BRAZILIAN CULTURE

Brazil has a multicultural and multiethnic society. During three centuries of Portuguese colonisation, about a million Portuguese settlers arrived in Brazil. So the indigenous culture of Brazil mixed with the Portuguese culture as well as with Black African Culture, which were brought as slaves to Brazil. In the 19th and 20th centuries, many other immigrants from different European countries, Russia and Japan further influenced the Brazilian Culture. You can see the different influences in language, food, music, dance, religion or architecture. Brazil has many celebrations and festivals due to its diverse cultural background. The Brazilian Carnival for example is world famous and attracts many tourists: almost every tourist would love to visit Brazil and the Carnival once in a lifetime.

The Brazilian culture becomes particularly visible when looking at the handmade crafts which have a long tradition in Brazil. The creative skills have been handed down from one generation to the next. Historically, handmade crafts were often not recognised as an art form. In the last decades however, this changed. Brazilians celebrate local culture and want to restore old tradtions. This way, crafts became more and more popular – currently, there are almost 10 million artisans who generate their income by making things with their hands. Many artisans now combine traditional crafts with improved handicraft techniques. Furthermore, the artisans see the importance of ethical sourcing of the local materials. Nowadays, artisans play an important role in the Brazilian economy. By engaging within crafts, women get an opportunity to become entrepreneurs and improve the economic conditions for themselves and their families. Since Brazil is a large country, the handmade crafts vary from region to region.

Family is very important in Brazil, and children often live with their parents until they get married. The ties with extended family members are close and it is normal that the younger generation looks after the elderly. In former days, families were quite large, but following a world trend, families have become smaller, the family structure less patriarchal, and women are more independent. Brazilian people are very outgoing and friendly. Catholicism plays a big role in Brazil, two thirds of the population are catholics.