CULTURE
Brazilian
culture has been shaped not only by the Portuguese, who gave the
country its religion and language, but also by the country's native
Indians, the considerable African population, and other settlers
from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Historically Brazilian
society has been patriarchal, with a strong tradition of male
social dominance.
This has weakened with immigration, urbanization, and the decline
of the rural sector. Also, independence for women has grown under
the influence of feminism and the expansion of urban employment
opportunities for women. The family is still a crucial social
unit, and there is some survival, even in the cities, of parentela,
a kind of kinship system.
This extended network involves close family and distant relatives,
godparents and godchildren, and even family servants. Such linkages
are generally stronger among the middle and upper classes.
The
lonely Planet also provides information about the cultures
of Brazil.
