U.S. Foreign Service Officer headed to Wuhan, China

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Arraial do Pavulagem

Arraial do Pavulagem - at the start (photo credit Eric Stoner)

June is not only a fun time to visit Brazil because of the World Cup, but also because of the traditional June festivals celebrating Saint John (São João). These June festivals involve special foods made from corn, bonfires, lots of forró dancing and in Belém it includes the "Arraial do Pavulagem" which is a parade of dancing and drumming from the river to the main plaza in town.

Waiting for the cows to get off the boat - Photo credit Eric Stoner

The Arraial began today, the second Sunday in June and runs on every Sunday throughout the rest of the month. Ken, Sean and I joined the parade from the beginning and marched all the way to the Praça da República. Everyone wears straw hats with colored ribbons down the side and moves their feet with the beat. There are dancers on stilts, drummers and musicians and lots of vendors selling cold drinks and popsicles on the side.

Getting ready for the parade - Photo Credit Eric Stoner

The most important part of the festival is the cow or "boi" as it is called here. The cow is made out of paper maché and the person inside it makes it dance and twirl in a dizzy and impressive display. There are also people dressed as cowboys that dance along with the boi, small children riding paper maché horses and others wearing large artsy heads or "cabecões."

Traditional June foods

Although the festival used to only be about St. John, the harvest and the cow, in Belém it has morphed into a display of Amazon culture, languages, music and religion. Sean didn't buy a straw hat with ribbons, but he did buy a beer cozy shaped like a cow that hangs around your neck so you can dance while you are marching - very handy during a celebration like Arraial do Pavulagem in Belém where drinking and dancing are simultaneously required.

Walking in the parade - Photo Credit Eric Stoner

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Wanderlust

In Mandarin: 旅遊癮 (lǚyóu yǐn)

According to my Mandarin teacher, the term 'wanderlust' can best be translated as 'a travel addiction or craving'. In the above translation, 'yǐn' has several meanings such as 'a strong impulse', 'a longing', or 'a desire'.

U.S. Foreign Service Officer headed to Wuhan, China

Arraial do Pavulagem

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