Most people simply love the chance to PARTY. But so many others are looking ahead to the New Year and making offerings to the saints to ensure all will go well.
In addition to enjoying the New Year’s Eve merriment, thousands in the crowd are also at the beach to celebrate the Festa de Iemanjá.
Iemanjá is the Goddess of the Water / the Sea, the mother of all the gods in the Candomblé religion of Brazil. On this important night she is offered flowers, gifts and perfume which are placed into little boats and cast adrift into the sea, or simply tossed
directly into the water.Many, many people will walk to the water’s edge with flowers at midnight.
While Copacabana is packed with tourists and residents alike present to enjoy the huge fireworks display – so many others are quietly making their offerings to Iemanjá.
For the fireworks – check out this link for an amazing 360 degree look at the fireworks in 2007.
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3 comments:
I was looking for info about moving to Brazil and found your blog. It's funny, you moved to Brazil in 2008. I moved to the US. From Brazil.
Now I'm going back... browsing your blog I see the Reveillon post. It's funny. There is one thing, one single thing I hate here in the US, New Years Eve. Okay, and not be able to drink on the beach.
Yes, my greatest cultural shock here was Reveillon, and the lack of rituals, and fireworks, and lentilha, uvas, vestir branco... :-)
Can't wait to be there December 31st this year!!!
KR - Nothing compares to the NYE celebrtions here. My mother in law is a serious Candomble practitioner. Her offerings - rituals are a sight to see.
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