LARGO DAS ARTES: DAY 10

My accommodation is just below Corcovado sight. Today, a sunshine 40 degree day, I , Aline and Luka decided to catch the early morning red tram to visit the top of the mountain where the icon of Rio, Christ the Redimer, is looking over the city. Once arrived we experienced an outstanding 360 degree view of Rio as we had in front of us a three dimensional map!

After the outstanding view, the Chris's monument appeared in all its own grandeur. Lots of tourists around us like crazy ants running frenetically around their discovering, willing to be captured together with Christ's presence.

At 2.30pm back to the studio at Largo das Artes with Felippe Moraes giving a talk about the Brazilian culture and belief. In 1928 the Brazilian poet Oswald De Andrade translated the Shackespeare saying "be not to be" in "tupy not tupy" this is the question. We potentially are all anthrophagists that means we eat, digest and vomiting information including the creative process of doing art. So as for the Brazilian culture and belief that is an assimilation of Portuguese/ European, Indigenous and African: a new creole race.  

Fascinating to know more about the Yorubas (different African tribes) and Indigenous Egba', Ife', Ljebu spread all around Brazil. Their central belief  is based in the cult of Orixas divinity personify by humankind and he is a pure force. For Brazilian MATTER is central because God is a manifestation of it. 

So African belief with Candomble' religion and Indigenous belief with Umbanda religion are existing at the same time. For Umbanda there are aprox 16 representations of Orixas while for the African Candoble' infinites. Both images correspond to African dress and food while for Umbanda to catholic saints with a specific colour. The existence of the two at the same time originated what it is called Syncretism. 

For example Omulu/Obaluaye is very shy and he protects himself from the world by covering his face. He is the divinity of cure and disease and he correspond to San Lazarus and to black and white colour. He is also that one I found that is represented with pop corns for Candomble' religion (see previous blog page)! 

This is a perfect introduction to understand the Carnival's origin as for the Samba, the music that comes from Candomble' temples.