Culture and People from Rio Grande do Norte

The unification of 3 ethnical groups which gave a start to the Brazilian people - African, Indian, and Portuguese - mixed up with the Holland immigrations resulted into the people in Rio Grande do Norte.

It's possible to see the Holland influence in the country side while in the capital we find a majority of Portuguese and Indian people.

The African influence is seen over the tradition. dance, religion, food, celebrations...

According to the sense of 2000, 53,4 % of the population is brown; 41% white; 3,6% black and 0,7%Indians.

The cultural diversification goes from religious walk to cowboys shows, dances called Forró and Bumba-meu-boi. All this can be found everywhere, but specially in a place called Capitania das Artes.

Besides those, in June we find a speciall celebration called Festa Junina, with bonfires on the streets and farms, with a tipical dance known as Quadrilha (gang), when we can try also tipical food for this celebration season.

The craft (hand made art and souvenirs) is also famous and has tracks from its settlers. Materials such as wood, leather, colored sand, mud, stones, precious gems are part of the artistic play.   

Also very famous are the delicate works of "Rendeiras": towels, blankets, trousseaus, all done with embroideries, applies of income and maze, done with the care and the affection of who learned the art of embroidering from the childhood.

by Lilian Canen
http://www.nataltrip.com/index.php?Fa=rni.infCultura