Carnaval in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Brazil is a large country located in North Eastern South America http://comm.irisl.net/agency/BRAZIL.htm

 

Abstract

 

   Celebrations of all sorts exist in every culture, and often they can teach us a world of information about that culture. Carnaval of Rio De Janeiro demonstrates how different economic and social classes can come together in times of celebration to embrace their cultural heritage. Whether it is through music, dance, or competition most Brazilians feel a great sense of community and equality during the celebration Carnaval. Race, gender, and class restrictions are lifted during the celebration, and all are welcomed and encouraged to participate.   This website provides detailed information about all the components of Carnaval, and I invite you to indulge.

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Samba parade at The Stadium http://www.western.edu/faculty/pcrossley /studentpages/9am/Brazil/MajorCities.htm

One of the many glamorous floats at the parade

Introduction

 

   Rio De Janeiro 's Carnival is a secular ritual, which creates a sense of communitas throughout the region. Communitas is a sense of belonging, in that it doesn't matter who you are or where you came from. Carnaval is a time to celebrate ancient culture and embrace both body and soul. Numerous cities across the planet have tired to mimic this celebration, but none can match the atmosphere or power of Rio Carnaval. Through symbolic reversals and cultural celebration Carnaval allows the people of Brazil to be united and creates a sense of timelessness for four days.

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Context of Brazil

 

   Brazil is the largest country is South America and accounts for most of the south- eastern section of the continent. Brazil is slightly smaller than the United Sates. Brazil shares a common border with all but two countries in South America , and has a large coastline along the North and South Atlantic Ocean . Most of Brazil has a tropical climate, but in the southern lands it becomes more temperate. Unlike most South American countries which speak Spanish, Brazil 's native language is Portuguese. Portugal conquered Brazil in the 1500's, but Brazil earned its independence in 1822. Prior to Portuguese rule tribal people of the Amazon accounted for most of Brazil 's population. Some of these tribes were the Panara, Ticuna, Xavante, and the Yanomami. During Portuguese rule millions of black slaves were taken to Brazil , and much of their culture is founded from African influence. Distribution of wealth is not equal; therefore most of the nation lives in poverty while few wealthy people control the economy. So, during Carnaval the lower class gets an opportunity to feel equal to other social and economic classes. Brazil is a much more diverse country than others in its region, with a distinctive culture.

  Carnaval is held in Rio de Janeiro , one of the largest and most beautiful cities in Brazil . Rio is located in the south eastern region of Brazil on the south Atlantic coast, and is provides an ideal scene for such a spectacular celebration. The main celebration occurs in the city, so many other Brazilians travel long distances to be a part of the celebration.

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Origins of Carnaval

 

  It is very difficult to find the exact origin of the current Carnaval celebration in Rio . Carnaval was brought to South America through the Portuguese, when they held celebrations prior to the forty-day lent season. The world Carnaval is believed to have come from the Italian expression carne vale, which means farewell to meat, because meat was not eaten during the season of Lent. Entrudo was a tradition practiced by the Portuguese, in which they would dress up and gather in the streets to throw water and mud at one another. The Brazilians continued this tradition, but developed it into a much more extravagant celebration. They later incorporated music, parades, and dance, thus over time it evolved into the current celebration of Carnaval.

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Performance

  Carnaval is a very large and public celebration; therefore many of the activities are meant to be observed by spectators. The most prominent elements of this celebration are samba music and a dance called carioca. The biggest event of Carnaval is the samba competition between the different samba schools(Figure 1). The schools parade into the stadium and put on an extravagant performance for the audience and judges. Preparation for the Samba Parade begins about eleven months before Carnaval. Dozens of Samba Schools, consisting of hundreds of people, create elaborate performances which the display on the night of the parade. The band plays Samba music, which was brought to Brazil during the transatlantic slave trade. Samba consists of many different beats and rhythms from a number of percussion instruments, such as the one seen in figure 4. While the band plays the rest of the participants perform choreographed carioca dance. Carioca was introduced in the 1920's and 1930's by Brazilian artists. The performances are then judged and the best Samba School wins the contest. ( http://www.carnaval.com/cityguides/brazil/rio/riocarn.htm )

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Artifact

 

FIGURE 4

http://www.achebrasil.com/shows_concerts.htm

Here you can see musicians playing one of the oldest and most important instruments of Carnaval.  They are playing the Samba drum, it can be played using your hands or using sticks.

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Interpretation

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Prognosis for Carnaval

 

In recent years Carnaval is becoming more popular, and not only in Brazil , and across the world. Judging by the number of travel websites arranging packages for those wanting to visit Brazil during Carnaval it is quit clear popularity is increasing. Cities such as Long Beach , San Francisco , Paris , and Miami all hold celebrations modeled after Carnaval. It goes to show how anybody can enjoy this wonderful celebration. Carnaval is attractive to most people because of its collaboration of music, costumes, parades, dance, and most of all sense of communitas. ( http://www.carnaval.org/main/)

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Conclusion

 

   Celebrations play an essential role for the continuation of a culture. For Brazilian culture, Rio de Janeiro 's Carnaval is a secular celebration, which provides participants to depart from everyday life and embrace both body and soul. Carnaval creates a feeling of unity and communitas throughout the region, which is able to cross between strict social class borders. The four days of celebration allow the lower class to become equal to the upper-class, through musical, dance competitions, and costume. Carnaval is, and has always been, the highlight of the year for Brazilians, but now people from across the world are traveling to Brazil to be a part of this brilliant celebration. Carnaval is growing enormously in popularity each year and it doesn't look like it will slow down anytime soon. I just hope Rio Carnaval's cultural significance is not greatly changed due to the increasing popularity. Carnaval and all celebrations are an intricate part to they way in which humans live, and without them life would be boring and less meaningful.

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Internet References Cited

Bonnie Hammre. “Carnaval”

http://gosouthamerica.about.com/cs/southamerica/a/Carnaval.htm Site visited 10/18/04

This was a surprisingly informative page, which gave me vital information about the origin of Carnaval and a detailed description of the current celebration.

• http://www.socioambiental.org/pib/english/rights/index.shtm Site visited

      9/19/04

      This website contains information about the history of Brazil , and also the

      Different tribes and ethnic groups in Brazil.

• http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/br.html Site visited 9/15/04

• This is a website created by the CIA, a government agency, and provided me with general statistics and information about the country of Brazil .

• http://www.carnaval.org/main/ Site visited 11/12/04

• This website contains information about different Carnaval celebrations in California and other places in the United States .

• http://www.carnaval.com/cityguides/brazil/rio/riocarn.htm Site visited 9/17/04

• This website is the “official” page of Rio de Janeiro Carnaval. It is not exactly clear who the creators of this website are, but I assume it is produced by those who are in charge of the celebration. This site contains all information needed about past Carnavals and the future of Carnaval.

   

   

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Peer-Reviewed References Cited

• Armstrong, Pierce.

  1999 Third World Literary Fortunes: Brazilian Culture

  And its International Reception . Associated University Press, London .

• Branford, Sue.
• 1995 Brazil: Carnival of the oppressed: Lula and the Brazilian Workers' Party.
• Bernardo Kucinski, ed. Latin America Bureau, New York , NY
• .

• Dorson, Richard M.

    1982 Material Components in Celebration. In Celebration: Studies in

     Festivity and Ritual. Victor Turner, ed, pp.33-57. Smithsonian

    Institutional Press, Washington.

• .

•  Reid, Mitchell.

    1995 All on a Mardi Gras day: episodes in the history of New Orleans Carnival. Harvard University Press, Cambridge , Massachusetts .

   

• Schneider, Ronald M.

    1996 Brazil : culture and politics in a new industrial powerhouse. Westview Press, Boulder , Colorado .

   

  Turner, Victor, and Edith Turner.

    1982 Religious Celebrations. In Celebration: Studies in Ritual . Victor

    Turner, ed, pp.201-219. Smithsonian Institutional Press, Washington
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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