Brazil has always been comprised of multiple cultures ranging from Iberian

values to Western cultures. It has been influenced by its indigenous people and African
culture, as well. Although problems may arise from the different beliefs of those
influenced by Western versus African cultures, Brazil as a whole is quite united. The
unity stems from a separation of how one acts within their belief system and how one acts
outside of it. An example of this would be how one may dress to go to Synagogue versus
how one would dress to go to the mall. Brazilians compartmentalize their beliefs to fit the
situation that they are currently in. Brazil has a saying: Ningum de ferro, which
means, No one is made of iron. Brazilians learn at an early age that things may change,
but everyone is susceptible to hurt feelings. They try to treat everyone equally because
they are all human.

Although this is the general belief, culture diversity is still degrading. The
indigenous peoples culture is losing its place in Brazil. Not only has Catholicism
overshadowed their belief systems, but also their languages and stories of times gone by
are slowly fading away. Just like in the United States, the indigenous peoples lands are
being taken from them. It is as if they do not have the same rights as the new Brazilian
community that has been influenced by Europe. The UNESCO Brasilia Office hosts a
convention titled the Protection and Promotion of Diversity of Cultural Expressions. This
meeting supports strengthening the presence of all cultures within Brazil. Although this is
occurring, Brazil is still a rapidly developing country that is leaving the indigenous
people behind. By using large factories to create knick-knacks and tools, the indigenous
people do not have a chance to produce as many products to raise money for their

communities. Without resources like money, the indigenous people will keep falling
behind other cultures, which is not fair.

Yoruba has become a topic of interest due to Brazilian Professor Fabio Lima. He
argued that the culture of Yoruba is worth fighting for and is present in multiple areas
including Brazil. He believes that whenever someone is around the Yoruba culture, it is
like being in Africa. Lima argued that Yoruba culture spread through Africa, which is a
symbol of a good belief system. Due to this, he believes it should have no problem
reaching throughout Brazil. He wishes for the culture to spread so that it is preserved.

Culture is like a folk tale. It cannot live without being represented through
language, art, food, scientific breakthroughs, and communication. As the means to these
skills change, certain cultures are being left behind. Food is no longer cooked with a fire
pit, we use electric or gas stoves. Language is not only spoken, it is written. Art is not
only drawing, but is not graphic design. Cultures that do not have access to these modern
technologies or believe such things distort their cultures are being forgotten. It is the
responsibility of Brazil and every country to keep these old cultures alive by telling their
stories, cooking their food, seeing their art, hearing their languages, and appreciating the
tools they have given. This all starts with communication. Without communication,
people will not know about the forgotten cultures, they will not fight for them to thrive.

Resources:

CulturalDiversityinBrazil|UnitedNationsEducational,Scientificand
CulturalOrganization.(n.d.).RetrievedApril7,2015,from
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/brasilia/culture/culturaldiversity/
BrazilCulturalUnityandDiversity.(n.d.).RetrievedApril7,2015,from
http://countrystudies.us/brazil/37.htm

BrazilAdvocatesforPreservationofYorubaCulture.(n.d.).RetrievedApril
7,2015,fromhttp://yorubaculturalinstitute.org/main/braziladvocatesfor
preservationofyorubaculture/
UNESCO.(n.d.).RetrievedApril7,2015,fromhttp://en.unesco.org