The Brazilian culture, a reflection of the social Melting pot

Culture is one of the first things that people think of when we speak about Brazil. In fact, the Brazilian culture is really diverse and varied. This multiculturalism comes from three centuries of colonization by the Portugal, and the immigration of Italian, German, Japanese and Arabs in the late 19 th and 20th centuries. Despite of this heterogeneity, tolerance and assimilation are at the basis of the Brazilian culture. Cultural events in Brazil, like the Brazilian Carnival, reflect this tolerance and the Brazilian Melting pot, where different cultures become homogeneous.

The Brazilian Carnival, symbol of the Brazilian Melting pot

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Samba_school_parades_2004.jpg

The Portuguese culture remains at the basis of the Brazilian culture. For example, while many regional languages like German and Italian are spoken in Brazil, Portuguese is the official language of Brazil.

One can find marks of this Portuguese inheritance through the culture; the Hofstede indicators show that even today the Brazilian culture has many similarities with the Portuguese culture, regarding to the Power Distance (69/63) and Individualism (38/27) scores especially. Concerning Masculinity (49/31), Uncertainty Avoidance (76/99) and Pragmatism (44/28), the figures aren’t exactly the same, but remain globally similar.

This cultural inheritance is present in many domains, including architecture. The Neo-Manueline was for example a popular architectural style developed by the Portugal in the 19th century that we can find in many Brazilian monuments, like the Real Gabinete Portuguez de Leitura, in Rio de Janeiro:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RealGabinetePortuguesLeitura.jpg

The influence of Portugal is also present through the organization of cities, with churches and market stalls in central places.

In Brazil, multiculturalism is a synonym of tolerance. Even if the Portuguese influence is predominant, all other cultures are accepted and respected in Brazil.

Tips for a Foreigner in Brazil

Integration is a very important word in the Brazilian culture. Racism is severely punished. Foreigner must also show respect in front of the indigenous inheritance of Brazil.

Spanish isn’t spoken in Brazil. Brazilian don’t want to be assimilated with countries like Mexico and Cuba, where cultures are different.

Brazilians like when the foreigners know and understand their culture and history. For example, Brazilians dislike when people think that Rio de Janeiro is the capital of Brazil, instead of Brasilia.