Do you know the origin of June parties? Learn this and more.
Bonfire, hot drinks, delicious food, music, dancing and lots of animation. Difficult who does not like a good June party. The fun goes wild and usually has no time to end! A lot of people look forward to the beginning of June, which is when these celebrations really show up everywhere.
But do you think the June parties are originally from Brazil? In fact, going deeper, do you know how they came about? Do you know the story behind the items that make up these big binges that many of us enjoy participating in? Get to know some possibly unknown facts and understand why this is one of the most beloved parties.
The story
June parties are older than everyone thinks! They arose in ancient Europe hundreds of years ago. The feasts were held during the summer solstice to commemorate the beginning of the harvest - so much food and drink - and were organized by the Celts, Egyptians and other peoples. One of the honored goddesses was Juno, Jupiter's wife, and the festivals were called "Junonias."
Catholicism became increasingly faithful in Europe and the date coincided with the birth of John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church Christianized the date by instituting tributes to the three saints of the month. The celebrations came to be called “joanins” (because of John) and the first countries to celebrate them were Portugal, Italy, France and Spain - and to this day they are very important in Northern Europe.
It is not known if the name “junina” is an adaptation that came with time or changed because the party is celebrated in June. Each country has given its touch to the party we know today. From France came the dance, from Portugal and Spain came the dance with ribbons, among other cultures that were becoming popular.
The coming to Brazil
As you might imagine, the June party was brought to Brazil by the Portuguese during the colonial period. Coincidentally, the Indians who inhabited our country performed rituals at the same time in June to celebrate agriculture and, with the arrival of the Jesuits, the parties merged and the dishes began to use native foods such as cassava and corn.
Traditional Brazilian June Parties
The June festivals take place in every corner of the country, but can be divided into two distinct types: those that take place in the Northeast Region and those of rustic Brazil (inspired by the states of São Paulo, northern Paraná, southern Minas Gerais and Goiás ). They have very different differences and customs.
The most traditional take place in Campina Grande (PB) and Caruaru (PE) and there is little rivalry between the two states to see which one is the best. In Paraíba, the party is known as Forródromo which, as the name suggests, is watered for much forró. Among the main attractions is a parade of donkeys.
Pernambuco has Vila do Forró, which is a replica of a small town in the Pernambuco hinterland. It is possible to take a trip to Recife by the Forró Train where regional singers, accordion players and artists of all kinds move among the wagons, cheering the public and earning extra money at this time of year.
The Brazilian country festivals are held in boutiques with comic dances around the campfire and, of course, with a lot of country music. Everywhere, women wear colorful cheetah dresses and men wear a checkered shirt and trousers with colorful fabrics.
The three saints
St. Anthony is the first of the saints to be honored in the month. His feast is celebrated on June 13th and he is known as the matchmaker saint, as he helped twelfth-century girls get the dowry for their long-awaited wedding. Many sympathies are held by women who want a boyfriend, fiancé or husband.
St. John's Day is the most anticipated of them all. The party is held on June 24 and, on that day, there are many parties around Brazil, especially in the Northeast. John was the son of Elizabeth, cousin of Mary (mother of Jesus). According to the Catholic Church, it was he who prepared the coming of Christ and baptized him in the Jordan River.
The last saint of the month is Saint Peter. He was one of Jesus' disciple fishermen and also known as the founder of the Catholic Church. Catholicism preaches that it is Peter who has the keys of heaven. His party is celebrated at the end of June, the 29th. With him, the festivities of this month so celebrated ends.
Balloon
The tradition of dropping balloons has two meanings. Some say this practice was used to warn that the party would begin. Five to seven balloons were released to let people know about the commencement of the celebrations. The most superstitious believe that the balloons carried the requests to the saints to heaven.
However, they are not very common today, as dropping balloons is prohibited in many countries, including Brazil. This has been in place since 1965, according to Article 26 of the Forest Code, because it can cause fires and deaths. It is also in article 28 of the Criminal Offenses Act of 1941. Anyone caught dropping balloons can go to jail.
Jump the bonfire ya ya
As with most elements of a June party, there are two meanings to the famous bonfire. At pagan and indigenous festivals, they were made to ward off evil spirits. Already in Christian tradition, she has an explanation: Elizabeth would have told Mary (mother of Jesus) that she would light a fire to warn her of the birth of her son (John). Maria saw the flames from afar and went to visit the child who had just been born.
Today, for safety reasons, they are also only made in a few inland cities, as they are also not allowed in large kitchens to avoid fires and accidents caused by flames. But the symbol is always present when we think of the June parties.
Look at the snake! It's a lie!
The gang is another thing that cannot be missed at a June party. Its name comes from a four-pair French ballroom dance, the quadrille. With the coming to Brazil, the gang became popular and merged with the Brazilian dances that already existed here, giving rise to what we know today.
However, these days, she is not danced by folk as she was before. It is seen as a theatrical and merely festive attitude with a folk and even academic ideal. The hillbilly-dressed group is opened by a groom and a bride, staging a fictional wedding.
In the Northeast, forró is, perhaps, the most requested rhythm for the June parties, followed by baião, xote, reisado, samba de coco and other typical songs. Pernambucan accordion player Luiz Gonzaga is the most famous June party musician.
They are also given different names according to place. In São Paulo, it is known as the “redneck gang”. In central Brazil, as "saruê". In Bahia, “syphilitic ball”. In Rio de Janeiro, she arrives as "mana-chica". In Sergipe, it is simply “gang”. And it follows other variations depending on the state.
Promises and sympathies
Sympathies and promises to the saints are common at all times of the year, but for the three saints honored in June, now is the time, especially for St. Anthony, as he is considered the matchmaker saint and girls looking for a boyfriend., groom or husband hurry to get everything ready on the 13th.
There are various sympathies, such as placing an image of St. Anthony upside down behind the door, inside the well or even in a glass of water (this often varies between people) and only taking it from there when the request is made. answered. Even take Baby Jesus off the saint's lap and only return him when her boyfriend arrives. Some statues are already sold with the images and can be separated exactly for this purpose.
Apart from the fact of the loving commitment, Catholicism also has the “St. Anthony's roll”. The friars distribute a holy bread to the people - which must be left with the other foods so as not to miss what to eat - and, in return, the faithful leave their offerings to the saint. Food is not lacking all year long.
The most anticipated part - the food and drink
Hard not to get hungry at a June party. Boiled (or baked) corn, popcorn, creamy (or corn) corn cake, sweet apple, peanut butter, mulled wine, mulled wine, sweet rice, hominy, peanut tea and many other delicacies (usually warm), because this time of year is very cold) are the soul of the party.
Did you notice that many foods are derived from green corn? This is due to the fact that June is the right time for the food harvest and this tradition has been present in the June festivities since it arrived in Brazil. Other grains - such as peanuts - and roots - like cassava - are also present at the June celebrations.
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Now that you know a little more about the festivities of the month of June, how about enjoying the end of the month and playing headfirst at various June festivals that take place throughout Brazil? If you have already been, you will definitely want to go back. If not, what are you waiting for? Call friends and have fun!
* Posted on 25/06/2014.
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