Essay On Brazil Culture

Brazil, by both land mass and population, is the fifth largest country across the globe. The country is divided into five regions becoming one of the most geographically and culturally diverse nations on the earth earning the nickname "land of contrasts." The different areas of the country all have many different cultures within often expressed through artifacts as well as traditions and ceremonies. Nationally, the culture can be expressed through many various forms such as language, literature, art, music, and religion. The blended and diverse culture of Brazil helped amplify many celebrations around the world. There are many different influences which make up the country. However, the Portuguese influence remains the dominant factor which brought Brazilians their language, religion and the majority of their customs. The five different regions vary from a wide range of diversity and obtain a

Aside from Portuguese being the primary language of Brazil, many traditions derive from a Portuguese root. The transition to the language widely used today was due to the natives and settlers teaching each other their languages. One of the leading causes of the cultural diversity of Brazil came in the early 1700's when the Portuguese colony imported African slaves. The colonists were a small population, compared to the number of slaves and indigenous people of the time and the tendency of men to take native along with African wives, led to the racial mix that characterizes the Brazilian culture today. The Portuguese played a significant role in the near extinction of one of Brazil's central aspect of their environment, the brazilwood. A vibrant red dye extracted from the wood and used as one of the leading exports for the Portuguese settlers. Mass trade and exporting of dye led brazilwood to become the countries most desired cultural