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The Brazil Reader
History, Culture, Politics
Edited by Robert M. Levine and John Crocitti
Published by: Duke University Press Books
Series: The Latin America Readers
544 pages, 52 b&w photographs, 7 figures,
Bordering all but two of South America’s other nations and by far Latin America’s largest country, Brazil differs linguistically, historically, and culturally from Spanish America. Its indigenous peoples share the country with descendants of Portuguese conquerors and the Africans they imported to work as slaves, along with more recent immigrants from southern Europe, Japan, the Middle East, and elsewhere. Capturing the scope of this country’s rich diversity and distinction as no other book has done—with more than a hundred entries from a wealth of perspectives—The Brazil Reader offers a fascinating guide to Brazilian life, culture, and history.
Complementing traditional views with fresh ones, The Brazil Reader’s historical selections range from early colonization to the present day, with sections on imperial and republican Brazil, the days of slavery, the Vargas years, and the more recent return to democracy. They include letters, photographs, interviews, legal documents, visual art, music, poetry, fiction, reminiscences, and scholarly analyses. They also include observations by ordinary residents, both urban and rural, as well as foreign visitors and experts on Brazil. Probing beneath the surface of Brazilian reality—past and present—The Reader looks at social behavior, women’s lives, architecture, literature, sexuality, popular culture, and strategies for coping with the travails of life in a country where the affluent live in walled compounds to separate themselves from the millions of Brazilians hard-pressed to find food and shelter. Contributing to a full geographic account—from the Amazon to the Northeast and the Central-South—of this country’s singular multiplicity, many pieces have been written expressly for this volume or were translated for it, having never previously been published in English.
This second book in The Latin America Readers series will interest students, specialists, travelers for both business and leisure, and those desiring an in-depth introduction to Brazilian life and culture.
Acknowledgments xi
A Note on Style xiii
Introduction 1
I. Origins, Conquest, and Colonial Rule
The Origin of Fire / Cayapo Legend 16
Noble Savages / John Hemming 20
A Description of the Tupinamba / Anonymous 25
The First Wave / Warren Dean 33
Letter to Governor Tome de Sousa / Manoel da Nobrega 37
From the River of Jenero / Francisco Suares 41
The Sins of Maranhao / Antonio Vieira 43
Minas Uprising of 1720 / Anonymous 45
Smuggling in the Diamond District / George Gardner 52
Decree Elevating Brazil to a Kingdom / Joao VI 56
II. Imperial and Republican Brazil
Declaration of Brazilian Independence, 1822 / Pedro I 63
The Baron of Parnaiba / George Gardner 65
Uprising in Maranhao, 1839-1840 / Domingos Jose Goncalves de Magalhaes 69
A Paraiba Plantation, 1850-1860 / Stanley J. Stein 76
The Paraguayan War Victory Parade / Peter M. Beattie 87
A Vanishing Way of Life / Gilberto Freyre 91
A Mirror of Progress / Dain Borges 93
Drought and the Image of the Northeast / Gerald M. Greenfield 100
Dom Pedro the Magnanimous / Mary Wilhelmine Williams 104
Solemn Inaugural Session of December 24, 1900 / Congress of Engineering and Industry 107
Intellectuals at Play / Olavo Bilac Colllection 109
City of Mist / Manoel Sousa Pinto 110
The Civilist Campaign / J. R. Lobao 113
Gaucho Leaders, 1923 / Photograph 115
Factory Rules, 1924 / Abramo Eberle Metalworks Management 116
III. Slavery and Its Aftermath
The War against Palmares / Anonymous 125
Slave Life at Morro Velho Mine / Sir Richard Francis Burton 131
Scenes from the Slave Trade / Logbook Entries; Joao Dunshee de Abrantes 135
Cruelty to Slaves / Thomas Ewbank 138
Slavery and Society / Joaquim Nabuco 143
Abolition Decree, 1888 / Princess Isabel and Rodrigo Augusto da Silva 145
Laws Regulating Beggars in Minas Gerais, 1900 / Liegislature of Minas Gerais 146
IV. The Vargas Era
The Social Question / Platform of the Liberal Alliance, 1930 156
Manifesto, May 1930 / Luis Carlos Prestes 158
Heroes of the Revolution / Composite Postcard Photograph 160
The "Gold for Sao Paulo" Building, 1932 / Cristina Mehrtens 162
Where They Talk about Rosa Luxemburg / Patricia Galvao 166
Two Versions of Factory Life / Photographers Unknown 172
Seized Correspondence from Communists, 1935-1945 / Dossier 20, Police Archives 176
The Paulista Synagogue / Gustavo Barroso 182
Why the Estado Novo? / Oliveira Vianna 184
New Year's Address, 1938 / Getulio Vargas 186
Rural Life / Photographers Unknown 190
A New Survey of Brazilian Life / Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics 195
General George C. Marshall's Mission to Brazil / Katherine Tupper Marshall 197
Comments on the Estado Novo / Bailey W. Diffie 200
Educational Reform after Twenty Years / Anisio S. Teixeira 204
Ordinary People: Five Lives Affected by Vargas-Era Reforms / Apolonio de Carvalho, Geraldo Valdelirios Novais, Frederico Heller, Maurilio Thomas Ferreira, Joana de Masi Zero 206
Vargas's Suicide Letter, 1954 / Getulio Vargas 222
V. Seeking Democracy and Equity
Rehearsal for the Coup / Araken Tavora 231
The Military Regime / Antonio Pedro Tota 235
Excerpts from the 1967 Brazilian Constitution 238
Tropicalism and Brazilian Popular Music under Military Rule / Christopher Dunn 241
Literature under the Dictatorship / Elizabeth Ginway 248
Pele Speaks / Edson Arantes Nascimento da Silva 254
The Maximum Norm of the Exercise of Liberty / Grupo da Educacao Moral e Civica 258
Families of Fishermen Confront the Sharks / Paulo Lima 260
The Reality of the Brazilian Countryside / Landless Movement (MST) 264
The "Greatest Administrative Scandal" / Seth Garfield 268
Life on an Occupied Ship / Marcal Joao Scarante 274
A Letter from Brazil / Juliano Spyer 277
Inaugural Address / Fernando Henrique Cardoso 280
Fernando Henrique Cardoso: Theory and Practice / Ted G. Goertzel 289
Is Brazil Hopelessly Corrupt? / Roberto DaMatta 295
VI. Women's Lives
Aunt Zeze's Tears / Emilia Moncorva Bandeira de Mello 302
Tarsila and the 1920s / Carol Damian and Cristina Mehrtens 308
The Integral Woman / Provincia de Guanabara 317
The Children Always Had Milk / Maria Puerta Ferreira 319
Women of the Forest / Yolanda and Robert F. Murphy 323
My Life / Maria das Dores Gomes Batista 327
A Healer's Story / Maria Geralda Ferreira 331
Sonia, a Middle-Class Woman / Alison Raphael 334
Family Life in Recife / Fanny Mitchell 337
Xuxa and the Televisual Imaginary / Amelia Simpson 343
Dreams of Uneducated Women / Jose Carlos Sebe Bom Meihy 348
VII. Race and Ethnic Relations
A Letter from Brazil, 1918 / Jose Clarana 354
Growing Up Black in Minas Gerais / Carolina Maria de Jesus 359
Exotic Peoples / Indian Protection Agency 365
Brazil: Study in Black, Brown, and Beige / Leslie B. Rout Jr. 367
Immigrant Ethnicity in Brazil / Jeffrey Lesser 374
The Myth of Racial Democracy / Abdias do Nascimento 379
The National Day against Racism / Revista MNU 382
The Church Tries to Combat Prejudice / Bernardete Toneto 384
What Color Are You? / Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics 386
Mixed Blood / Jefferson M. Fish 391
VIII. Realities
The Animal Game / Clayton S. Cooper 398
How Brazil Works / Robert M. Levine 402
Iansa Is Not Santa Barbara / Ile Axe Opo Afonja 408
Upward Mobility Is Possible / Alcides Nazario Guerreiro Bruto 411
Crab and Yoghurt / Tobias Hecht 415
Voices from the Pavement / Claudia Milito and Helio R. S. Silva 420
Pixote's Fate / Robert M. Levine 423
A Letter to President Cardoso / Caius Brandao 430
The History of the Huni Kui People / Sia Kaxinawa 432
Urban Indians / Juliano Spyer 436
Mayor Orders Billboard Shacks Destroyed / Juliana Raposo 441
Cultural Imperialism at Its Most Fashionable / Roger M. Allen 447
The Gay and Lesbian Movement in Brazil / James N. Green 454
Liberation Theology's Rise and Fall / Robin Nagle 462
IX. Saudades
Bananas Is My Business / Helena Solberg 471
The Invention of Tradition on Brazilian Radio / Bryan McCann 474
Bahia Music Story / Bill Hinchberger 483
O Axe de Zumbi / Paulo Lima and Bernadete Toneto 487
At Carnival / Pedro Ribeiro 490
Two Poets Sing the New World / Jessica Callaway 491
Two Essays on Sports / Janet Lever and Jose Carlos Sebe Bom Methy 497
Suggestions for Further Reading 505
Acknowledgment of Copyrights 511
Index 519
A Note on Style xiii
Introduction 1
I. Origins, Conquest, and Colonial Rule
The Origin of Fire / Cayapo Legend 16
Noble Savages / John Hemming 20
A Description of the Tupinamba / Anonymous 25
The First Wave / Warren Dean 33
Letter to Governor Tome de Sousa / Manoel da Nobrega 37
From the River of Jenero / Francisco Suares 41
The Sins of Maranhao / Antonio Vieira 43
Minas Uprising of 1720 / Anonymous 45
Smuggling in the Diamond District / George Gardner 52
Decree Elevating Brazil to a Kingdom / Joao VI 56
II. Imperial and Republican Brazil
Declaration of Brazilian Independence, 1822 / Pedro I 63
The Baron of Parnaiba / George Gardner 65
Uprising in Maranhao, 1839-1840 / Domingos Jose Goncalves de Magalhaes 69
A Paraiba Plantation, 1850-1860 / Stanley J. Stein 76
The Paraguayan War Victory Parade / Peter M. Beattie 87
A Vanishing Way of Life / Gilberto Freyre 91
A Mirror of Progress / Dain Borges 93
Drought and the Image of the Northeast / Gerald M. Greenfield 100
Dom Pedro the Magnanimous / Mary Wilhelmine Williams 104
Solemn Inaugural Session of December 24, 1900 / Congress of Engineering and Industry 107
Intellectuals at Play / Olavo Bilac Colllection 109
City of Mist / Manoel Sousa Pinto 110
The Civilist Campaign / J. R. Lobao 113
Gaucho Leaders, 1923 / Photograph 115
Factory Rules, 1924 / Abramo Eberle Metalworks Management 116
III. Slavery and Its Aftermath
The War against Palmares / Anonymous 125
Slave Life at Morro Velho Mine / Sir Richard Francis Burton 131
Scenes from the Slave Trade / Logbook Entries; Joao Dunshee de Abrantes 135
Cruelty to Slaves / Thomas Ewbank 138
Slavery and Society / Joaquim Nabuco 143
Abolition Decree, 1888 / Princess Isabel and Rodrigo Augusto da Silva 145
Laws Regulating Beggars in Minas Gerais, 1900 / Liegislature of Minas Gerais 146
IV. The Vargas Era
The Social Question / Platform of the Liberal Alliance, 1930 156
Manifesto, May 1930 / Luis Carlos Prestes 158
Heroes of the Revolution / Composite Postcard Photograph 160
The "Gold for Sao Paulo" Building, 1932 / Cristina Mehrtens 162
Where They Talk about Rosa Luxemburg / Patricia Galvao 166
Two Versions of Factory Life / Photographers Unknown 172
Seized Correspondence from Communists, 1935-1945 / Dossier 20, Police Archives 176
The Paulista Synagogue / Gustavo Barroso 182
Why the Estado Novo? / Oliveira Vianna 184
New Year's Address, 1938 / Getulio Vargas 186
Rural Life / Photographers Unknown 190
A New Survey of Brazilian Life / Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics 195
General George C. Marshall's Mission to Brazil / Katherine Tupper Marshall 197
Comments on the Estado Novo / Bailey W. Diffie 200
Educational Reform after Twenty Years / Anisio S. Teixeira 204
Ordinary People: Five Lives Affected by Vargas-Era Reforms / Apolonio de Carvalho, Geraldo Valdelirios Novais, Frederico Heller, Maurilio Thomas Ferreira, Joana de Masi Zero 206
Vargas's Suicide Letter, 1954 / Getulio Vargas 222
V. Seeking Democracy and Equity
Rehearsal for the Coup / Araken Tavora 231
The Military Regime / Antonio Pedro Tota 235
Excerpts from the 1967 Brazilian Constitution 238
Tropicalism and Brazilian Popular Music under Military Rule / Christopher Dunn 241
Literature under the Dictatorship / Elizabeth Ginway 248
Pele Speaks / Edson Arantes Nascimento da Silva 254
The Maximum Norm of the Exercise of Liberty / Grupo da Educacao Moral e Civica 258
Families of Fishermen Confront the Sharks / Paulo Lima 260
The Reality of the Brazilian Countryside / Landless Movement (MST) 264
The "Greatest Administrative Scandal" / Seth Garfield 268
Life on an Occupied Ship / Marcal Joao Scarante 274
A Letter from Brazil / Juliano Spyer 277
Inaugural Address / Fernando Henrique Cardoso 280
Fernando Henrique Cardoso: Theory and Practice / Ted G. Goertzel 289
Is Brazil Hopelessly Corrupt? / Roberto DaMatta 295
VI. Women's Lives
Aunt Zeze's Tears / Emilia Moncorva Bandeira de Mello 302
Tarsila and the 1920s / Carol Damian and Cristina Mehrtens 308
The Integral Woman / Provincia de Guanabara 317
The Children Always Had Milk / Maria Puerta Ferreira 319
Women of the Forest / Yolanda and Robert F. Murphy 323
My Life / Maria das Dores Gomes Batista 327
A Healer's Story / Maria Geralda Ferreira 331
Sonia, a Middle-Class Woman / Alison Raphael 334
Family Life in Recife / Fanny Mitchell 337
Xuxa and the Televisual Imaginary / Amelia Simpson 343
Dreams of Uneducated Women / Jose Carlos Sebe Bom Meihy 348
VII. Race and Ethnic Relations
A Letter from Brazil, 1918 / Jose Clarana 354
Growing Up Black in Minas Gerais / Carolina Maria de Jesus 359
Exotic Peoples / Indian Protection Agency 365
Brazil: Study in Black, Brown, and Beige / Leslie B. Rout Jr. 367
Immigrant Ethnicity in Brazil / Jeffrey Lesser 374
The Myth of Racial Democracy / Abdias do Nascimento 379
The National Day against Racism / Revista MNU 382
The Church Tries to Combat Prejudice / Bernardete Toneto 384
What Color Are You? / Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics 386
Mixed Blood / Jefferson M. Fish 391
VIII. Realities
The Animal Game / Clayton S. Cooper 398
How Brazil Works / Robert M. Levine 402
Iansa Is Not Santa Barbara / Ile Axe Opo Afonja 408
Upward Mobility Is Possible / Alcides Nazario Guerreiro Bruto 411
Crab and Yoghurt / Tobias Hecht 415
Voices from the Pavement / Claudia Milito and Helio R. S. Silva 420
Pixote's Fate / Robert M. Levine 423
A Letter to President Cardoso / Caius Brandao 430
The History of the Huni Kui People / Sia Kaxinawa 432
Urban Indians / Juliano Spyer 436
Mayor Orders Billboard Shacks Destroyed / Juliana Raposo 441
Cultural Imperialism at Its Most Fashionable / Roger M. Allen 447
The Gay and Lesbian Movement in Brazil / James N. Green 454
Liberation Theology's Rise and Fall / Robin Nagle 462
IX. Saudades
Bananas Is My Business / Helena Solberg 471
The Invention of Tradition on Brazilian Radio / Bryan McCann 474
Bahia Music Story / Bill Hinchberger 483
O Axe de Zumbi / Paulo Lima and Bernadete Toneto 487
At Carnival / Pedro Ribeiro 490
Two Poets Sing the New World / Jessica Callaway 491
Two Essays on Sports / Janet Lever and Jose Carlos Sebe Bom Methy 497
Suggestions for Further Reading 505
Acknowledgment of Copyrights 511
Index 519
“A stellar collection of texts on Brazilian history and contemporary life. No ordinary reader, this volume goes below the surface to introduce an American audience to Brazil’s complexities and diversity.” - Foreign Affairs
“Duke University Press has just brought out . . . the closest thing to a voyage around ‘the great green elbow’ that one of its novelists called his rich and varied country. The book shimmers with every type of essay, historiography, and literary tidbit.” - Rain City Review
“Whether ingested in short sips or long draughts, The Brazil Reader has an accumulative weight, breadth, and durability. . . . [I]t’s a book that offers an intelligent and up-to-date survey of a vital and vibrant country. It’s hard to imagine how we were able to get along without it.” - Bondo Wyszpolski, Brazzil
“The Brazil Reader is simply indispensable. . . .” - Julio César Pino, Hispanic American Historical Review
“The Reader cannot fail to impress. . . . The specialist, the activist, the artist and the anonymous all find a space in The Brazil Reader, creating what the editors describe as a ‘balance of voices.’ In summary, for the well-heeled scholar or the curious undergraduate The Brazil Reader will present possibilities, challenges and thought-provoking reading.” - Jane-Marie Collins, Bulletin of Hispanic Studies
“What gives The Brazil Reader its special cachet is freshness, sensitivity, and empathy in its diversity of perspectives on twentieth-century Brazil, from the top down, from the bottom up, and from somewhere in the middle.”—Stanley J. Stein, Princeton University
“A worthy successor to the pioneering Peru Reader, this volume provides a comprehensive guide to Brazil’s history and culture from the Portuguese colonial past to the postmodern present. Defty crossing disciplines and integrating elite and popular realms, The Brazil Reader is certain to please both the serious student and the general reader.”—Gil Joseph, Yale University
“The Reader cannot fail to impress. . . . The specialist, the activist, the artist and the anonymous all find a space in The Brazil Reader, creating what the editors describe as a ‘balance of voices.’ In summary, for the well-heeled scholar or the curious undergraduate The Brazil Reader will present possibilities, challenges and thought-provoking reading.”~Jane-Marie Collins, Bulletin of Hispanic Studies
“A stellar collection of texts on Brazilian history and contemporary life. No ordinary reader, this volume goes below the surface to introduce an American audience to Brazil’s complexities and diversity.”~Foreign Affairs
“Duke University Press has just brought out . . . the closest thing to a voyage around ‘the great green elbow’ that one of its novelists called his rich and varied country. The book shimmers with every type of essay, historiography, and literary tidbit.”~Rain City Review
“Whether ingested in short sips or long draughts, The Brazil Reader has an accumulative weight, breadth, and durability. . . . [I]t’s a book that offers an intelligent and up-to-date survey of a vital and vibrant country. It’s hard to imagine how we were able to get along without it.”~Bondo Wyszpolski, Brazzil