The Brazilian Northeast is lavish with beauty. Sun, sea, beautiful beaches and the life of the nordestino are amazing attractions that all Brazilians and tourists should experience.

The states of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe and Bahia have each of its uniqueness.

Exotic Food

The diversity of ingredients found in Brazilian cuisine whets the palate. A short trip through the different regions leaves no doubt that Brazil is a country well-served when it comes to gastronomic variety. The northern region, the state of Pará is contributing to the formation of this mosaic of food.

  

   The cassava (originally Mandioca) appears in many recipes. It is used in several ways: as different types of flour and the famous tucupi (juice of the cassava). The natural wealth also brings to the table diverse fruits. Açaí, for example, is quite versatile and can be used in juices and vitamins, it is common to be accompanied by cassava flour or even to complement fish dishes.Their breakfast is caloric. In general they eat tapioca and consistent food, like dried meat with flour, castanha-do-pará, castanha-de-caju and bananas. Often, canjica, porridge and fish are their first meal of the day.

Dried meat with flour

    The traditional foods for lunch and dinner include    ragout of various types of fish, duck, tucupi and tacacá.   For dessert, "mundico-e-Zefinha". This is a cupuaçu paste gratin with Marajó cheese, made with buffalo milk. The broth made from tucupi, dried shrimp and jambu (typical verdure of the region that causes a slight numbness in the mouth) is usually taken in the end of the afternoon. 

     The most tradicional fish is pirarucu which can weigh 300 pounds. The Menu in the North is full of typical ingredients. Land of açaí, cupuaçu and the Amazon fish has also the tucupi and the sauce extracted from cassava. The leaves of cassava is also used to prepare the famous maniçoba (a type of green bean stew that, apart from meat, leads maniva and is 7 days in low heat cooking before arriving at the table).

Mundico-e-Zefinha

Castanha-de-caju fruit

Pirarucu

Tucupi

      

Maniçoba

   Today, September 7 is the Brazil's Independence day!

As I'm writing about Brazil, I couldn't say nothing about this day, so here is a bit about the Independence of Brazil.

Independence Day - This is the name for the event "Independence of Brazil." What is this? It is the process that culminated in the political emancipation of the kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, occurred in the early nineteenth century. This date officially celebrated on September 7, 1822, day when the shout was called "Grito do Ipiranga". According to official history, on September 7, 1822 (Independence Day), on the banks of the creek Ipiranga (current city of São Paulo), Prince Regent Dom Pedro wept before his entourage: the so called Independence or Death!.

Certain aspects of this version, however, are disputed by some historians. The history of modern historiography in Brazil can be read in full here, as regards the beginning of the independence process of transfer of the Portuguese court to Brazil (1808-1821) in the Peninsular War, from 1808.

Listen to the anthem of Independence Day in Brazil

And Google As A tradition has created over a Doodle to celebrate the date.

Books about Brazil

  The book "Mercados do Brasil - de Norte a Sul", which account some particularities of this and many other Brazilian markets, defined as more than just centers of commerce. The authors invited to write about each of the markets believe that they express the culture and history of a region and its folk, and takes the reader on a tour of the cultural history of these places, through Adolpho Lisboa Municipal Market in Manaus, arriving the Central Public Market, Porto Alegre. 
  Markets are democratic spaces, full of life and stories, open to roaming goers of all ages, all tastes and interests of all social classes. These points are shopping and gatherings, large and small businesses, of bohemia and gastronomy, art and social life. The 10 Brazilian markets in this book are an example of this wealth.Themselves contain all the justifications for, through the gorgeous photographs of Cyro Jose, embark on a journey to a unique universe of all odors, all colors, flavors and endless - why not? - All the sounds.

Result of long and detailed research, the book reveals, in nice rhythm and full of riches, some of the history of markets, showing the influence that these institutions have in relation to dietary habits, religious, behavioral and cultural needs of local people and preserve the identity of the region, the harmonious coexistence of differences and cultural democracy that reproduces and perpetuates itself throughout history.

                                                         Brazilian Indians


   
Organization and group survival
  Brazilian Indians survive using the resources offered by the natural environment with the aid of rudimentary processes. They hunt, plant, fish, collect and produce the tools necessary for these activities. The and belongs to all group members and each one takes it for themselves.
There is a division of task by age and sex: in general it is the woman taking care of the home, children and gardens, the man is responsible for defense, hunting (which may be individual or collective), and the harvest food in the forest.The elders - men and women - get great respect from all. The experience gained by years of life turns them into symbols of tribal traditions.The "Pajé" is a kind of healer and spiritual advisor.


The chief of the tribe  The Indians live in villages and often are led by chiefs, who are called cacique, or tuxánas morubixabas. The transfer of leadership can be inherited (from parent to child) or not. Bosses should lead to changes in the village, in the war, should maintain the tradition, determine daily activities and be responsible for contact with other villages or with the civilized. Often he is assisted by a council of men who assist in their decisions.

The healer and spiritual advisor of the tribe - Pajé

Food - fish

  Besides a thorough knowledge of life and habits of animals, the Indians have techniques that vary from nation to nation. 

In fishing, it is common use of vegetable substances (Tingui and Timbo, among others) which poison and stun fish, making them easier prey.

There are also traps for fishing, such as the "Pari of Tenetehara" - a basket fund with an aperture through which the fish comes behind the bait, but can not leave. Most Indians in Brazil practicing agriculture.

Some Indian tribes of Amazonia:

• Arara
• Bororo
• Gavião
• Katukina
• Kayapó
• Kulína
• Marubo
• Sateré - Mawé
• Tenharim
• Tikuna
• Tukâno
• Wai-Wai
• Yanomami

Indigenous culture  The effort of the authorities to maintain cultural diversity among the Indians can avoid the disappearance of much of interest. A quarter of all drugs prescribed by Western medicine comes from plants of the forest, and three quarters were collected prescribed by the Western medicine comes from plants of the forest, and three quarters were collected from information on indigenous tribes.
  In education, language Tucana, despite the small number of words, is compared by linguists as the Greek language, for his wealth - structural features, for example, twelve different ways to conjugate the verb in the past.

Indian girl

Art

The art blends everyday in their life. 

Body painting, for example, is a means of distinguishing the groups in which an indigenous society is divided, as it can be used as garnish. 

The red ink is extracted from annatto and blue, almost black, the genipap. For white, the Indians use the lime. The works made with feathers and bird feathers are the Indian feather art.

Some Indians perform works in wood. Painting and drawing are always connected to Indian pottery and basketry. The baskets are common in all tribes, varying the shape and type of straw that are made. Generally, the Indians associate the instrumental music to sing and dance.

The Art of the Amazon

   The craftsmanship of the Amazon is rich and varied, with strong influence from Amazon Indian culture. In general it uses elements of the forest as beads, seeds, vines. Currently the handicrafts of the region has been improving with various elements of the forest being incorporated into jewelry, so-called "bio-jewels".
 The Indians of the Amazon forest make this craft, and this is the source of their income. They sell in the cities or even exporting to other countries. The raw material of these works of art is the clay that is extracted in a primitive process of paddy fields, with no industry mechanism.

The parts are resistant to weather and their preparation are burned at a temperature of up to 900 ° C.Using a wood burning oven like "Caieira, the wood is reclaimed from sawmills or buildings.
The paint used in the pieces is taken from a clay color. Until a ceramic piece is ready, there is a long process to follow.Since the withdrawal of clay in the deposits until the finish, several hands lend their expertise to devise the end more a work of art.There are basically 4 kinds of tracing for the pieces:

                    
 Risco Grosso: this style was born from the creativity of the craftsman Icoaraciense, is based on the drawings of the tribes Marajoaras. It can be seen in this style details in high relief.











Risco Fino: As the name implies is composed of risks more slender and delicate, inspired by the works found in archaeological sites.













Pintura Mão Livre: Technique that was also used by the tribe of Marajoaras. Paint freehand appreciates even more the design of These modern pieces.The black color that is used is obtained with the use of Nankin and white paint water based and is then coated with colorless wax.








Novo Design: Name given by Mr. Doca Leite for mixing the Marajoaras art and Rock art, adding more calm color with pastel shades.

Painting depicting Amazon Indians making Ceramic

North Brazil

                         

              Many stylists were and are inspired by the colorful, texture and nature that the north Brazil offers. There is a typically Brazilian fashion? The question is useless, and probably unanswerable in an era where information traverse the globe with hyperspeed and everybody knows what everybody is doing. Not to mention that the adverb "typically" evokes calico, trinkets, ribbons, lace and other rustic truisms. It is the fashion folk "country of parrots" - that all creators want distance. Given these premises, assuming that there is one, no pun intended, the common cultural background, an intimacy with the natural light, color and exuberance that are part of the national visual heritage. It is these collective sources that feed a kind of tropicalismo revisited today brings a handful of designers. Sources, trajectories and different interests, they have in common a kind of modern Brazilianness, savvy and, yes, global.

Regional Handicraft

The raw parts are seeds who make different shapes and colors in the hands of the artist. 

Açaí and Babassu are some of the materials used as well as the Jarina, brought the city of Barcelos and Jupati, which is imported from the State of Pará.

Artisan Solange Ribeiro and some pieces of her work

Açaí

Jarina

Jupati

Babassu

Kenzo inspired collection paraded in the Amazon in summer season

Colors and more colors...

New brands such as Neon and Adriana Barra, explore the vibrant colors, geometric prints and decorative and large volumes of dresses, blouses and skirts

Brazilian Folklore

   The Brazilian Folkore called "Folclore Brasileiro'' has a biggest history, and it's so rich of colours, textures, music and good folk. Today, the fashion and design utilize some of these things as reference too. Here I show you some pictures of this brilliant culture. Brazil has four different regions, north, south, east and midwest. Brazil is a big country in cultures and races, each corner of the country has its beauties and qualities.

Beaches, mountains, rainforest, wetlands, mountains, savannah, Amazon, dunes, waterfalls, plains, caves ... Brazil has all of it and more!