Kassandra Taylor M1040 TR 10-11:20am Cultural Semester Project - Paper Brazil Interview I chose to do my paper on Brazil because, not

only do I have three aunts who have spent an extended amount of time in South America, but also an uncle who is from Brazil and grew up there. My uncles full name is Francisco Elisvaldo Ferreira DeMelo, or, Franco Ferrine DeMelo for short. He was born and raised in Brazil. He is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. He is the oldest of four children, with two younger sisters and a brother. They still currently reside in Brazil. His mother lived with him and my aunt for a few years and has since gone back to Brazil. His parents divorced at a young age, and his mom remarried. Both his father and stepfather have died and his mom has recently remarried for a third time. Around 20 years ago, he met an American girl in Brazil and followed her to the United States. He did not know any English and took classes at a community college to learn it. Since coming into the States, he gained citizenship in 2007 as well as graduated with his Bachelors in Business. He now works for IHC as a computer technician. Shortly after moving to the States, he actually started getting into jazz as well as rap. He definitely prefers American music over Brazilian music. His life here in Utah, is very different than it was back in Brazil. In Brazil, there are fewer amenities, less opportunity, and no consumer rights. If you buy something, you cannot return it. The economy is better now, however the poorest of the poor in

Brazil are only earning 1.2% of the nations income. He still likes to visit once in a while, and it seems as though things are looking up for fellow Brazilians, but he is still very thankful for his American citizenship. Family Issues In Brazil, the family structure is basically the same as America; however, most parents work a lot of hours, so children are left to raise themselves. If they are lucky enough to have grandparents, they will often be raised by them. The father still has the main responsibility to provide for the family, but because they are unable to make much money, the mother must also work. The mother must also do all of the cooking, cleaning and caring for the children. Children take a more active role in helping their family unit as a matter of survival. Franco does not remember too many family traditions, except for the facts that since most Brazilian people are Christian and believe in God, all the Saint holidays are celebrated. All religious holidays are celebrated as well. So because of his Christianity, he remembers celebrating holidays, just as he does in America. Family importance still remains a tradition to him and he feels that he has made his own family traditions since moving to the States and starting a family. He wants to give his children a better life than he had as a child. In Brazil, corruption is everywhere and people commit crimes out in the open. He does not want his children to grow up with all problems that come with a poor country. Drugs are an even bigger problem in Brazil then they are in America. Petty theft is also a huge problem. Due to boredom and lack of money, stealing is a way of life. Because there are less police officers around to control and maintain the crime rate, as in America,

Brazil has a higher rate of petty crime. He has carried with him a strong moral commitment to not let his children get caught up in the traditions of his former country, not that they are all bad, he just feels that America provides more opportunity to become successful in life, because he himself is living proof of the American Dream. Music Among music favorites of the Brazilian people are American rock and roll, Brazilian rock, and local Brazilian music according to my uncle. According to other sources, however, the music associated with Brazil is the Samba or a genre of music called the bossa nova. There are other forms of music that Brazilian people find entertaining such as frevo; a fast, upbeat, popular dance music. Most of Brazilian music comes from African traditions. A martial arts style of dance that is also popular among the Brazilian culture is the high kicking Capoeira. It brings together kickboxing, acrobatics, and dance. It also has African origins just as the Samba does. The Capoeira has actually become a part of a popular exercise routine that is done all over America called Turbo Jam, an affiliate of Beachbody Productions. So the p iece has transferred to America but has changed to incorporate American styles and dance genres as well as other areas of athletics such as aerobic exercise. Capoeira schools can also be found throughout Brazil as well as in the U.S. and Europe. Classical music is also heard among the people of Brazil. The most famous classical musician and composer is Hector Villa- Lobos. Another popular genre of music was born in Rio in the 1950s called the Bossa Nova. It is a jazz sound with a cool, offbeat rhythm. MPB, which stands for Musica Popular Brasileira, is a blend of standard pop music with Brazilian

melodies and rhythms. But the Lambada, which is a sensual Caribbean dance, is a more recent craze. Conclusion In conclusion, Brazil has internationally famous artists, sculptors, writers, filmmakers, and architects. From a sculpture of the prophet Oseas which stands outside of the church Bom Jesus do Matozinho in Congonhas, to the drummers that are a part of a music group which perform in the Carnival Salvador de Bahia, Brazil is rich in culture. Since the Brazilian society is made up of several different origins. Some of these origins include the original Native Americans, Portuguese, and African slaves. More recently however, there has been an influx of Koreans, Chinese, Bolivians, and Paraguayans. The government has much of the same aspects of an American government. It is a Republic but also a democracy. The President and congress are elected by the people and can only serve two terms of four years. Even though it seems that there is a definite gap between the rich and the poor of Brazil, with its many different roots, it has become an increasingly prosperous nation. Recently the blue-collar class of citizens has become apparent to their society. Their unique society is made up of different backgrounds and beliefs. The Brazilian people have everything going for it. Not only does it have a strong and growing economy, but also the resources to get through its most major problems of poverty and pollution. They also have a stable government and a young population which may be the reason Brazil will be the first South American country to host the Olympics in 2016. Whether they are from a poor part of Brazil, living in what is known as a favela, or in a wealthier area, together they all share a love for music. They will always carry on the passion to play, sing, and dance.

Bibliography 1. Ed Parker. Discover Brazil. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group Inc., 2010. 2. Ann Heinrichs. Brazil: Enchantment of the World. Published simultaneously in Canada, printed in the United States of America: Childrens Press A Division of Grolier Publishing, 1997. 3. Marion Morrison. Countries Around the World: Brazil. An imprint of Capstone Global Library, LLC, Chicago, Illinois, 2012. 4. http://www.infoplease.com/country/brazil.html 5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil