New Years Eve is a magical time in the country of Brazil, as far as I can tell from the images broadcasted into Joice’s living room provided by the Globo television network. People in Brazil are very enthusiastic about the New Year often wishing one and other a happy new year an entire week in advance.
Joice, her cousin Leninha and I returned from the beach around 5:30 and most of the house was lounging around in casual clothing. Regina, Joice’s mother had just finished cleaning up lunch and began preparing for dinner. We ate lunch around 6 o’ clock showered up and took a nap. When I woke up around 10:30 everyone was frantically preparing for the special occasion with their color coordinated clothes for the event. Brazilians wear colors corresponding to what they would like in the new year for example White=peace, yellow=money, pink/green= love. Joice’s family underwent a metamorphosis from casual house clothing to chic New Year’s attire despite the fact nobody was going anywhere and nobody was coming.
At 11:00 Globo began broadcasting images from the southern cities of the country, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Florianopolis. Salvador as well as the rest of the North of Brazil has abandoned the practice of daylight savings over the past few years. Demonstrating their relaxed attitude and nature in comparison to their industrious southern counterparts. Rio de Janeiro the country’s largest and most famous celebration held a 20-minute firework display. (Which is 15 minutes too long if you ask me) as the clock ticked down to its final moments of 2007 the family congregated in the living room everyone dressed to impress. Joaci, Joice’s dad popped a few bottles of Champagne, both flavors apple and grape. We held out glasses high in the air and toasted to old memories and new beginnings. (Which I hope includes a more comfortable living situation for me.) We all hugged and kissed and wished each other a happy new year.
Then the food was set on the table. Lentils with pieces of sausage were the main course. According to Brazilian tradition one must eat 3 spoonfuls of the dish sitting down with their feet held in the air to ensure good luck. I was dubious of the effectiveness of the ritual, as I don’t feel much luckier in the slightest. Then the remaining dishes were set out. Mashed potatoes, baked ham, salad, fresh bread, rice and dry pork that was slightly overcooked much to everyone’s disappointment. Everyone enjoyed their meal while watching a new year’s eve variety program on TV that would make Dick Clark blush.
After dinner we danced to the energetic carnaval music of Bahia called Axé, the northeastern regional forró and of course Brazil’s legendary Samba. The room quickly turned sweaty and silly like a pubescent middle school dance party. The dancing was greatly enhanced by the manischevitz reminiscent alcohol I mentioned before.
I asked Joice’s mother Regina to dance. I received accolades and praise for my acute sense of rhythm and grace. I later joined a forró quadrilha which is like a square dance/ bar mitzvah Hora fusion. The group danced in a rotating circle and called out different dances such as the hands-behind-your-back-arrested dance, the hands-on-your-stomach-leaning-backwards-I-ate-too-much-beans dance, and the always classic hands-on-your-stomach-leaning-forward-throwing-up-because-I-ate too-much-beans dance. It was a lot of fun but the elders outlasted the youth of the party hands down. The adults of the party danced until 2 am as their 20 something year old children retreated to their bedrooms or sat on the couch in embarrassment of their parents’ enjoyment. The night ended when Joice’s Dad opened an expired bottle of red wine that looked like the Portuguese had brought with them on their first journey to Brazil.
The night was a lot of fun and certainly my most sober new years in recollection since I’ve had the ability to grow facial hair. Joice’s family is really cool and even though I didn’t see the big party downtown with the concert, fireworks and African influenced rituals to honored deities it was a great experience. You might even say we had our own fireworks display…literally people were lighting fireworks off with little concern for regulations or buildings directly outside of our window.
Feliz Ano Novo-Happy New Year.
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