April 1st is a holiday in Brazil. The informal pre-festival celebrations are known as "blocos." The cities of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador are particularly famous for their parades; the performers spend months preparing and practicing. Children’s Day. From the cult of soccer to Catholic holidays to the rituals of the local religion, Candomble, Brazil's traditions are both secular and sacred. The country is also rich with music, dance, food, nature, festivals, folklore legends, and the beautiful places that you can visit to learn more about our history and culture. In Sao Luis, the Bumba-meu-boi festival has the townsfolk act out a folk story involving the killing and resurrection of a bull. Good Friday & Easter Sunday (March or April) Easter (Páscoa) falls on the day after the culmination of Holy Week . Samba music and dance comes from the Bantu who arrived in Brazil from Angola. Capoeira, a home-grown martial art, is based on self-defense practices devised by African slaves. Many major cities have a huge Christmas Tree decorated with electric lights.It’s also tradition to enjoy a big family meal on Christmas Eve, served around 10 PM. It is known as Lie Day. Bahia also boasts plenty of events throughout the malls of the city, including shows and … The meal is comprised of turkey, ham, salads, and fresh fruits, served with rice cooked with raisins and a spoonful of farofa, or seasoned manioc flour. Though the festivities in Rio de Janeiro are the most famous, the entire country celebrates carnival each year, usually between February and March. Much of Brazil's international reputation is centered around local traditions and celebrations such as capoeira, the national sport, and the festivities of Carnaval.
Leading up to Easter, the citizens of Nova Jerusalem enact a passion play, the largest in all of South America. Women in traditional costumes use perfumed water to wash the steps. Major streets close to traffic throughout the Carnaval festivities.Danielle Hill has been writing, editing and translating since 2005. Christmas Trees are also commonplace, decorated as they are in the European tradition with festive colored lights, garland, and baubles.
Feijoada on a Wednesday Because it was originally necessary to disguise the practice, the art now resembles dancing as much as fighting. Other national traditions draw from the predominant religions, Catholicism and Candomble.
To summarize – these are just a few examples of the unique and lesser-know Brazilian traditions and customs.
As the majority of the population is Catholic, many Brazilians attend a midnight mass on Christmas Eve called the Misa de Gallo, or Mass of the Rooster, named so because it may last all night, until the rooster crows in the early morning.
At midnight, the nation celebrates with a massive show of fireworks.Presepios, or nativity scenes, are a very popular Christmas decoration in Brazil, and they decorate churches, houses, and storefronts around the nation. Despite Christmas falling in the Brazilian summer, he still appears in his thick red and white robes.