Brazil’s real religion…

You may have heard or surmised that Brazil is historically a Catholic country. After having lived here for a few years and having visited more times than I can count, I’ve discovered that real religion here revolves not around Rome but evening soap operas (novelas). It seems amazing to most Americans, but novelas run from 18:00 to 22:00 (or so) five nights a week with just one break for the evening news. Unlike soap operas or series in the States that stay on until a slide in the Nielson ratings heralds their demise (and sometimes longer), Brazilian novelas last about 10 months. The evening of the last show, typically a melodramatic climax to months of unlikely intrigue and petty deception, almost the entire country shuts down.

The most watched novelas can be found on Brazil’s biggest network, Globo. Although they are, as in most countries, empty calories, Globo’s novelas often explore periods of historic significance or, more interestingly, other cultures. The current prime time novela (that starts at 21:00), Caminho das  Índias, explores Indian culture. While I find them an annoying waste of collective time, I think it’s interesting that they serve an educational purpose, even if as a side effect.

Tonight B had her grandma and friends over for tea at 16:00 or so for hours of conversation/gossip. I went out on a mission to find German Hefeweizen (and discovered Herr Pfeffer) and returned to the ranch at around 19:30. Walking through the door, I would have thought from the dull roar of manifold, indistinguishable conversations that half the population of Ipanema was in our apartment. Turns out it was about 15 Brazilian women hopped up on coffee and cake. The only thing capable of breaking up this gabfest was the beginning of the novela at around 21:00. About 10 of them are sitting around the TV intermittently spellbound. While I’m not a big fan of these shows, I’m even less of a fan of most of the manufactured fertilizer shown on American networks in prime time. At least entire families watch novelas together and learn at least a little bit about their history or our global village.