Brazilian culture is very diverse, the North being markedly different
from the South. The differences are so great that if the language, the social situation and the government weren't the same they could be different countries.
In the North The Indian culture is strong in the North; some tribes still remain in rainforest. Some aren't even aware that there are other people on this Earth other than themselves. But part of the Indian culture is being lost or bought by people who want to know the precious medicinal uses for the plants of the rainforest and other important
knowledge about the rainforest. Yet still, the Indians are not respected as the first inhabitants of Brazil and in the past two years there have been protests by FUNAI (National Foundation of Support to the Indian) against the constant invasions of their land.
In the Northeast Area; apart from the state capitals, which are important tourist spots and are big cities, is a poor and agricultural area. One area, known as the Sertão, is particularly unfortunate. There is severe drought in the Sertão, which is getting worse every year. But life in the Northeast area in general is hard - many children die each year from malnutrition and starvation.
The Northeast is well-known because of its beaches and carnivals. During
the carnivals, there are trios elétricos, which are floats that parade through the streets playing axé, samba, and frevo music. There is always a large crowd present to cheer them on.
This is also an area that has produced several famous singers and song writers, such as: Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Maria Bethânia, Gal Costa, Alceu Valença, Luis Gonzaga...The famous writer, Jorge Amado, is also from the Northeastern part of Brazil.
The Southeast region is very well known because of Rio de Janeiro, the city of Carnaval, Samba and Pagode (a type of music that is often confused with Samba, but has a slower beat). It is the richest region of Brazil and life is very similar
to big cities anywhere in the world.
Its most important cities are São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Belo Horizonte.
In São Paulo, there are very large communities of Italians and Japanese people, making the city
the most diverse in Brazil, a melting pot of sorts.
Many Europeans, especially Germans and Italians, immigrated to the far Southeast of Brazil because the weather there was similar to that of Europe (it evens snows there) and the land was ideal for farming. For that reason, the region has small towns where the people speak German, Italian, or English (many Confederates went to Brazil after the Civil War).
It is commonplace to find homes built in typical Bavarian style, and many holidays are observed
that are not Brazilian holidays. Some communities have even kept the manner of dress of their ancestors.
It is so different from the rest of the country that some years ago, the region tried to become independent
of Brazil, but the attempt failed.
Unfortunately at the moment, Brazil is suffering from a strong wave of "aculturação" (disregard for the country's traditional culture) - a side effect from adaptation
to the globalized world. But Brazil's culture is very rich, and perhaps a movement involving strong pride in traditional culture will emerge, as often happens with movements when they get too extreme, but only time will tell.