Academy of Letters, forests, soccer celebrated in Brazil this week
This week, all eyes are turning to the protection of natural resources, especially Brazilian forests, with the country’s Forest Protection Day, celebrated last Sunday (Jul 17). The date is also a tribute to a famous character in Brazilian folklore, Curupira, tasked with looking after the woods of the country.
A boy with flaming red hair, Curupira has the ability to baffle hunters with his footprints, as his feet point backwards. Rooted in indigenous stories, the legend is now part of national folklore and has been instrumental in how environmental preservation is taught in Brazilian schools. What Brazilian child has never heard of Curupira?
Also remembered this week is another major figure in the fight for the preservation of the forests and indigenous peoples of Brazil. This Monday (18) marks the 20th year since the death of Mário Juruna, an indigenous activist of the Xavante ethnic group, the first indigenous person to serve as lower house representative. One of his trademarks was his portable tape recorder. The lawmaker would record his conversations with authorities and release them to the public should they fail to keep their word.
Juruna served in Congress from 1983 to 1987. During this period, he created the permanent indigenous committee in Congress and devised other measures linked to the demands from the indigenous population. Today, more than 30 years after the end of Juruna’s mandate, indigenous people have only had one more representative in the lower house, Joênia Wapichama, in office since 2018.
Brazilian Academy of Letters – 125th anniversary
Also celebrated this week is the 125th anniversary of the Brazilian Academy of Letters—or ABL, in the original Portuguese acronym. The academy was created in 1897 and aims to promote Brazilian literature. Its first chairman was Machado de Assis, one of the country’s most important novelists and short story writers.
Even though candidates are required to have a book published to join the academy, not all chair holders are writers. The immortals, as members of the academy are referred to, are figures whose role in national culture is regarded as crucial. Actress Fernanda Montenegro, occupying Chair 17, and musician Gilberto Gil, Chair 20, are some of the most recent additions.
National Football Day
Brazil’s National Football Day is celebrated this Tuesday (19). The date was established in 1976 and honors the founding of the Rio Grande Sport Club, in Rio Grande do Sul state, the country’s oldest team in activity. The club was founded on July 19, 1900, only 23 days before the creation of Associação Atlética Ponte Preta.
This information may raise a few brows, as major teams like Flamengo and Vasco were founded in 1895 and 1898 respectively. These clubs, however, were first created for rowing competitions, with soccer having been introduced later.
