Traditions and everyday life in Brazil

Festivals, family customs, favourite places and everyday traditions, written by members of Global Penfriends who live in Brazil. Each cultural keepsake is a short note about life where they are.

74 keepsakes from Brazil · page 1 of 3
The Joy of Brazilian Festas Juninas
Tradition

The Joy of Brazilian Festas Juninas

One of the most joyful and colorful traditions in Brazil is Festas Juninas. It’s a celebration that happens in June, but the whole month is filled with festivities! People dress up in simple, country-style clothes, like plaid…

Shared by Lovsbella
A Walk Around Lagoa da Pampulha, Belo Horizonte
Everyday life

A Walk Around Lagoa da Pampulha, Belo Horizonte

Pampulha is an artificial lake in the north of the city, about 18 km around. In the early 1940s the young mayor Juscelino Kubitschek, who later became President of Brazil and built Brasília, wanted to create a modern leisure…

Shared by Tino Br
Mineirês, Minas Gerais dialect
Tradition

Mineirês, Minas Gerais dialect

Did you know that Brazil has an incredibly diverse culture? The influence of other countries is widespread here, due to colonization and immigration, and this has led to all kinds of regional dialects, accents, and slang. Minas…

Shared by Ylwa
Corpus Christi Salt Carpets
Tradition

Corpus Christi Salt Carpets

Every year on Corpus Christi Thursday, streets across many Brazilian cities are transformed into massive, colorful outdoor art galleries. This Catholic tradition originated in Portugal during the colonial period, but in Brazil…

Shared by perrike
Festa Junina
Event

Festa Junina

Festa Junina is an event that lasts the entire month of June, and it also extends to the month of July, becoming Festa Julina. It is one of my favorite events of the year, every weekend there’s a party somewhere. Everything is…

Shared by ella118
Tanajura: traditional ant food
Tradition

Tanajura: traditional ant food

In northeastern Brazil, especially in the state of Paraíba, tanajuras are more than just insects. They are the queens of leafcutter ants, traditionally collected during the rainy season, when they leave their nests to fly and…

Shared by lin29a
Baile funk
Activity

Baile funk

Often Brazilians will reunite for a baile funk, a big party to listen and dance to Brazilian funk. Originally a baile funk happens as a street party, but it can also happen at nightclubs or house parties. Since Brazil is a big…

Shared by elarizito
O Uai de Minas Gerais
Tradition

O Uai de Minas Gerais

Do You Know Where the Brazilian "UAI" Comes From?If there's one word that people from Minas Gerais use for just about everything, it's "uai"! But its origin is a mystery bigger than figuring out who ate the last cheese bread…

Shared by mineirinha
Superclássico das Américas
Event

Superclássico das Américas

The “Americas’ Super Classic”, following its English translation, is the football (or soccer) match played by the national teams of Brazil and Argentina, whether on the World Cup Qualifiers, Copa América, or whatever competition…

Shared by Luan Dagoberto
Farroupilha Week
Tradition

Farroupilha Week

It’s commemorated during the 14th and 20th of September every year, the festival features parades paying homage to the leaders of the Farroupilha Revolution and the start of the longest revolution and war for secession in…

Shared by FromMoonchild
Rock in Rio!
Event

Rock in Rio!

In September 2026, one of the biggest (if not the biggest) music festivals in Brazil took place: Rock in Rio! It takes place over several days in Rio de Janeiro and features a variety of singers, both national and international…

Shared by Mandss
Cabo Frio, RJ
Place

Cabo Frio, RJ

This place is where my heart lays. Even though I don’t live there, it feels like home. Whenever my family can, we go on a road trip to Cabo Frio and São Pedro ( it’s near). Traveling there we forget all our problems and create…

Shared by Somebodyc00l
Swimming in the river
Activity

Swimming in the river

my best childhood memories are certainly related to nature, in the region where I was born (Amazonas) the richness of fresh water and hot days made us go to the rivers at the weekend. there we stayed the whole day, played a lot…

Shared by galbi
Acarajé: The Flavor of Afro-Brazilian Culture
Tradition

Acarajé: The Flavor of Afro-Brazilian Culture

Acarajé is a deep-fried ball made from black-eyed pea dough, seasoned with onion and salt, and fried in palm oil (azeite de dendê). It can be served plain or stuffed with vatapá (a creamy paste made of bread, coconut milk…

Shared by Carnaval12
A Festa de Iemanjá (The Iemanjá Festival)
Faith

A Festa de Iemanjá (The Iemanjá Festival)

Iemanjá, also known as "Queen of the Sea" is a female African orixá that is part of the Candomblé religion and other Afro-Brazilian religions. She is considered the patron saint of fishermen, rafters and sailors. The traditional…

Shared by EdwinnaS2
Festa Junina
Event

Festa Junina

Festas Juninas, also known as festas de São João for their part in celebrating the nativity of St. John the Baptist, are an annual Brazilian celebration! It has some traditions like jumping over a bonfire and the traditional…

Shared by honeymel
Festa Junina
Tradition

Festa Junina

Imagine a giant picnic under the stars, where everyone is dressed up like adorable farmers! That’s Festa Junina, my favorite celebration. Held in June, it’s like a country-style carnival with straw hats, plaid shirts, and lots of…

Shared by rowiina
Pirulitão a.k.a Big Lollipop
Place

Pirulitão a.k.a Big Lollipop

Pirulitão a.k.a Big Lollipop - 7th Square's Obelisk - Belo Horizonte/ Minas Gerais - BrazilIt's an obelisk created to celebrate the 100 years of Brazil's independence, a donation from another city drawn by Antônio Rego and built…

Shared by marienisflores
Festa Junina | June Fest
Tradition

Festa Junina | June Fest

Festa Junina, also known as feast of Saint John, is a very popular tradition in Brasil that happens during winter. It happens in every city, and regards tradition from the countryside, being similar to county fairs. There is a…

Shared by Catarina Melo
Rio de Janeiro
Place

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is a state in the southeast of Brazil. It is known for its beaches, the Sugarloaf Mountain and the statue of Christ the Redeemer known by many people from all over the world. And a beautiful condition, I…

Shared by Jenifer Menezes
Mercado Novo - Belo Horizonte, MG
Place

Mercado Novo - Belo Horizonte, MG

A lovely place that brings togheter everybody arround the city. It has a lot of places to eat all sort of different food that brings a tiny bit of the several states of Brazil. It also has the best drinks i've ever had (don't…

Shared by giuliaa_
Tacacá - Local Food
Everyday life

Tacacá - Local Food

Here in Manaus we have a delicious local food called "Tacacá". The text bellow is from Wikipedia: It is made with jambu (a native variety of paracress), and tucupi (a broth made with wild manioc), cooked tapioca starch (“goma de…

Shared by Carteiro
Rodeo and Sertanejo concert
Event

Rodeo and Sertanejo concert

There are a lot of cool and beautiful tradictions in Brazil but in specifically my city , Abadiâni - GO, every year around the month september there is an big event at where people from all the state come to see: the Rodeo…

Shared by brenaaraly
Festa de Santos Reis - Reisado
Tradition

Festa de Santos Reis - Reisado

Especially at Brazil's Northeast, it is common to celebrate 6th January, the day on which it is believed the Three Wise Men met the Holy Family. People of all ages kept the tradition alive, preserving it inside the family, and…

Shared by Ms. Elinor
Festa Junina
Tradition

Festa Junina

The Festas Juninas, also called São João, are traditional in the northeast region of Brazil and take place in the month of June. This tradition was brought by the Portuguese and was influenced by African and indigenous peoples…

Shared by Isabella082
Cristo redentor
Place

Cristo redentor

Rio de Janeiro has one of the most famous tourism points in Brazil: Christ the redeemer! Its an amazing place to go, the ride on the trolley that gets you there provides some sneak peaks of the amazing view of the city. Once you…

Shared by ruvtakjj
Parintins Festival
Tradition

Parintins Festival

Parintins, a city in Amazonas state, holds my favourite Brazilian festival: the Parintins Festival! There, two toy oxes make a beautiful competition, full of colors, music and folklore, on last weekend of June Brazil is not only…

Shared by lilianlovesdogs
Yemoja Festival
Faith

Yemoja Festival

it is a cultural/religious festival amongst the african-brazilian religion called Candomblé and Umbanda. It is a festival that celebrates the Orisha Yemoja, an orixá that rules all waters, rivers, oceans. She is believed to be…

Shared by abyssal
Coxinha
Activity

Coxinha

As I said in my profile, what I like most in my country is the food. And something that has in every corner of Brazil is "coxinha", a crunchy pastry stuffed with chicken (which sometimes comes with cheese) and that is in all…

Shared by Acsa
The first piece of the cake
Family life

The first piece of the cake

On birthdays, is common for the birthday person to cut the first piece of cake and give to the person they love/like the most. Of course that gives room for a lot of jokes, fights and affection. Is a funny love language that we…

Shared by crowslawyer

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