The world’s biggest Saint John!

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Popular culture – Festa Junina - Part 1

The world’s biggest Saint John!

Brazilians love a good Festa Junina, but in the Northeast they are even crazier about it...

Caruaru is a small city of about 300,000 people, in Pernambuco State.

Campina Grande has a population of 385,000 people and is in Paraíba State. During the month of June these two cities go through a great transformation. The government and the residents organize themselves to make Festa Junina into a massive tourist attraction. In 2009 each city was visited by about 2 million tourists, as well as journalists from all over Brazil who went to cover the events. In the Northeast it is common for a Festa Junina to be called “Saint John”.  Campina Grande says it organizes “the world’s biggest Saint John.” But Caruaru says the same thing.  Each city holds dozens of events in a period of at least 30 days, including shows played by leading names in Brazilian popular music. Throughout this period, the parties [1] drive the local economy, creating hundreds of jobs and business opportunities. The hotels are packed full [2] and local traders [3] sell more wares [4].

The Northeastern way to party

The passion of the Northeasterners for Festa Junina goes beyond Caruaru and Campina Grande to most cities in the region. While in the South and the Southeast the bonfires are lit [5] only within the[6] arraiais, in the Northeast it is common for every house to have its own bonfire, after 7:00PM. Another typical tradition in the Northeast Festa Junina is the formation of several different party groups, formed by the residents of cities to help organize the parties. These party-goers [7] walk the streets of the city, going from house to house. They are welcomed and given food and drink. The musical style in a Northeastern Festa Junina is predominantly forró.

Matéria publicada na edição de Junho / Julho da Revista Maganews (número 55).

Áudio:  Haley Alcântara

Foto – www.saojoaodecampina.pb.gov.br

Vocabulary

1 parties – festas / festejos

2 packed full – lotado

3 trader – comerciante

4 wares – mercadorias

5 to be lit – ser acesa (o)

6 within the – dentro dos

7 party-goers – aqui = “festeiros”

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Popular culture – Part 2

The world’s biggest Saint John!

Brazilians love a good Festa Junina, but in the Northeast they are even crazier about it...

Caruaru is a small city of about 300,000 people, in Pernambuco State. Campina Grande has a population of 385,000 people and is in Paraíba State. During the month of June these two cities go through a great transformation. The government and the residents organize themselves to make Festa Junina into a massive tourist attraction. In 2009 each city was visited by about 2 million tourists, as well as journalists from all over Brazil who went to cover the events. In the Northeast it is common for a Festa Junina to be called “Saint John”.  Campina Grande says it organizes “the world’s biggest Saint John.” But Caruaru says the same thing.  Each city holds dozens of events in a period of at least 30 days, including shows played by leading names in Brazilian popular music. Throughout this period, the parties drive the local economy, creating hundreds of jobs and business opportunities. The hotels are packed full and local traders sell more wares.

The Northeastern way to party

The passion of the Northeasterners for Festa Junina goes beyond Caruaru and Campina Grande to most cities in the region. While in the South and the Southeast the bonfires are lit only within thearraiais, in the Northeast it is common for every house to have its own bonfire, after 7:00PM. Another typical tradition in the Northeast Festa Junina is the formation of several different party groups, formed by the residents of cities to help organize the parties. These party-goers walk the streets of the city, going from house to house. They are welcomed and given food and drink. The musical style in a Northeastern Festa Junina is predominantly forró.

Vocabulary

1 parties – festas / festejos

2 packed full – lotado

3 trader – comerciante

4 wares – mercadorias

5 to be lit – ser acesa (o)

6 within the – dentro dos

7 party-goers – aqui = “festeiros"