According to Branco & Williams (2006), “one of
the things that unifies Brazilians from all regions and social classes is their passions for TV soap
operas, or novelas” (p.56). These shows portray the Brazilian’s distinct identity, while reflecting
the way their community thinks and lives. They help to form individual self-concept, as well as
shape their ideal image. One way they strive to achieve this goal is through optimism.
Brazilians are very happy and lighthearted people. Gabriela Rangel defines the Brazilian
culture:
“From what I see, it’s a very happy and energetic culture. People don’t complain too
much about their lives. Everyone is willing to work, not complain all the time, and still
have fun. There’s just a lot of energy everywhere. People [in America] complain more
and they’re less satisfied with their lives than people [in Brazil]. [Brazilian] people are
much more content with what they have and they appreciate it more” (personal
communication, September 24, 2014).
The Brazilian culture focuses a lot on living in the moment and believing that everything will
work out in the end. One of the strong principles that the Brazilians live by when dealing with
life’s tribulations is known as “Jeitnho Brasileiro” (Branco & Williams, 2006, p. 60). This
essentially declares that if there’s a will, there’s a way. Members of the Brazilian community
hold very strongly to these beliefs.
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The leading belief of the Brazilian culture is religion. According to Darcy De Oliveira
(2001), “Catholicism is Brazil’s dominant religion, with many influences from African and
Pentecostal churches as well” (p.3). Eighty percent of the population is Catholic, making Brazil
the world’s largest catholic country (Poelzl, 2002, p. 67). The Brazilian community is deeply
spiritual and believes that God is everywhere in Brazil, acting and interfering with their everyday
lives. In fact, one of Brazil’s most iconic symbol and tourist attractions is the Statue of Christ the
Redeemer on Corcovado, located in Rio de Janiero, as seen in Figure 2.
Along with Catholicism, there are numerous African and Native influenced religions
practiced throughout the many different regions of Brazil. The most popular include:
Protestantism, Candomblé, Umbanda, Macumba,
and Spiritualism. Each religion has it’s own unique
characteristics, values, and beliefs, as denoted here,
that make up individual co-cultures of the Brazilian
community. Protestantism originated during the
second wave of immigration from Europe. Its
Figure 2: Rio de Janeiro Jesus
members focus on the Holy Spirit and the guidance
of Jesus Christ, rather than on catholic saints. Candomblé is an African based religion made up
of ancestral rituals and myths practiced by slaves in the early days of colonization. Rather than
preaching in a church, these members partake in ceremonial dancing, chanting, and drumming
followed by a sacred meal. Spiritualism, also known as Kardecism, focuses on positivism and the
reincarnation of the spirit after it has departed. Umbanda is based mainly on the idea that
members are guided through life by their own wisdom, which allows them to understand and
solve any type of conflict in the world around them. Lastly, Macumba, also known as
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Quimbanda, explores the idea of the ambivalence between good and evil in everyday life.
Members of the Macumba religion believe they work for evil, while members of the Umbanda
religion work for good (Branco & Williams, 2006 p. 73-77). Many times these religions interact
with one another, allowing their ideas to blend together, forming new philosophies and create
new mindsets. Aside from their religion, Brazilians have several other customs and traditions
that help to shape their cultural identity.
What is the first thing that people think of when someone mentions Brazil? Futbol- more
commonly know in the United States as soccer. The most dominating social norm that sweeps
throughout the entire culture of Brazil is the love and devotion to the sport of futbol. This is one
of the most important identifying aspects of the Brazilian culture. Futbol is a key cultural identity
that originated when the African slaves arrived in Brazil during the early years of colonization.
Today, “Futbol can be seen as the cult that brings together Brazilians from all belief systems
(Branco & Williams, 2006 p.79).” Futbol is an enjoyable sport for all Brazilians, regardless of
age, race, or social class. This is a sport that evokes such strong passion to unify the entire
Brazilian community. Throughout this community, a lot of corruption, social exclusion, violence,
and racism exist, but futbol is one of the few things that does not take any of these things into
account. Everyone is welcomed into the sport. According to Murad, “It is the most spontaneous,
unpredictable, easiest, cheapest, and democratic sport of all” (p.2). Futbol is more than just a
game; it symbolizes acceptance and equality throughout the entire Brazilian community. Many
families gather around their TVs to watch and cheer on their teams to victory. Whether a
Brazilian team wins or loses, the people are directly impacted by the devastation or celebration
of each game.
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One event in particular that is often cherished and religious followed by Brazilians is the
“Fifa World Cup.” This is an event that draws all Brazilians together to celebrate the sport of
futbol. As a matter of fact, the most recent 2014 World Cup was hosted in one of Brazil’s major
cities - Rio de Janeiro. This publicity led society and the media to stereotype the Brazil
community as solely futbol-based, with no other cultural identity. Although it seemed like a great
opportunity for a nation with such a strong love and passion for the game, there were many ugly
truths surrounding this event, as revealed here, which are typically hidden from the media and
public eye. Due to such little care from the government, it is a strong tradition in the Brazilian
culture that families must stick together and act as a support system to one another.
The Brazilian culture is a very tight-knit culture. They are a very dependent community,
and help each other out through the good times and the bad. Family comes first in Brazil. Ms.
Deborah Rashidi, a current member of the Brazilian community, explained the importance her
culture places on the tradition of family. One very common custom in her family was that she
would always attend church on Sundays with her family. After church, she would then gather at
her grandparent’s house for Sunday lunch (personal communication, September 25, 2014). This
is a very common ritual in the Brazilian community.
Another very common aspect of the Brazilian culture is the Machismo, or patriarch-based
attitudes and customs. Although the Brazilian families are very tight-knit, a great deal of gender
inequality is present throughout community. Women must conform to the “masculine territories
of power,” while having to hide in their own private lives (Darcy De Oliveira, 2001, p.3).
Women are expected to adhere to the “traditional role” of caring for the home day-by-day. They
are considered weak and are their purpose is to serve the dominant male in their lives. Men have
a lot more privileges and a much greater voice in the Brazilian community. Men are the
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providers and act as the head of the family. They are far more superior to women in Brazil.
Machismo depicts men as aggressive and domineering, while women must remain passive and
respectful. Branco & Williams (2006) explains this idea by saying, “the women will decide on
the décor and the man will choose the family car (p.100). Men get to make all the major
decisions, while the women must focus on the home and the children. This is a very common
principle, not only in Brazil, but also throughout the rest of the Latin American. Although
women have been taking steps to counter these sexist attitudes and social norms, men continue to
remain the dominant figures in the Brazilian culture. Along with these gender roles, appearances
mean a great deal to the overall image and attitudes of Brazilians as well.
An old Brazilian saying exists that states: “The world treats people better when they dress
well.” Brazilians strongly believe that you are what you appear to be (Branco & Williams, 2006,
p. 64). The individuals of this culture are very conscious of how they want to represent
themselves in the public eye. Brazilians care a lot about beauty and believe that everyone should
strive to be proud of who they are and what they look like.
Communicating in the Brazilian culture is a tad different than here the United States.
First of all, the dominant language of the Brazilian culture is Portuguese. Besides the language,
there are many different expectations and standards when communicating in the Brazilian
community. In the Brazilian culture, individuals have a very relaxed and easy-going body
language. Conversations are very lively and energetic, with many vibrant gestures and
interruptions. Brazilians also utilize a great deal of humor throughout their exchanges, even if it
is not always politically correct. Hellos and Goodbyes, on the other hand are quite formal. It is
custom for men and women to kiss on the cheek - twice if they are single, and three times if they
are married- when they are introduced, and repeated when they are leaving (Branco & Williams,
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2006, p. 157). Brazilians are very open and hospitable communicators so they love getting
together and putting on these elaborate celebrations for their community to enjoy.
When it comes to celebrations, nobody does it better than the Brazilians. The Brazilian
community holds a long-standing tradition for its spectacular festivals and holidays celebrated all
throughout the year. Not only does the Brazilian community celebrate traditional holidays such
as Easter, Christmas, and New Year’s, they also have various cultural holidays, such as the June
Festivals and All Souls Day. The June Festivals are a series of celebrations throughout the month
of June to commemorate the three Catholic saints: Anthony (June 13th), John (June 24th), and
Peter (June 29th). The largest festival of the June Parties takes place on the day of St. John the
Baptist. This festival includes an enormous street party with traditional Brazilian food, drinks,
music, and dancing. Every school, church, and family holds their own little party in honor of the
catholic faith. “All Souls Day,” is the Brazilian version of “Day of the Dead,” and is dedicated to
remembering the loved ones who have passed away. Many families visit the cemeteries and
celebrate the lives of those they have lost. There are also many local festivals throughout the
Brazilian communities that vary based on region such as: The Paratins Folklore Festival, Candles
of Nazareth, and Castainho’s Black Mother (Branco & Williams, 2006, p. 91-94).
The largest festival of celebration in the Brazilian community is the Carnaval. These
celebrations are held in major cities like Salvador and Olinda, but the biggest and most famous
one is held in Rio de Janeiro. This Carnaval is the largest demonstration of Brazilian Culture in
the World, and is composed of samba dancing, cultural music, folklore, and a massive parade,
that completely takes over the city and it’s streets. What most people don’t realize is that this
parade is actually a competition as well, as further explained here. Each “samba school” in the
top division of the nation designs a float, based on the Brazilian culture, and then coordinates
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visuals, music, dance, and narrative elements to form a perfectly staged performance for all of
Carnaval to see. Carnaval is a very special tradition that allows people of all races, ethnicities,
and social classes come together to celebrate their culture and identity.
Members of the Brazilian community are known to be very proud and happy individuals.
They hold very strong to their cultural values and beliefs, while living everyday to it’s fullest.
They have a very strong sense of nationalism, and are often very laid-back and optimistic people,
until their identity is questioned or misrepresented. According to Steve Kingston (2007), “Behind
the carefree exterior is a nation deeply concerned, perhaps even paranoid, about what outsiders
think” (p.1). The problem with society and the world today is that everyone is so quickly to
judge and stereotype people of different communities. Little do they know how much these
labels actually affect those people, and leave a lasting impact on their cultural identity.
Stereotypes are very powerful in forming the identity of a culture unfamiliar to us.
Bradley Gorham (1999) describes stereotypes as “a particular subset of social reality beliefs:
they are understandings about particular social groups that we have learned from our social
world” (p.232). Essentially, stereotypes are formed as a result of a society assigning certain
characteristics and traits to a distinctive culture, regardless of any real accuracy. This is very true
when analyzing the preconceptions of the dominant culture towards Brazil. Brazilians are forced
to accept and comply with these labels throughout many different aspects of their culture.
Most people, when they think of Brazil, they think about the beaches, Carnaval, the urban
poor, the violence, and the women. Although these are all important aspects of the Brazilian
culture, they are often not accurately perceived or portrayed in the dominant American society.
Some of the most common stereotypes towards the Brazilian community refer to appearances.
For starters, people believe that all Brazilians must be dark-skinned Latinos. Therefore, if they
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are Latinos, they must speak Spanish as their primary language. Another common presumption is
that Brazilians are believed to be lazy, unmotivated, and worthless individuals, who just go out
and lie on the beach all day. Although these seem like very little misconceptions to us, this plays
a huge role in affecting how various Brazilians view their
public image in society.
These appearance-based stereotypes are especially
apparent when referring to the public image of women in the
Brazilian culture. Sexism is the nation’s dominant stereotype
(Portela, 2014, p.2). Whether Brazilians like it or not, they
are perceived as highly focused on female beauty and
Figure 3: Perception of Brazilian
Women
sensuality. Therefore, Brazilian women are viewed in very
hyper-sexualized ways, as pictured in Figure 3. Ms. Deborah Rashidi further expanded on her
views of this common portrayal of women in her culture:
“I think the first thing is that [people think] girls are very easy. All the guys, when I say I
am Brazilian, they’re like, “Ooo you’re Brazilian!” Then they look at me differently- and
I don’t like that. But it’s what they see in movies. They show Brazilians almost naked. It
is terrible and I don’t agree with that. But that’s just how it is, I guess” (personal
communication, September 25, 2014).
As a result of these harsh stereotypes, Brazilian women are not taken seriously and are constantly
expected to conform to the idea of the “perfect body.” Nowadays, this stereotype has lead to the
center of Brazil’s tourism to be focus on the “sex appeal,” or making the country one of the top
destinations for sexual tourism (Portela, 2014, p.2). In reality, this ideal is not how Brazilian
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women truly wish to present themselves, and it is only a result of the dominant American
stereotypical society.
Another main conception Americans have about the Brazilian culture relates to the
urbanization and violence in Brazil. Many people do not realize that cities in Brazil are very
similar to cities in America. Ms. Gabriela Rangel
gives her view on this common misconception
towards the Brazilian culture: “People always ask
me, do you live in the rainforest or do you see
monkeys waling around? People think Brazil is like
Figure 4: São Paulo Skyline
one big rainforest and that there are just indigenous
people everywhere, when really, it’s so industrialized and developed” (personal communication,
September 24, 2014). Figure 4 portrays a realistic image of a major city of Brazil.
The Brazilian community is also very commonly linked to heavy violence and massive
gangs. Many Americans believe it is too unsafe to enter Brazil, and therefore all Brazilians are
dangerous people. With a precarious political system, as well as an unstable economy, the
Brazilian community is very well known for its never-ending struggle to make ends meet.
Because of this, many are forced to live in the infamous favelas, or shantytowns that line the
outskirts of the major cities. Often times, these favelas are portrayed in the media as very
dangerous and violent, therefore reflecting that image upon the members of the Brazilian
community. Although sometimes Brazil may be a little risky, there are bad parts to every major
U.S. major city as well. The Brazilian community is a very friendly, tight-knit community that is
forced to comply with these stereotypes affecting how others view them in society.
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The most important factor in forming the dominant perception of the Brazilian
community is the media. Stereotypes in the media heavily influence people’s interpretations of
dominant racial myths. The media primes the idea of racial stereotypes into the forefront of the
viewer’s thinking in order to maintain harmful and dominating understandings of a certain
cultural background (Gorham, 1999, p.246). Many times, the media will only portray the Brazil
of popular imagination and stereotypes, rather than give an accurate depiction of the realities
surrounding the Brazilian culture and community. The media is the leading reason as to why
Brazil is misrepresented and misperceived the way it by America today.
Unfortunately, the Brazilian community doesn’t do much to change these perceptions of
their culture. Ms. Deborah Rashidi explains this phenomenon, by saying, “[The Brazilians] don’t
feel like they can change it. They are tired of trying and it’s just like they get too used to it- and I
don’t like that” (personal communication, September 25, 2014). Brazil is desperate to be taken
seriously as a nation and a culture, but they are constantly left feeling inferior to nations
perceived more developed (Kingstone, 2007, p.1). This has resulted in the Brazilian community
simply accepting their fate and working to represent themselves to the best of their personal
abilities.
When I first began my exploration of the Brazilian culture, I didn’t know what to expect.
My only previous knowledge of the community came from the stereotypical views of the media
and the dominant American society. Therefore, when I thought of Brazil, The only things I could
think of were futbol, Carnaval, and the massive urban poverty. I viewed the community as a very
poor and undeveloped community, composed of mostly indigenous people, with little to no
diversity. I pictured the nation of Brazil to be one great big rainforest, except major cities that
were simply composed of shantytowns and favelas. When I first thought of the Brazilian
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community, I had no idea how strong and passionate its members are for their values, traditions,
and cultural identity. As my research progressed, I noticed how little of the culture I knew prior
to my exploration. I realized how complex and diverse a culture separate from my own, could
truly be. As I gained a well-rounded understanding for the community, I saw my views
dramatically shift. The Brazilian community is actually a very happy community, with many rich
traditions and beliefs that form a very define cultural identity. I also noticed how poorly cultures
are portrayed in the media, and how one must educate themself, before making any assumptions
or judgments about any particular community.
The Brazilian community cannot fully be appreciated until the hidden truths of its
cultural identity have been found. For a country with such a define self-concept and prominent
mix of diversity, little recognition is shown throughout our stereotypical America. This
community is composed of so much more than just futbol and Carnaval, but instead, a wide
variety of beliefs, customs and traditions that help shape the image of the Brazilian people today.
Although they face many hardships, the members of the Brazilian community always stay
positive and live life to it’s fullest. Expanding knowledge of any particular community can help
see past the barriers of communication and develop a new sense of understanding for what’s its
like to go through life misrepresented in society.
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References
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Darcy De Oliveira, R. (2001). 500 Years of Brazil: Global and Cultural Perspectives. LusoBrazilian Review, 38(2), 1-5.
Darlington, S. (2013, July 24). From Samba to carnival: Brazil's thriving African culture.
Retrieved October 5, 2014, from http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/23/world/africa/africanculture-brazil/
Gorham, B. (1999). Stereotypes In The Media: So What? Howard Journal Of Communications,
10(4), 229-247. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
Kingstone, S. (2007, February 22). No stereotypes please-we're Brazilian. Retrieved October 6,
2014, from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6383919.stm
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Center Pub.
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Rangel, G. (2014, September 24). Personal Interview.
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