Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Afro-Brazilian Culture
A direct legacy of three centuries of slavery, the
presence of African culture in the Northeast makes
the region distinctly different from the rest of Brazil.
Throughout the slavery period in colonial Brazil, there
was little or no sanction on miscegenation. Over the
years, masters, slaves, former slaves, and their descend-
ants integrated into the new society of Brazil, creating
an interesting blend of cultures and bloodlines with
Portuguese, Dutch, West African, and Indian elements.
This has uniquely resulted in what is now called Afro-
Brazilian culture, visible in the people, clothing, food
(see pp178-9)
, religion, and music of the Northeast.
Colorful ribbons, bringing luck if
tied around the wrist
MUSIC
Africans brought along their fine command of
percussion. Bahia's characteristic brand of Afro-
Brazilian music grew in many forms, with
axé
becoming the signature sound of Salvador's
Carnaval. In Pernambuco, as many as 13 distinct
rhythms developed, including Recife's signature
beat,
frevó (see p217).
During the 20th century,
African music became part of the mainstream.
Samba
won acceptance in the 1930s.
Pop star Carlinhos Brown
is one of the traditional
singers who have become world-famous with their
percussion-heavy rhythms. This noted advocate of
Afro-Brazilian culture hails from Bahia.
CAPOEIRA
A rhythmic, dance-like form of martial arts,
capoeira
was
once practised only by slaves and former slaves. Over
the years, it came to put less emphasis on fighting and
more on the cooperative elements of dance and display,
with rhythmic, graceful moves
(see p199)
.
Capoeira
was
a way for the
slaves to continue
practising martial
arts, with kicks
disguised as fluid
body movements.
Increasingly popu-
lar, today it is
taught and
performed
all over the
region, and
indeed the
world.
Traditional instruments
used in
capoeira
mainly
constitute
berimbau,
a
single-stringed percussion
instrument featuring a
steel string and a
hollowed-out gourd;
atabaque,
a large drum,
and the
pandeiro
, which
resembles a tambourine.
