Today is International Women’s Day!  Not only that, today,  it has officially been 100 years since the day is an official holiday.  Celebrated widely in Brazil from great sales at clothing and home goods’ stores to church group get togethers, the date is certainly recognized.  Despite women in Brazil taking longer than many in the world to achieve certain equalities (and still fighting), the Brazilian woman is definitely one to be celebrated for her hard work, intelligence, and charisma.

I’ll leave you with Brazilian singer Joyce’s ode to the Brazilian woman Mulheres do Brasil.

No tempo em que a maçã foi inventada
Antes da pólvora, da roda e do jornal
A mulher passou a ser culpada
Pelos deslizes do pecado original.
Guardiã de todas as virtudes
Santas e megeras, pecadoras e donzelas
Filhas de maria
Ou deusas lá de hollywood
São irmãs porque a mãe natureza
Fez todas tão belas.
Oh! mãe, oh! mãe
Nossa mãe, abre o teu colo generoso
Parir, gerar, criar e provar
Nosso destino valoroso.
São donas-de-casa
Professoras, bailarinas
Moças operárias, prostitutas meninas
Lá do breu das brumas,
Vem chegando a bandeira
Saúda o povo e pede passagem
A mulher brasileira.

Translation after the jump

At the time the apple was invented
Before gunpowder, the wheel and the newspaper
The woman was blame
For the slip-ups of original sin.
Guardian of all virtue
Saints and hags, sinners and maidens
Daughters of Mary
Or Hollywood goddesses
They are sisters because mother nature
Made them all beautiful
Oh! Mother, Oh! mother
Our mother, open up your generous lap
Give birth, generate, raise and prove
Our valuable destiny.
They are homemakers
Teachers, ballerinas
Factory working ladies, prostitutes
From the misty breu (river?)
The flag come
Salute the people and ask for passage
The Brazilian woman.