Music & Traditions

 Hello everyone!

If you know me, you probably know that I am from Brazil, and during this course, I will try my best to show it to you guys some of the music of my country! This week, it's Carnaval in Brazil. Carnaval is the biggest holiday in Brazil that always happens on the days leading up to Ash Wednesday, usually resolving in late February/ early March, and this year is from Feb 27 till March 4 (yes it is a long holiday). People normally joke saying that the year only starts after Carnaval, and people usually go all for it! Have you ever seen the movie Rio? Assuming your answer is yes (I am sad for you if you've never seen it) you might have realized that this movie happens during Carnaval, and the big parade is one of the festivities to celebrate the holiday, which is called Desfile de Samba, where Samba schools perform a show with HUGE floats (carros alegoricos) that reach 26 to 50 feet in high and 65 feet in length. Along with floats, there are many people dancing, singing and playing instruments, and they normally always try to send a message with their parades. Now if you've read my "Music and Me" blog, you remember what Samba is, and noticided that I used the same word earlier in this text. Well, Samba is the genre of music we listen to during Carnaval, this first video linked below, will show what the Desfiles de Samba looks like, and you will also be able to hear the Samba in back. The second video linked below is from the movie Rio, and notice how similar it is from the reality (you can also hear samba songs in the movie)!

 

During the month of June in Brazil, there are a lot of typical parties called Festa Junina, which translates to June Party. In these festivities, it is celebrated the rural life, and saints like Sao Joao (Saint John), along with music, dances, decorations and lots of traditional food. Schools throws parties like this every year, and each class grade do a dance for the parents (and everyone else) to watch! I would say that this style of song is what the equivalent of Country would be in Brazil. There is a lot of "Forro" during the June Parties, which is a music genre from the northeast of Brazil, and the songs usually combines accordion, zabumba (type of drum), and a metal triangle. I chose this song because I feel like when I listen to this song, I can close my eyes and picture myself in a Festa Junina. This is a very famous song that plays every year at every party, and I can assure you that every single Brazilian has heard this song before or have had to dance to this song.

This is a very traditional party- the first picture is me in 2011 wearing a very common dress of June Party and the next picture is my little cousin wearing a similar typical dress in June of 2024. Also in the first picture, this is what the June Party looked at my school!