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| Carnival in Brazil by Roderick Ross |
Brazil was something that I had looked forward to for quite a
while. It was in my head to finally go to “Carnival” the basis
for Mardis Gras. Carnival actually takes place throughout all
of Brazil as well as the islands of Trinidad and the
surrounding area.
I went to Mardis Gras once when I was a high school
student. At that time we were actually performing in the
Mardi Gras which is really not the same as being able to
enjoy it and being old enough to really enjoy it. Years of
telling myself I would eventually return must have had a lot
to do with my deciding to make the once in a lifetime trip to
Brazil.
while. It was in my head to finally go to “Carnival” the basis
for Mardis Gras. Carnival actually takes place throughout all
of Brazil as well as the islands of Trinidad and the
surrounding area.
I went to Mardis Gras once when I was a high school
student. At that time we were actually performing in the
Mardi Gras which is really not the same as being able to
enjoy it and being old enough to really enjoy it. Years of
telling myself I would eventually return must have had a lot
to do with my deciding to make the once in a lifetime trip to
Brazil.
Because I live in Japan, the trip is much longer than leaving from the Unites States. It's an even 24
hours to get there by plane. Landing in Sao Paulo, I was lucky enough to have English speaking friends
residing there. Sao Paulo is like any big city in the world but perhaps one of the most dangerous.
People are often robbed and officials are sometimes kidnapped. But being from the States, I know not
to stand out to much and not to act like a visitor even if I am completely lost.
Butas a Black man in Sao Paulo, I really don’t stand out at all. Having lived in Japan all these years I
am so not used to not standing out. In Japan I'm taller than most, brown skinned and dredlocks on top
of everything else. In Japan I'm treated at times like a celebrity and at times like public enemy number
one. And it's more because of the fact that I am a foreigner than a Black man, but it is irritating all the
same.
In Brazil I was in a foreign country where nobody really cared about how I looked. For me that was
pretty nice. People even expected me to be fluent in Portugues, so and I was often put on the spot. I did
however study a few words on the plane on the way there. I always try to learn a little bit of the
language where I go. People really appreciate it and it does help some. Eventually I started using some
of my high school Spanish skills, which some people did understand.
One interesting thing is that in Brazil during Carnival, it's an age old tradition for men to kiss women, any
woman, on the mouth, (preferably a woman they don’t know) but only during carnival. I witnessed this
a few times while on my trip and my friends encouraged me to do the same while I was there-- but in
my opinion that's a real “no-no” , and I recently learned that that practice has finally been legally banned.
In general, in Sao Paulo you really don't get the feeling so much that you are in a foreign country except
for the fact that you don't hear any English. Building styles, everyday living is really similar to
Anywhere, USA.
I stayed in Sao Paulo three days and then I was on to Bahia for three days. By contrast, in Bahia there
were many buildings left over from antiquity. There were beautiful churches, ruins, and colorful run
down buildings like something out of a picture. Sometimes I felt like was stepping into the past.
hours to get there by plane. Landing in Sao Paulo, I was lucky enough to have English speaking friends
residing there. Sao Paulo is like any big city in the world but perhaps one of the most dangerous.
People are often robbed and officials are sometimes kidnapped. But being from the States, I know not
to stand out to much and not to act like a visitor even if I am completely lost.
Butas a Black man in Sao Paulo, I really don’t stand out at all. Having lived in Japan all these years I
am so not used to not standing out. In Japan I'm taller than most, brown skinned and dredlocks on top
of everything else. In Japan I'm treated at times like a celebrity and at times like public enemy number
one. And it's more because of the fact that I am a foreigner than a Black man, but it is irritating all the
same.
In Brazil I was in a foreign country where nobody really cared about how I looked. For me that was
pretty nice. People even expected me to be fluent in Portugues, so and I was often put on the spot. I did
however study a few words on the plane on the way there. I always try to learn a little bit of the
language where I go. People really appreciate it and it does help some. Eventually I started using some
of my high school Spanish skills, which some people did understand.
One interesting thing is that in Brazil during Carnival, it's an age old tradition for men to kiss women, any
woman, on the mouth, (preferably a woman they don’t know) but only during carnival. I witnessed this
a few times while on my trip and my friends encouraged me to do the same while I was there-- but in
my opinion that's a real “no-no” , and I recently learned that that practice has finally been legally banned.
In general, in Sao Paulo you really don't get the feeling so much that you are in a foreign country except
for the fact that you don't hear any English. Building styles, everyday living is really similar to
Anywhere, USA.
I stayed in Sao Paulo three days and then I was on to Bahia for three days. By contrast, in Bahia there
were many buildings left over from antiquity. There were beautiful churches, ruins, and colorful run
down buildings like something out of a picture. Sometimes I felt like was stepping into the past.
The entire atmosphere was happy and joyous. For these few weeks out of the year people don't seem to
focus on their obviously impoverished living conditions, and honestly I got the feeling that they never
really did anyway. Being from America, “the land of the material”, it's hard to imagine not being
preoccupied with money or the lack of it as I saw it there. For the most part, people were truly happy.
And I didn’t stick out even a little bit.
I think that Carnival, though fun, is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Although I know people that go
every year, one time of full one week partying was more than enough for me! It was very hard to leave
and I would like to return again during "normal" times.
focus on their obviously impoverished living conditions, and honestly I got the feeling that they never
really did anyway. Being from America, “the land of the material”, it's hard to imagine not being
preoccupied with money or the lack of it as I saw it there. For the most part, people were truly happy.
And I didn’t stick out even a little bit.
I think that Carnival, though fun, is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Although I know people that go
every year, one time of full one week partying was more than enough for me! It was very hard to leave
and I would like to return again during "normal" times.
Bahia is the port where the slaves
were brought into Brazil and
subsequently, a lot of the area is
Black. I hadn't been so smothered
in Blackness since I lived in South
Memphis in Tennessee. There I
found a twin for every other person
I know. No we don't all look alike,
but we do have similar roots, so it's
no surprise that there would be
people who resemble folks we
know. I found some who looked like
carbon copies of some of the people
I know.
were brought into Brazil and
subsequently, a lot of the area is
Black. I hadn't been so smothered
in Blackness since I lived in South
Memphis in Tennessee. There I
found a twin for every other person
I know. No we don't all look alike,
but we do have similar roots, so it's
no surprise that there would be
people who resemble folks we
know. I found some who looked like
carbon copies of some of the people
I know.
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