BRAZIL: African Traditions In Brazil

Brazilian culture has a rich African heritage. African-Brazilian cults lend a very special flavor to New Year's Celebrations on Copacabana Beach.

Women in white turbans and traditional Baiana dresses with delicate white lace sing chants, and dance to the hypnotic beat of drums.

Yemanjá is the deity of the seas, oceans and rivers. She receives many gifts on New Year's. In addition to white flowers, many groups prepare boats in all sizes with beautiful images of Yemanjá, that are later put in the sea.

Gifts are arranged in the sand with candles, and include food, cosmetics, bottles of cider and champagne. Nobody minds if you take pictures, but try not to interfere in the rituals. Sometimes people watching incorporate entities, and this is regarded as something completely ordinary. Do not try to help, mistaking this for a seizure or something.

To participate, enter one of the lines to be blessed by a mãe de santo priestess. This is called tomar um passe (take a pass). The mãe de santo uses her hands, blows cigar smoke... the idea is to take the bad fluids away, so you can start the year fresh. It will do you no harm, and you will actually walk away feeling lighter.

Family Celebration

Carioca babies learn about the good things in life early. The atmosphere at New Year's in Rio is festive, friendly, and familiar. Many parents bring their tots and kids.

Wearing white for good luck is a tradition everybody follows. It's supposed to help you start the new year fresh and renewed. Accessories in yellow or gold will help bring prosperity, and red will open the doors to romance. Brand new underwear and socks are also a must.

The sight of young mothers in white taking their babies to Copacabana always brings a smile. It's perfectly all right to wish Happy New Year to strangers, if you feel like it.

Being small has its advantages, if daddy is willing to lend a helping shoulder, that is. Once the fireworks start popping all heads turn up, before they start turning round, and round, and round.

Peoples Party

If you are looking for a simple explanation to why New Year's in Rio is so special, blame it on the people. Cariocas know how to throw a party like nobody else. You will feel you are more than a guest, but part of the biger picture. Don't forget to bring your flowers!

Brazil's ethnic, cultural and social diversity is never more evident than at events like Carnival and New Year's. It may be hard for a foreigner to understand that a Brazilian is more likely to pick on you because you support a different soccer team, than because your skin color or accent is slightly different.

Unless you have a very professional equipment your photos of the fireworks will not capture the magic of the event. Bring a disposable instead so you don't have to carry the weight along, and take snapshots of the people around you.

Coming alone does not mean you will stay by yourself. When the clock strikes midnight, the fireworks start popping. Cariocas wish Happy New Year to everybody around them, whether they are friends, family, or complete strangers. Do not be surprised if you get a kiss or two!

Rio has a thriving gay and lesbian community, and many like to celebrate at the Rainbow Kiosk. The gay beach kiosk is across from Copacabana Palace Hotel, and the owners often greet customers in drag. Trans-people are pretty much part of the scene.

Fireworks Festival
The sky and sea are painted in exquisite colors, as the fireworks go off. In addition to the traditional showers in all shapes and shades, the new designer stuff they use these days draws hearts, palms, and other graphic images in the sky. It's almost thirty minutes of pure delight.

It's hard to decide which direction to look at, with fireworks popping all around you. It's much more fun to watch the festival from the great outdoors than from indoors. In addition to the feeling of togetherness, you will be able to keep turning around in wonder as much as you want, instead of having to fight for window space.

One of the highlights is the fireworks cascade at Forte de Copacabana. There are also cascades later at Pedra do Leme, and at the tower of Le Meridién Hotel, on the other end of the beach. Wherever you stay, you are in for a big treat!

As the fireworks are based on 8 boats anchored along the horse-shaped beach, you are always in a strategic spot... If you don't have any plans for later, stay close to one of the 4 stages on the sand. There are free live music shows with assorted attractions, and they go on until very late!

The view of Copacabana Beach from above is really impressive. Over 2 million people take every space on the sand, sidewalks and both lanes of the beach strip.