Arguably, modern day historians are justified in attributing the economic and sociopolitical attributes of the present Brazil to the past. The history of Brazil began in the early 15 century when a Portuguese navigator called Cabral Pedro Alvares arrived at the Brazilian coast. The population of Brazil is tremendously diverse, comprising of various ethnic and racial groups. Generally, Brazilian people trace their originality from four main sources, which include Europeans, Asians, Amerindians, as well as Africans. The diversity and complexity of Culture and societal characteristics of Brazil reflects cultural and racial mixing that took place during the colonial period that involved Portuguese Africans and Native Americans. Colonization had an impact in developing a multiethnic and multicultural society. But, the most influential culture was Portuguese; most Brazilian culture has its originality from Portugal. The cultural features include religion, architectural design as well as language.
According to Antonio Vieira a lot of evil and injustices took place in Brazilian territory. He preached to nobles, Christian and other people, informing them to break various chains of injustice. Antonio Vieira was a catholic Jesuit priest, born in Lisbon in 1697, later in life he became one of the trendiest preachers in Brazil during the era of Portuguese colonization. By claiming that people should break injustices, he was tremendously advocating for the released of captives and elimination of oppressions trough slave trade. Portuguese were oppressing slaves from Africa in the fields, as they were the main source of manpower1.
In most of his work, he looked for various ways to compromise slaves and settlers basing it on Biblical image. In his sermon at Luis Do Maranhao, he came up with complex message on slavery. According to him, slaveries were in two forms, that of the soul and body. Therefore, injustices he referred to was those that affected both the souls and the body. In fact, he insisted that there would be no forgiveness to those people who will sell their souls. The injustice of inhumane and unfair treatment to the slaves from the Portuguese colony was the slavery of the body. Perhaps, as a priest he also wanted African slaves to abandon their belief in spirits and follow Christianity2. In fact, most of his activities were focused in converting natives in Brazil and Negro slaves to Christianity. Additionally, Vieira made a lot of enemies in the Portuguese colony; this is because he campaigned for tolerance and peacemaking. Nevertheless, most of his philosophies cancel out the church; hence, the colony expelled him.
Antonio Vieira criticized the Portuguese for their slavery activities and discrimination they had towards the natives. In fact, the Portuguese advocated for various activities, which they were not involved themselves. More of his critiques focused of women lives in marriage, religion, and social behavior. Conversably, Nobrega and Vieira had some impacts on African slavery activities in Brazil. Most critical impact was advocating for tolerance, which later led to the abolishment of slavery in Brazil. Furthermore, they developed communication vocabulary that helped in improving communication.
Even in Diaspora, African slaves could not be swayed by the Portuguese culture. The unmarried slaves from Africa, created kinship as well as, family, where most of their practices were African. In fact, they recreated African culture, and never adhered to the Portuguese way of life. This is the reason why Brazil has most of African cultures. Some of the things that showed slaves in Brazil carried their cultural practices with them include music, language, martial art called Capoeira, as well as a polytheistic religion called Candomble.
According to Sweet James, the issues of creolization, hybrid, as well as syncretism had no way through in African slaves in Brazil. Instead, African cultural practices and religion crossed African boarder intact, into Brazil under the colonization of Portuguese. The slaves reproduced it in Brazil, of which it was a show of resistance rather than assimilation. For example, the small girl slave who was baptized into Christianity claims that she never followed the mass, but slept in the all session. Additionally, act of confessing was not part of her life; instead, she even threw away the rosary beads. She followed what her father taught her concerning religious issues of doing evil to do evil to anyone she wanted3.
During the era of colonialism and the slave trade by the Portuguese, 1441-1770, there were four main phases of the slave trade that came to create families and kinship, as well as shaping African culture in the colonial world of Portuguese. These include slaves from the African coast, Atlantic islands, Spanish America and Europe. The story of Caterina Maria showed that Africans believed that the body and spirit where two separate, and the spirit had the power to go anywhere. In fact, it clearly elaborates the issue of kinship, religion and culture in African-Portuguese society in Brazil. Africans felt the loss of their native family, but they kept their legacy in the Diaspora4.
Undeniably, the impact of Africans in Brazilian community was too vast and could not be measured. The slaves divided Brazil into cultural zones, which shared cultural and linguistic understanding. As a matter of fact, Africans practices their aesthetic and religious cultures. Certainly, in the sixteenth to the nineteenth century slaves transferred various cultural practices that brands Brazil up to date; it includes divination rituals, ritual burials, secret societies, dietary restrictions, kinship structures, as well as judicial ordeals5. Despite many challenges, structures of these cultural practices remained intact, but its meanings transformed as slaves adjusted to new status and environment. Mostly, African religious beliefs and practices ultimately influenced and challenged Brazilian Catholicism.
Probably, gender played crucial roles in modeling the lived experiences of slave and masters in Brazil, especially from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. Some of the issues during this era that affected gender include slaves’ labor obligation, owner’s relationships, negotiation of status, as well as struggling for opportunities. The entire gender issues in Brazil were hindered by various challenges.6 Most of these gender issues were narrated by women. During this era, many women sought to control and establish their lives independently. Many women were slaves; others were born slaves, while other came from planter and illustrious families. As a matter of fact, slave woman struggled to keep away from forced marriage. The impact of these stories illustrates the development that took place in achieving freedom for both female and male under the rule of Portuguese.
In the history of Brazil, slavery enslaved both men and women. Moreover, there were many complexities on issues of slave and mater interaction in relationship. Brazil, believed in a patriarchal society, where man run supreme in family affairs and the affairs of women. But, since the ear of colonial rule, women slave began to assume the patriarchal roles by endowing their family of slaves with a means of free life. In 19th century, patriarchal society still dominated, but women began to contest for power and authority from men.
Liberation of women began during this era. For example, Caetana a house slave in Brazil was forced by Mariaono De Tolosa, who was his master to marry another slave. But, through her courage she refused to accept the marriage7. Caetana was a single slave meaning; hence, the master viewed her as a bad influence to his family. The move led to freedom of women, and gave them courage to face challenges related to gender. Perhaps, women could negotiate on various issues such as politics, economic, and other social affairs.
The struggle for freedom changed the relationship between master and slaves. In the early 16th and 17th century men and women slaves could not confront their master, but as time went by the situation changed, when issues concerning both could be discussed freely. In fact, this later led to the abolition of slavery. Slaves were always denied freedom and the right to marry and enjoy family life. Religiously, the struggle for gender issues led to Brazilian marriages been consummated and married in catholic religion8. Furthermore, women in Brazilian culture in the 16th century, who belonged to powerful families, had no access to literacy; hence, they dependent fully on men to run their inherited property. This is a clear indication of assumption of patriarchal culture that affected both rich women and poor women.
Generally, the relationship between master and slave relationship was highly ambiguous. Master and slaves were close to each other in family issues, but still their bond was based on force and command. As a matter of fact, the culture of Brazil on gender issues has followed the world trend. Family structures have become less of patriarchal, and women in society are remarkably independent, although the issues of wage differences and gender disparity still take place9.
Undeniably, since the sixteenth century to nineteen century, Brazilian economy has undergone tremendous evolution. As a matter of fact, it is a broad time frame that has led to many economic changes, especially in production and manufacturing industries. In the sixteen century, the economy of Brazil was boosted by colonization and the slave trade. The economic evolution was also accompanied by various social realities, of which many shaped the socioeconomic picture of Brazil. Much of the credit goes to Portuguese who colonized a country that is extremely small, imposing its cultural values.
Until the end of nineteen century, the economy of Brazil was characterized by a cycle of successes, most of it associated with the exploitation of one humongous export commodity known as the Brazilwood. During the colonial period, in the 16th and 17th century the economy of Brazil was held strong by sugarcane. In the 18th century, sugarcane was replaced by precious metals, which included silver and gold, as well as gems which were emeralds and diamond. Finally, in the nineteenth century coffee began to be the most Brazilian economic mover. Of all this production and exports, slave labor ensured that production took place, in that slave labor was fully employed, especially by the Portuguese rulers. The use of slave labor continued until mid of nineteen century, despite its abolishment in 1889.
During these eras, cattle and small scale agriculture paralleled the economic cycles by been developed to be consumed locally. As a matter of fact, sugar cycles took place in 1540 to 1640. Portugal led the establishment of the sugar industry in the mid of 16th century. This was the first ever large scale agricultural enterprise to be undertaken by a colony. During this period, Portugal had accessibility to manpower through African slave trade. Additionally, the Dutch provided commercial expertise as well as financial support, which enabled swift penetration of sugar business into European markets. The sugar markets were doing significant changes in Brazilian economy, until the Caribbean sugar boom began. Brazilian sugar could not compete during this time leading to a huge declined of Brazilian sugar export10.
In the eighteen century, there was a discovery of gold, which led to a gold rush. This discovery led to a shift from sugar farming to mining of gold. As a matter of fact, Gold is a labor intensive commodity but the slaves provided the needed labor in the gold fields. In 1750s, exportation of gold peaked, but due to depletion of gold deposits, the exports reduced taking Brazilian economy to stagnation. Apart from the economic impact, gold shaped Brazilian territory; this occurred because gold rush led to interaction and movement of people from one region to another. The depletion of gold took place until 19th century, where the colonial economy began to fall leading to a decadence and depression11.
The eighteen and nineteen century Brazilian economy, led to various socioeconomic changes; some were negative while other were positive. On a positive note, it increased relations between Brazil and United States. For example, in 1870s, trade between United States and Brazil was valued at approximately 31 million dollars. Most of its trade relations were based on coffee, of which Brazil was the exporter, and United States was the chief importer. Furthermore, economic developments in Brazil led to misery and suffering of many slaves. But later, it was overruled, and saw the introduction of waged labor12. The social and economic transformation increased rapidly after WW II. For example, 31% of Brazilians began to live in cities and towns. Up to date, Brazil is well known for its largest forest, the Amazon. It symbolizes rich cultural diversity as well as natural wealth. Brazilian economy is the sixth largest in the globe in terms of GDDP, and the fastest growing among leading economies.
Bibliography
Carolina Maria de Jesus. Child of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus. Signet Press,
50th anniversary edition.
Robin Sherriff. Dreaming Equality: Color, Race & Racism in Urban Brazil. New Brunswick:
Rutgers University Press, 2001.
Robert M. Levine and John J. Crocitti. The Brazil Reader: History, Culture, Politics. Durham:
Duke University Press, 1999
Sandra Lauderdale Graham. Caetana Says No: Women's Stories from a Brazilian Slave Society.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002.
Thomas Skidmore. Brazil: Five Centuries of Change. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999.
