Brazilian Days 206
July 25
DAY OF:
Dia do Colono
(Foreign farmhand). At the end of the nineteenth century, slavery was abolished in Brazil, after the signing of Lei Áurea by princess Isabel. The abolition became a real disaster for the land owners, because they lacked employees who worked for free. But they managed a creative solution: the slaves were replaced by foreign farmhands. They were mainly migrants from the European continent who did not see a future for themselves there. They were dreaming of owning a small property. The Colonos were living in small dwellings at the fazenda, worked mainly at coffee plantations and received a share of the crop for their labor. The circumstances in which they worked and lived, were far from good. Nevertheless, a great part of these migrants managed to construct their own life and their own property, a few among them became land owners even.
Dia Nacional da Agricultura
(Brazilian Agriculture). This day gives attention to the agricultural sector, of essential importance for the Brazilian economics. The share of this sector in the Brazilian economics is decreasing gradually, thanks to the developments in industries and services. More than 3.5 million km2 (almost 100 times the size of The Netherlands) is considered as agricultural area. In June 2011, the export top-ten was as follows: soya, sugar products, meat, forestry products, coffee, tobacco, leather, fruit juice, products of animal origin, and fibers.
Dia dos Sonhadores
(Dreamers)
Dia Nacional do Escritor
(Brazilian Writer’s Day). Many dream about, to become a famous writer. But only very few have the talent and persistence to realize that dream. Brazil is on its way to eradicate illiteracy, and in some years almost all Brazilians may be able to read their favorite authors. The greatest author of all times, concerning the Portuguese literature, is undoubtedly Luís Camões. Famous Brazilian writers are amongst others: Machado de Assis, Jose de Alencar, Jorge Amado, Erico Veríssimo, the poets Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Vinicius de Moraes. Until now, the Portuguese literature has gained one Nobel prize only, for José Saramago, from Portugal, in 1998. Actually, the most popular Brazilian writer probably is Paulo Coelho. His works are translated in various languages. Critics consider him a production writer rather than an artist. The best sold Brazilian book is from Paulo Coelho: O Alquimista, the Alchemist. This book has been translated in more than 50 languages, and more than 65 million copies have been sold.
DIA DO ESCRITOR
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| Machado de Assis: um mestre na periferia. |
No caminho de Drummond. |
| Guimaraes Rosa: o mágico do reino das palavras. |
José de Alencar: o múltiplo. |
| Rachel de Queiroz: não me deixes. |
José Lins do Rego: o contador de histórias. |
| Quatro vezes quatro: João Cabral de Melo Neto. |
Lygia Fagundes Telles: a inventora de memórias. |
| Mário de Andrade: reinventando o Brasil. |
Lima Barreto: um grito brasileiro. |
| Graciliano Ramos: literatura sem bijuterias. |
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Dia do Motorista
(Driver). Today is the feast day of Saint Christopher, patron saint of travelers, and of drivers. His feast day has been changed to July 24, since the Second Vatican Council. About this saint, only few is known, by various legends. Obviously, there is the link between the Egyptian and the christian culture: Anubis, the god who carried Horus over the line. Anubis is depicted with a head of a jackal. In the eastern orthodox tradition, St. Christopher is depicted as a giant with a head of a dog. In most legends st. Christopher is depicted as a giant too (with or without the head of a dog, although the nickname Canineus might be derived from the city of Kana), who converted himself to Christianity. In one legend, this giant was carrying a little child over the river, and this child revealed himself as Jesus. Christopher might have spread the gospel and therefore be tortured and beheaded.
source
Analogues:
Dia do Taxista (Taxi driver)
Dia do Carreteiro (Cargo freight)
Dia do Rodoviário (Highway)
Dia dos Viajantes (Travelers)
Dia do Caminhoneiro Desconhecido (Unknown truck driver). Introduced in 1985, by law.
Dia do Paz no Trânsito
(Road safety). In 1993, the Programa de Redução de Acidentes no Trânsito (PARE; Program for reduction of road accidents) was started. The motivation for this program is the huge number of road accident victims. In 2007, more than 45 thousand deaths and 500 thousand wounded, of which more than 100 thousand with sequels. This week, attention will be paid upon road safety, since the safety on the Brazilian roads and highways is deteriorating. More drunk drivers, more accidents, more victims. At parking lots, firemen brigades (who also are responsible for first aid and have ambulances) will set up accidents as a practice for road disasters.
Graph: Index of the number of fatal accidents
against the number of cars.
Numbers of road accident deaths and wounded show an increase with time.
BRAZILIAN HISTORY:
1953
Formation of the Brazilian Ministry of Health.
Lei 1.920 was accepted, confirming the creation of the ministry.
1943
Birth of the first Brazilian Miss Universe, Ieda Maria Vargas.
She was crowned as Miss Rio Grande do Sul and Miss Brazil, before she gained the title of Miss Universe.
Miss World in 1963
1824
Arrival of the first German migrants in São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul.
On July 18, 1824, the first German migrants (39 families) arrived in Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul. Emperor Pedro I sent these migrants to a small settlement, to populate the region and to boost the local economics. Seven days later, the Germans arrived there by boats. The settlement was renamed into São Leopoldo, a homage to the wife of Pedro I , empress Leopoldina of Austria. The migrants worked as farmhands, but were also skilled with the production of leather ware. Not much later, they founded footwear manufacturing in Brazil. At present, the city of São Leopoldo, at less than 30 km from Porto Alegre, more than 200 thousand inhabitants.
São Leopoldo Fest 2011 – Grupo de Danças Alemãs Wiedersehen
1966
Bomb attack at Guararapes Airport (Recife).
In the morning, three bombs exploded in Recife, with the intention to kill presidential candidate general Costa e Silva. Two bystanders were killed and sixteen were wounded. This attack is considered as the first terrorist attack in Brazil.
2002
Inauguration of the Sistema de Vigilância da Amazônia (Sivam), the Amazon Surveillance System.
The project was designed to monitor the Brazilian Amazon region with a complex surveillance system, in order to curb trafficking of narcotics and illegal logging or burning of the forest. The surveillance system is composed of fixed and mobile ground radar, and airborne surveillance. The 1.7 billion reais project faced corruption and operation problems.
SIVAM
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| Interceptação na Amazonia |
Lei do abate combate ao tráfico de drogas pela PF e FAB |
| Seguranca Nacional (filme completo) | |
2007
Gold medal for Maurren Maggi at Pan American Games (long jump)
Maurren also won the gold medal at the Pan American Games in 2003 and in 2011, and the gold medal at the Olympic Games in 2008.
In 2007, the silver medal was for Keila Costa, also from Brazil.
Maurren Maggi and Keila Costa
(Foto: Fernando Maia / Agência O Globo)
2007
Gold medal for Lucélia Ribeiro at the Pan American Games (karate +60 kg)
Lucélia de Carvalho Ribeiro Brose also won gold at the Pan American Games in 1999, 2003, and in 2011.
By Adriano Antoine Robbesom © 2007, 2015
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Inside Brazil 
