Let’s Talk About Sex, Brazil

Even the kids animated movie Rio portrays women lying on the beach with itsy bitsy bikinis and Barbie like proportions.  Aside from soccer, internationally Brazilian culture is often chalked up to Carnaval, beauty pageants, and flawless models.  One only has to compare Google Image searches of “women in Brazil” and “women in the U.S.”  The Brazilian search, results in half of the images of women in bikinis, while results for American women primarily show female athletes.  But besides Google Image results and international perceptions are Brazil and the U.S. all that different?

There is a stereotype (one could call it a myth or even hope) in the U.S. that Brazilians are the most beautiful people in the world.  Talking about stereotypes with students I discovered that there are similar ideas about Americans.  Many Brazilians believe that Americans are the sexiest people; this of course contrasts the competing stereotype that Americans always eat McDonalds and everyone in the U.S. is majorly obese.  I’d like to take a closer look at the first theory.  Perhaps this is the whole “the grass is greener on the other side” concept at play.  Or perhaps Americans have Hollywood to thank for formalizing and perpetuating stereotypes.  Wealth, drugs, violence, and sex are common (if not exclusive) themes in American film.  Television is not much better.  Think reality shows, think WB shows in which impeccable 27 year olds represent high school seniors, think MTV.  These movies, television shows, and music videos are exported all over the world and are especially popular in Brazil. 

Now turning to Brazilian media, which is not as well known in the U.S. but just as sexual.  I was recently watching a Brazilian game show in which 3 high school classes competed to win a trip to Mexico (comparable to a senior year Spring Break trip).  The students had to complete a number of challenges.  The first of which was trivia.  Each team representative would answer a question and if he/she got it correct a model would take off a piece of clothing.  The idea was that the model was a lifeguard and the first team to answer enough questions so that their model stripped down to just a bikini would move onto the next challenge.

In the late 90’s two television competitions took Brazil by storm.  These challenges were known as na boqhiña da garrafa (the bottle dance) and banheira do Gugu (Gugu’s bathtub).  The first of which was exactly what it sounds like, mostly naked women competed each week to see who could shake their ass best over a bottle.  The bathtub contest was held on show hosted by Gugu.  It involved a man and a woman both in revealing swimsuits in a Jacuzzi.  The man’s objective was to find the soap that was in the tub, while the woman’s objective was to stop him.  One can only imagine what that would lead to.  Actually you don’t have to leave it up to your imagination, you can check out some examples of a bottle dance performance and a bathtub contest on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCAWMreasJI and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzk9BOkIYiE respectively.     

Let’s be honest, sex sells; it always has and will.  Sure the amount of skin shown varies by time, place, and what the media can get away with, but it’s always present.  Overall, I think the U.S. and Brazil are a lot more similar than people would like to believe.  Despite the overly sexualized media, Brazilians aren’t the sex-crazed people that the international community may dream up.  And no, universities in the U.S. are not like American Pie.  The only major divergence I’ve noticed in Brazilian and American thought is that Brazilians are convinced that the majority of foods in the pyramid are aphrodisiacs.  According to Brazilians, everything from birds’ eggs, to peanuts, certain fruits, and every type of shellfish will pump up your sex drive. 

As for whether Brazilians or Americans are more beautiful, I guess “a beleza está nos olhos de quem vê.” The Portuguese equivalent to the proverb “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

June Parties

However you want to call it, São João, Festas Juninas, or June Parties are predominantly celebrated in the Northeast of Brazil.  These originally were celebrated to honor 3 saints, Saint Anthony, Saint John (São João literally means St. John), and Saint Peter. The Saint days are June 13^th, 24^th, and 29^th, respectively.  So as Brazilians love to point out, these days are just far enough apart from each other that it is justifiable to celebrate the entire month.

St. John is the biggest party day; which is probably why all the festivals are often referred to as São João.  However, by and large St. Anthony is the one I’ve heard the most about.  St. Anthony is the matchmaker, and his holy day is the day after Brazilian Valentine’s Day.  Girls will often get little statues of St. Anthony to perform certain rituals.  Generally in their teenage years girls will torture the saint so that he will bring them a husband.  There are several methods to torture, including but not limited to leaving St. Anthony outside all night in the cold, turning him on his head, or even dunking him in water while threatening to drown him if they do not get their desired results.  I guess most holidays don’t involve waterboarding a saint, but then again the Northeast of Brazil isn’t like most places.

Though these Saint-day celebrations may not be as internationally well-known as Brazilian Carnaval, in the Northeast they are nearly as popular.  While both Carnaval and São João share the main idea (partying), the customs are quite different.  My intention is to give an overview of the basics: clothes, food, music, and dance so that if you ever find yourself lucky enough to be in attendance at one of these shindigs you’ll be prepared.

What’s the dress code?  The answer may surprise you; it’s flannel.  This whole month people everywhere I go, everyone I see, is wearing flannel.  From my apartment building receptionist, to university students, to children on the beach, flannel is in.  For the complete ensemble one should technically wear jeans, boots, and a cowboy hat.   Some girls will even put their hair in two braids or simply buy a hat with those already in place.

Of course with any celebration, food is of the up-most importance.  The menu for São João is like an Iron Chef competition in which the secret ingredient is corn.  People make everything from corn bread, to corn cake and pudding, and naturally they eat old-fashioned corn on the cob.  It is very common for people to make bonfires.  They make in front of their house right in the street.  Many will even roast corn in their street bonfire.  Like any party alcohol is also on the menu.  Most likely beer or cachaça (liquor from sugarcane) will be served, though I don’t think anyone is too picky when it comes to this.   

Usually at parties there is at least one live band playing Farol, music typical of the Northeast.  The type of Farol played during June parties is a bit more country bumpkin style.  In any other circumstances Northeasterners do a sexy dance in pairs to Farol (in other parts of the country the dance involves some spins and twirls, here its is more bumping and grinding).  Of course a special occasion means a special type of dance.  Though at parties people still dance in pairs to Farol throughout the month of June there are intense square-dancing competitions.
 

Besides hearing Farol music all the time, the month of June sounds like a battlefield thanks to the overwhelming supply of fireworks.  Impromptu stands appear out of thin air to sell fireworks (similar to U.S. around the 4^th of July).  Everyone from little kids to grandparents get their kicks setting off Roman candles and playing with sparklers.  Don’t get me wrong; I love seeing fireworks.  But I don’t have a great appreciation for hearing fireworks at all hours of the day.  I’m not sure why but Brazilians love to set off fireworks in the morning and early afternoon.  I guess some things this year will remain a mystery, regardless I hope I gave you a idea as to what you may be in for if you come to Northeast Brazil in June.  I do recommend that you come check it out for yourself.