March 2023

CARIOCA: You’ll notice the word “carioca” all over Rio. (I even saw it on a manhole cover, but it it was in the middle of a busy street, so I couldn’t get a photo.)

In the 1500s the Portuguese settled in Rio, the local Tuvi tribe described their dwellings as “Carioca” meaning “house of the white people.”

In time, the Portuguese began calling themselves “Cariocas,” and now the term has come to mean people born and raised in Rio de Janeiro.

FAVELAS: Brazilian slums are called favelas, because they tend to blossom on hillsides, just like the favela flower.

Our guide, Gil, pointed out that, “The favelas mix with the skyscrapers here, and while most of the inhabitants are poor, some are not. You might think this strange, but some live in favelas to stay close to their families, while others, maybe, are avoiding taxes. There are many reasons.”

KITE FIGHTS: Gil told us to look for motorcycles and scooters with antennas on them. “What do you think the antennas are for?” he asked.

After many guesses Gil revealed the answer and it’s pretty bizarre!

Kids in the favelas don’t just fly kites, they have kite wars. One way to take down an enemy’s kite is to attach glass shards to your kite string.

Unfortunately, this can injure and even kill unsuspecting motorists as they whizz by. That’s why many motorbikes have antennas. Hopefully, the antenna will catch the dangerous kite string rather than their throat!

Crazy, eh?En savoir plus