Best of Brazil

Brazil was populated by different indigenous groups like Tupinamba and Guarani, among others, before it was rediscovered by the Portuguese navigator Pedro Alvares Cabral in 1500. Until the declaration of independence in 1822, Brazil was a colony of the Kingdom of Portugal. In 1822 the prince, son of the king of Portugal, declared independence of Brazil and became the first emperor. Brazil has been the only monarchy in the Americas. At that time Brazil’s economy was based on sugar cane and when that industry crashed, mining and large coffee plantations with slave labor force brought from Africa was introduced. Coffee was the main driver of the Brazilian economy in the 19th century and the country today is still the biggest producer and exporter of coffee in the world. During the difficult years of slavery, many Africans and African descendants escaped and formed free communities named “quilombos.” Others slaves were able to pay for their own right to freedom. Although Africans made different failed efforts to resist slavery, the abolition of slavery in Brazil did not occur until 1888, motivated by the abolitionist movement that began in 1850 and the British prohibition to slave trafficking. Brazil was the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery. With the intention of whitening Brazil’s population, the Brazilian empire fomented the migration of European workers. In November 15, 1889 the imperial period ended in a peaceful way and the Republic, with profound inequalities and exclusions, started. After the abolition of slavery, the need of manpower for farming increased and Brazil began to open its doors to Chinese and Japanese immigrants. The Museu Historico da Imigracão Japonesa (Historic Museum of Japanese Immigration) explained to us that it was thanks to the different waves of Japanese immigrants that arrived from 1908 that the agriculture of this country was further developed and diversified into several products. However, with a trend towards urbanization, the number of Japanese farmers diminished and their involvement in other professions increased. The inclusion of determined groups in the democratic process of Brazil took place throughout the 20th century: women’s right to vote in 1934 and illiterate person’s right to vote in 1988. This is how Brazil became what it is today, an icon, a unique nation, a dream destination, a diverse and multicultural society that gave birth to distinguished people of their time like writer Jorge Amado, the architect Oscar Niemeyer, the soccer player Pele, or the unique ceramics of Francisco Brennand. From whatever angle you wish to look at it, Brazil has plenty of reasons to fascinate many from all over the world!