CRUZ DAS almas: a BRAZILIAN VILLAGE— PIERSON 



113 



of woodcutters ; and four or five farmers or other 

 villagers of similar age and competence. Among 

 the subjects most often discussed are various as- 

 pects of local politics; activities connected with 

 farming, the cutting of timber and the building 

 of roads; and the possibility of a rise or fall in 

 the price of farm products. Humorous anecdotes 

 also are told and polite joking is indulged in. 



A second group gathers regularly at the prin- 

 cipal iotequlm, where drinks are sold and tables 

 are available for card playing. The comi^osition 

 of this group also is rather stable. It differs from 

 that at the venda of Sen Sebastiao in that there 

 always are more young men than older men pres- 

 ent. It also differs in that almost never are any 

 of the village leaders to be seen here ; while there 

 usually are present in the group the three men 

 who are especially noted for their consumption of 

 alcoholic drinks. There is considerable drinking 

 and gambling. Most of the m.en spend the time 

 they are here playing cards ; one day they will play 

 truco^ another day b/sca, another day escopa. Com- 

 munication is not of the sustained variety like that 

 at the venda of Seu Sebastiao. It consists princi- 

 pally of exclamations or single phrases. Complete 

 sentences are rare. There is much laughing and 

 joking. Voices often are raised suddenly, some- 

 times simultaneously from two or more tables 

 where games are in progress. Few anecdotes are 

 told. Hilarity is ordinarly occasioned by the unus- 

 ual behavior of someone who has been drinking 

 rather freely. Sometimes, a chorinho ^^^ forms 

 here, composed usually of three young men play- 

 ing, respectively, a cavaqui7iho, a viol do, and a 

 tamborine, and music will be added to the excite- 

 ment of playing cards, gambling, and drinking 

 with one's friends. 



A third group gathers at the bakery. Its com- 

 position is also relatively constant. Those pi'esent 

 are almost always boys and young men between 15 

 and 30 years of age. Rarely is an older man to be 

 seen in the group. Although liquor is also sold at 

 the bakery, there is little drinking. Conversation 

 is more sustained than at the botequim; less sus- 

 tained than at the venda of Seu Sebastiao. Among 

 the topics of conversation most frequently touched 

 upon are women, soccer, and hunting, in that order. 

 Other subjects heard being discussed include mili- 



'" Also called batucada. 



tary service, drinking, a coming festa, the raising 

 of song birds, and the ability to drive a truck. A 

 chorinho forms here more often than at the bote- 

 quim, usually composed on each occasion of the 

 same four young men, who occasionally are joined 

 by those who customarily play at the botequim. 



Similar groups do not form at either of the other 

 two vendas or at the second botequim. Although 

 a few men sometimes may be seen standing or talk- 

 ing at each of these places, the composition of the 

 respective groups is more variable and the time 

 of their forming is more irregular. 



On Saturdays and rainy days, the principal 

 points of reunion are the same as those in the eve- 

 ning. On Saturdays, the regular members of the 

 different groups usually are joined by several 

 farmers and their older sons who have come to 

 town to make weekly purchases. On rainy days, 

 the men are together most of the day. That night, 

 however, the stores and hotequins are closed earlier 

 than on other days, usually by 6 or 7 o'clock. 



On Sundays, three additional groups customar- 

 ily form during the day. One of these is to be 

 seen convei-sing in front of the door of the church, 

 especially at the termination of Mass; another at 

 the coreto, or sa/?e-covered shelter with a raised 

 platform (pi. 19, a), in the square in front of the 

 church; and the third in front of the venda of the 

 Japanese storekeeper. By evening, however, these 

 groups have broken up and the same pattern pre- 

 vails as on week days. 



The periodic renewal of the communal life is 

 symbolized on Sunday in the number of persons 

 to be seen on village streets. During the week, 

 except on days of festa, and at the time when the 

 bus goes through, the streets are almost deserted, 

 the number of persons to be seen in any one street 

 at any one time being quite negligible. On Sun- 

 day, however, the situation changes. Beginning 

 shortly after daybreak, several persons may be 

 seen in the streets. The number gradually in- 

 creases up to a maximum at midday, remains rather 

 stable through the early afternoon, and declines as 

 night approaches. This "pulsation" in the com- 

 munity's life is evident in a count of persons seen 

 during 2-hour intervals from daylight to dark on 

 a recent Sunday. It was made from the window 

 of a house in the village, whence the principal 

 street and a part of the praga could be seen. The 

 count was as follows : 



