Brazilian Sub-Cultures

Brazil's large population of around 190 million people combined with a strong history of migration make it a stand-out example of cultural diversity. According to Ribeiro [1997] we can divide the Brazilian into 5 sub-cultures. First there are the "crioula" from the northeast region of the country, descendants of African slaves they were brought there by Portuguese colonizers and forced to work. The second group is the "cabloca", situated in the north of the country close to the rain forest, the inhabitants are natives and non-voluntary immigrants. Both groups are based on a system where group norms and group loyalty are untouchable values and of the upmost priority. According to Torres and Dessed [2002] these regions have the tendency to be a vertical-collectivist cultural group, where inequality is preferred to equality.

Ribeireo [1997] analyzed the third and fourth sub-cultures, the "caipira" and "gaúcha", both originating in the south and south east region of Brazil. Caipira was mostly a group who worked on coffee farms in the 18th century and over time have became more and more industrialized. The gaúcha worked in harvest and production of sugar cane. These two groups show a vertical-individualist cultural pattern. The fact that most are descendent of the large European immigration in the 17th and 18th century shows some European cultural characteristics.

The fifth sub-culture, who originated in the North-East, from the savannas of the central Brazil are the "sertaneja". While the administrative capital was displaced from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília in the 60’s (Brasília was a lifeless area before) it became a city with inhabitants who are seeking autonomy and accept social status differences. Furthermore there are still some small groups in rural sections who show verticals-collectivism patterns.