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Brazil's Catholic Parties in June
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By Teacher Claudia
June 22, 2007
Dear readers, should you be in Brazil in the month of June, there are two things to be noticed. One is the color of the sky, of a vivid blue, due to our position in relation to the sun. It's winter time here, and this view is just a present, even more beautiful than the summer sky.
The second thing is our typical parties, called "Festas Juninas". Juninas because they only happen in June. They are popular celebrations of three important saints in Brazil: St. Anthony, St. Peter and St. John, and involve several cultural aspects, such as the rescue of homemade foods, old folklore songs, square dances and all sorts of games for children.
People usually dress up as if they were from the countryside, wearing a wide straw hat and boots.
Because June is the month of the harvest of corn and peanuts, many of the foods are based on them, and because it's Brazil, most are sweets: curau, canjica, pamonha, pé-de-moleque, paçoca...
Among the games there are: jump over the fire (to overcome fear), climb of the greased post (to achieve goals), fishing (to prove one's good luck), love letters (to send anonymous notes to the subject of our passion), jail (to praise freedom) and many more.
A high point is the decoration, so Brazilian and naive, full of colorful flags and fireworks to illuminate these long winter nights. In São Paulo, the best Festas Juninas take place at Catholic churches and schools, but the most famous ones happen far from here, in Campina Grande and in Caruaru, both in the northeast region.
Teacher Claudia is available for private classes in Sao Paulo. She can be contacted at claudiafmla@uol.com.br
To read previous articles by Teacher Claudia click below:
Portuguese Tip: Sounds Part 2 - De & Di
Portuguese Tip: Diminutives
Portuguese Tip: Regularity of Verbs in Portuguese - Final Part
Portuguese Tip: Regularity of Verbs in Portuguese - Exceptions
Portuguese Tip: Regularity of Verbs
Brazil: A Day in São Paulo
Why Not? (Or on Brazilian Indians)
Portuguese Tip: Infinitives and Gerunds Part 1
Brazil: Portuguese Tip - Ninguém X Nenhum
Brazil: Portuguese Tip - Tudo vs. Todo
Brazil's Independence Day
Brazil: Portuguese Tips - Denials
Brazil: Portuguese Tips - Não and Nem
Portuguese Tip: If Clauses Part 1
Portuguese Tip: If Clauses Part 1
Portuguese Tip: The X Doubts Part 2
Portuguese Tip: The X Doubts
Brazil: To Tell or Not to Tell
Brazil: Ipiranga Museum
Portuguese Tip: Odd words
Portuguese Tip: Interjections and Expressions
A Brazilian Holiday: October 12th
Portuguese Tip: Sounds
Portuguese Tip: Verb Tenses
Portuguese Tip: The Mystery of Seu, Sua
Portuguese Tip: Interjections and Expressions
Portuguese Tips: Plurals - Part 2
A Brazilian custom: Kissing the Cheek
Portuguese Tips: Regular Verbs - Simple Past
Portuguese Tips: Plurals - Part 1
Portuguese Tips: Regular Verbs - Simple Present
Portuguese Tips
Portuguese Tips: Adverbs in Portuguese
Portuguese Tips: Comparative and Superlative
Foreigners Through Brazilian Eyes
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6/22/2007
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