Tag Archives: History
Canção do exílio Posted by Rachel on Feb 11, 2011
Since we’ve been discussing expats and poetry this week, I thought we could take a look at another poem, one of the most beautiful in Brazilian literature. Thanks for the suggestion from one of our users, who posted the poem on the Portuguese Blog Facebook page. “Exile Song” is one of Brazil’s most famous poems…
Email in Brazil Posted by Rachel on Dec 30, 2010
Though we don’t stop to think about it much, the pace of technology has moved incredibly quickly in the last decade, and it’s funny to think that in our lifetimes, the Internet was a new phenomenon. I recently came across a very funny video, a news report about electronic mail on a Brazilian news channel…
Proclamação da República Posted by polyana on Nov 15, 2010
As you’re reading this on Monday morning, I will hopefully be lying on one of the beaches of Búzios in Rio de Janeiro! Today is a holiday in Brazil, Dia da Proclamação da República in which marechal Deodoro da Fonseca led Brazilian revolutionaries in a coup d’etat against the monarchy and put an end to Brazil’s…
The Caipirinha Posted by Rachel on Sep 8, 2010
One of the best known elements of Brazilian culture outside of Brazil, gringos can’t get enough of the caipirinha! But it helps to know about its origins, what it means, and how it’s made. Popular folklore says that Queen Carlota Joaquina of Portugal invented the drink when she lived in Brazil, mixing her beloved cachaça…
O Grito do Ipiranga – Brazil’s Independence Day Posted by polyana on Sep 6, 2010
Tomorrow is Sete de Setembro, Brazil’s independence day! Many Brazilians don’t work today or tomorrow and use the holiday to head to the nearest (or not) beach, countryside, or wherever, to enjoy their day off. But most Brazilians don’t “celebrate,” the holiday, saying there isn’t much to celebrate because Brazilians didn’t really go through much…
Japanese Words of Portuguese Origin Posted by Rachel on Feb 4, 2010
Did you know that some Japanese words actually come from Portuguese? This Luso influence dates back to the 1500s, when the Portuguese established trade with Japan, the first Europeans to manage the journey. Through traders and missionaries, the Portuguese brought new words and products to Japan, and thus a lasting cultural influence. Let’s check out…
Brazil, Cerca 1930 Posted by Rachel on Jan 27, 2010
Studying history in Portuguese can be difficult if you’re still learning the language, but there are plenty of great resources online in English for Brazilian history. Today, I present you with a fantastic discovery, found on The Good Blood Brazilian culture blog: “Gigantic Brazil and Its Glittering Capitals.” The article, written for National Geographic Magazine…