Archive for November, 2010
Breaking Dawn in Rio de Janeiro Posted by Rachel on Nov 10, 2010
This week, the stars of the Twilight Saga are in Brazil filming scenes for the final film in the series, Breaking Dawn. While some teenage carioca girls were overjoyed, not everyone was happy about the shoot. Today we’re going to read two stories about the film production in Rio de Janeiro from Brazilian news sources…
Brazilian Skateboarding Documentary Posted by Rachel on Nov 9, 2010
While soccer, volleyball, and Formula 1 are hugely popular in Brazil, there’s another lesser known sport that is very popular amongst urban youth: skateboarding. In fact, one of the world’s most famous skateboarders is Brazilian. To help understand this phenomenon, I’m going to share a really cool documentary available online called Dirty Money, a Portuguese-language…
A Viola Caipira Posted by polyana on Nov 8, 2010
I grew up to my dad listening to Brazilian folk music, especially “old school” sertanejo & forró (my mom was more of an 80’s rock and Roberto Carlos girl). One instrument that’s always stuck out to me in Brazilian folk music is the viola caipira. Unlike the “viola” you’re thinking of, the viola (pronounced vee-aw-lah)…
New Brazilian Soap Operas Posted by Rachel on Nov 5, 2010
There are two relatively new novelas out on Brazilian TV: Araguaia and Ti-ti-ti, both on the Globo network. Not only are Globo novelas among the most watched television programs in Brazil, but they are also a lucrative export: Globo soaps are translated and shown in countries around the world. So while these two shows are…
Isolated in the Amazon Posted by Rachel on Nov 2, 2010
The FUNAI, or the Fundação Nacional do Índio, is the Brazilian governmental organization in charge of protecting and advocating for Brazil’s indigenous populations. Created in 1967, the agency not only helps provide education and basic services to tribes, but also promotes the study and understanding of tribal populations and indigenous culture. Also, one of the…
President Dilma Rousseff Posted by polyana on Nov 1, 2010
Last night Brazilians elected their first female president and outgoing president Lula’s hand picked successor, Dilma Rousseff. Although it’s a pretty epic event for the country, these elections have been fairly controversial. While Dilma had never held an elected office before, José Serra never stays for a full term in the positions he’s held. But…