African/Slave Influence on Brazilian Culture

African/Slave Influence on Brazilian Culture

Introduction

Most Brazilians today, have mixed races for descendants, which has been determined as an important factor in the creation of the culture of Brazil. This factor is the reason why Brazilian culture has influences of European, Amerindian and African traditions and has created a creative mix derived from these traditions. Influence of the African culture is dominant in Brazilian customs, mythology, language, religion, dance, music and their festivals. Brazil has been labeled to be a melting pot of cultures as the Brazilian culture has various religions, ethnicities, heritage, cultures mixed together to develop one culture. The Portuguese population had initially influenced this combination of culture, as they were the first settlers in the country. The Native Indians, a large African population, came in from various parts of the world including Europe, Asia and Middle East. They then settled in Brazil, and managed to influence the Brazilian culture. The ethnicity of the people of Brazil has a visible influence of the African factor predominantly on the people of Bahia, the Afro-Brazilian capital of the state because of the African slaves brought into the country. This city called Salvador da Bahia, is a marvelous city with the presence of a music scene, fast pace of life concepts of mysticism, tasteful cuisine and the warmth of the locals all part of this city's culture. The feature most dominant of the culture of the city is the influence of African culture more than that of any other culture. The influence is found in their; music, art, cuisine, language, behavior and religion making the city a direct representation of the African and Brazilian ethnic mix (Slenes, 2004).

Brazil had the largest number of slaves in the world, historians estimating the number to be nearly six million at a point in time. Africans, between the period of 1532 and 1888 captured and shipped to Brazil making them a part of the slave trade. This may have been because Portuguese's politics were liberal. However, the law prohibited separating the slave families, and every slave had the right to buy their own freedom if they willed or could afford it. It was at this time the Christian Church and the missionaries of Jesus, when decided to support the African slaves who were amongst their religious brotherhoods by raising money to buy their freedom and end slavery one individual at a time.

Africans make up about five percent of the total population of Brazil presently, a number far beyond what was fifteen percent in the year 1940's official census. This is the cause of the miscegenation of the Brazilians. Mixed race rate replicated mid century having gained forty percent of Brazil. This country has had many praises for developing with the central theme and principle of “Racial Democracy” into the country it is today (Ramos, 1939).

This paper examines the influence the African slaves and their culture have had on the culture and people of ...