MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

 

The Wajapi of the Tupi-guarani cultural-linguistic group are indigenous to the northern Amazonian region. Some 580 Wajapi live in 40 small villages on a specially designated territory in the state of Amapá. The Wajapi have a long history of using vegetable dyes to adorn their bodies and objects with geometric motifs. Over the centuries, they have developed a unique communication system – a rich blend of graphic and verbal components – that reflects their world-view and enables them to hand down knowledge about community life. 

This graphic art is known as kusiwa and its designs are applied with red vegetable dyes extracted from the roucou plant mixed with scented resins. The Wajapi consider that the technical and artistic proficiency required to master the drawing technique and the preparation of the dye cannot be attained before the age of forty. Commonly recurring motifs include the jaguar, anaconda, butterfly and fish. Kusiwa designs refer to the creation of humankind and come alive through a rich corpus of myths. For them, the colours and graphic patterns originate with the first peoples, since before then there was no colour and everyone in the world was equal.This body art, closely linked to Amerindian oral traditions, possesses multiple meanings on socio-cultural, aesthetic, religious and metaphysical levels. Indeed, kusiwa constitutes the very framework of Wajapi society and is endowed with significance extending far beyond its role as a graphic art form. This coded repertory of traditional knowledge is perpetually evolving as indigenous artists are constantly reconfiguring the motifs and inventing new patterns.

 

 

For its exceptional value and great tradition, the Kusiwa  art was registered as cultural heritage of Brasil in 2002 and also declared by UNESCO (World Heritage Centre) an oral and intangible heritage of the humanity in 2003.

 

 

SOURCE: UNESCO

 

LOVE BEING OUTDOORSY?

Imagine visiting indigenous reservations, going on ecology-themed hikes, enjoying a trike flight over the city of Porto Velho, over the waterfalls of Teotônio and Santo Antônio, seeing the Madeira-Mamore railway station amidst the jungle, the Cathedral, and the Samuel Hydroelectric Power Plant, and eventually coming across a large snake.

Porto Velho (Old Port) is the capital of the Brazilian state of Rondonia, in the upper Amazon River basin. The population is 426,558 people (according to the 2010 census). Located on the border of Rondônia and the state of Amazonas, the town is an important trading center for cassiterite, the mining of which represents the most important economic activity in the region, as well as a transportation and communication center. It is located on the eastern shore of the Madeira River, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon River. It is also Rondonia's largest city, and the largest state capital of Brazil (by area).

Shoals of fish going upstream during spawning

Inner view of capital´s cathedral

 
 
 

Santo Antonio´s hydroelectric plant

 

Archeological findings near the capital

 



Suruí, Gavião e Uru-eu-wau-wau

Surui, Gavião and Uru-eu-wau-wau tribes

Uru-eu-wau-wau

 Indigenous People of Rondônia:
 Aikanã, Ajuru, Amondawa, Arara, Arikapu, Ariken, Aruá, Cinta Larga, Gavião, Jabuti, Kanoê, Karipuna, Karitiana, Kaxarari, Koiaiá, Kujubim, Makuráp, Mekén, Mutum, Nambikwara, Pakaanova, Paumelenho, Sakurabiat, Suruí, Tupari, Uru Eu Wau Wau, Urubu, Urupá
 
AERIAL PHOTOS

Source: Wikipédia

Photo by Agencia Brasil

HIS TATTOOS TOTALLY RAISE THE BAR

Meet Victor Montaghini´s work. He is a Brazilian illustrator who has excelled in contemporary tattoos. The artist has his own style, mixing sketches, watercolors, pointillism and new school. His clients are mostly advertisers , art directors , artists or people somehow connected to art. And the waiting line may take years.



MORE SAMPLES

WANT SOME MORE?

THAT FROZEN MOMENT IN FABULOUS PHOTOGRAPHY

Sebastião Salgado is the Brazilian photographer whose nightmarish pictures of teeming, dirt-swamped gold miners electrified the world's media in the mid-1980s. Now 70, Salgado has had his life story told by the joint force of his own son Juliano and Wim Wenders, and it's a story that has turned out to have its own uplifting dynamic and character arc. 

For the last 40 years, the photographer has been travelling through the continents, from gold mines, through the Sahel and the Gulf war oil fires, and into the death-frenzy of mid-90s Rwanda in the footsteps of an ever-changing humanity. He has witnessed some of the major events of our recent history; international conflicts, starvation and exodus. He is now embarking on the discovery of pristine territories, of wild fauna and flora, and of grandiose landscapes as part of a huge photographic project which is a tribute to the planet's beauty.

Last Friday, Feb 20., the documentary directed by German Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, son of the photographer, won the best documentary of Caesar based on the work of Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado.

EXCERPTS TAKEN FROM VARIETY, THE GUARDIAN

WHAT´S ALL THIS ABOUT THE CARNIVAL IN RIO ANYWAY?

There´s more to it than a simple parade. The highlight of Rio Carnival is undoubtedly the Rio Carnival Parade called theSamba Parade or Samba Schools Parade, a totally unique event in the world!

The Samba Parade in Rio de Janeiro is something everybody should experience at least once in their lives. The event is broadcast live to several countries. Watching on TV is comfortable but not any close to the fun that is being there. Definitely mingle with the crowds and watch the Brazilians and Cariocas (the people of Rio). For the best and full blown experience, you can even march with a samba school.

The Rio Samba Parade is very distinct from all other street parades held at some other places in the world. The Carnival parades in Rio developed into something special, a competition between the samba schools. The preparation for the Samba Parade starts months in advance, as each samba school mobilizes thousands of supporters who will create the various parts of the school's display. 

First, the theme of the year is chosen. Then the school's samba song of the year is selected through competition, while the school's Carnival Designer creates the costumes and the floats. When ready, the sketches move into production. By December the rehearsals begin. In time for Christmas, the schools' annual samba songs are recorded and released to the record shops.

The Rio Samba Parade is not a street event where people move chaotically about as they like, but more of a highly orchestrated show of vast proportions. Every parader has a specific role and place according to his costume in a particular wing, of a particular section of the samba school he/she is parading in support of.

Each year the schools chooses a different theme for the Samba Parade. It can be a celebration of a particular period, or, famous figures of Brazilian history. It may highlight a special event or speak of anything that might move the spirit and imagination; like a special animal, or one of the elements; water or fire, etc. The school has to illustrate the chosen theme through all its work:
the samba tunes, which are especially written for that year; the richly decorated floats and costumes of their 3,000 to 5,000 parading members designed by the school's Carnival Designer (the so calledCarnavalesco).Every school's parade is highly organized and designed. They line up in a unique way to present their pageant. The schools are divided into a number of sections and each section has a number of wings of about 100 people wearing the same costume. 

In between the wings, there are about 8 Carnival floats, separating the sections and illustrating the school's theme. 

Most of them are pushed along by men from the School's community but some are motorized and have mechanical parts. The floats carry special guests along with some young and mesmerizing samba dancers in very elaborate, awe-inspiring costume creations.

The costumes are extremely imaginative, colorful, elaborate and detailed. They are truly original, designed and made from scratch each year. They have mirrors, feathers, metallic cloth, silk and sometimes gems or coins. These costumes take months to make. The work starts roughly 8 months in advance.


Each samba school has its own distinctive colors (of its flag) and costume style. The color scheme is reflected in many parts of their parade.
The biggest and most elaborate costumes are worn by the main floatees (destaques), members chosen with honor by the samba schools to wear these special costumes.


You may think of the whole event as a tropical opera or rather like several operas happening on one night. It is beautiful to watch and the experience for the paraders themselves is so intense that the memories last for a lifetime.

EXCERPTS TAKEN FROM: RIO SERVICES CARNIVAL

WANT TO FEEL THE BEAT?

IN THE WAKE OF THE WORLD CUP

Can you fathom a people-powered football field? This is what happened when Pavegen Systems - Green Energy from Footsteps installed 200 tiles into a local football pitch in Morro da Mineira, a favela which has not benefitted from tourism and private enterprise development in Rio de Janeiro.

Pavegen tiles work day and night alongside solar panels to power the lights for up to 10 hours on a full battery, creating the world’s first ever people-powered football pitch. The pitch was officially opened by international football legend Pelé. This first-of-a-kind energy solution as a source of global inspiration, empowering action through sport as well as providing a tangible off-grid power supply that benefits a whole community. Now how cool is that?

SOURCE: Avantgardens

WAY COOL VIEWS FROM A HOT AIR BALLOON

According to Lupércio Lima, the best Brazilian ranked in the International Aviation Federation, placed third in the World Hot Air Balloon Championship, Boituva (SP) is the best destination for beginners.

Pirenópolis, in Goiás, suits better advanced balloonists.

BEGINNER

Boituva (Sao Paulo)

Brazilian ballooning HQ has a good number of instructors and balloons available, constant winds - despite being a flat ground - and many landing areas.

To help you engage in the sport, the town of Rio Claro (100 km away from Boituva) hosts several ballooning events and championships.

BEST TIME dry season (from April to October), but it can be practised all year-round

FROM US$ 120 per person

WHO TAKES YOU Chico do Balão: (+55 15) 98134-4365; Aeromagic: (+55 11) 2684-1206; Escola Brasileira de Balonismo: (+55 11) 2894-5380

PACKAGE two nights US$ 407; includes breakfast, ballooning and tandem skydiving. Meu Mundo Viagens: (+55 11) 5041-3962.

ADVANCED

Pirenópolis (Goiás)

The city's flat ground is surrounded by the Pirineus Hills that provides good wind conditions with large variations.

It increases steer ability and gives the pilot better conditions to manoeuvre. It also provides a good number of landing areas. The flights can go as far as Brasilia and Chapada dos Veadeiros

BEST TIME all year-round

FROM US$ 200 per person

WHO TAKES YOU BlueSky: (+55 62) 3142-9040

PACKAGE two nights in a double room during the weekend at Suprema B&B US$ 140. Breakfast included. Reservations: (+55 62) 3331-3360; POUSADA SUPREMA

Excerpts by GUSTAVO SIMON from FOLHA DE SAO PAULO

SOME INFO ON BALLOONING (in Portuguese)