Learn all about June's Saints in Brazil
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| Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class - Holidays in Brazil Series at PortuguesePod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind holidays and observances in Brazil. I’m Becky, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 10 - June's Saints or in Portuguese, Festa Junina. |
| Brazilians love parties! In this lesson, we'll learn about the June Festival, a celebration in honor of the saints of the month- St. Anthony, St. John, St. Peter, and St. Paul. |
| The festivities usually take place at the end of the month, when the school semester is almost over. This is not a holiday, but a popular festival, and each region of Brazil celebrates it in its own way. The biggest June Festivals in Brazil take place in the Northeast. |
| Now, before we get into more detail, I've got a question for you- |
| Which town has the world's largest June Festival? |
| If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later, so keep listening! |
| The festivities begin with a huge spread of food, consisting mostly of corn, rice, and peanut products, such as “sweet tamale corn wraps,” or pamonha, traditional sweet “corn pudding,” called canjica, and “Brazilian sugared peanuts” called pé de moleque, among many other local delights. |
| And as this festive period falls at the beginning of winter, hot drinks are often served, like a Brazilian mulled wine called quentão. This wine is made from ginger, rum and cinnamon, or the fruity spiced wine, vinho quente, which is made from sugar, cinnamon, cloves, red wine and fruit. |
| A central feature of the celebrations is a large bonfire, and the decorations include flags, balloons, and pictures of the saints. |
| A typical part of the June Festival celebrations is traditional “square dancing,” or quadrilhas. The dancers perform a wedding ceremony, where the main couple are the soon-to-be married bride and groom, and other couples accompany them. With typical music in the background, the party begins with the couples entering the dance as they are called. After that comes the wedding ceremony, and it is full of surprises. The couples also dance in circles and finish with a public farewell. |
| In the Northeast, this dance tradition is still very popular today. |
| In the Southeast, churches, schools, unions and companies set up a fair with food and game stalls. They wear southeastern-style straw hats with the men in plaid shirts and the women in colorful, plaid dresses with ruffles, their hair in “pigtails,” or maria chiquinha. |
| In the Northeast, it is common to see groups of people celebrating by walking through the streets singing. The local residents give them food and drink as they pass by. |
| In the Northeast, the typical festive costume includes cowboy hats and colored cotton dresses. |
| Around this time, you’ll often hear the rhythm of Recife-style Frevo music. And in Maranhão in northern Brazil, they do a popular Brazilian folk dance called Bumba-meu-Boi or Boi-Bumba. |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question- |
| Which town has the world's largest June Festival? |
| The world's largest June Festival is held in the town of Campina Grande. Throughout the month, about 100 thousand people party there nightly. There are over 300 food stalls, six stages for shows, and festive dancing. |
| How was this lesson? Did you learn anything interesting? |
| In your country, do you also hold festive saints' day celebrations? |
| Leave your comments on the lesson page at PortuguesePod101.com! |
| And we'll see you in the next lesson! |
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