GLOSSARY 



Included in the following list are Portuguese terms used 

 in the text, with the exception of those employed only 

 once or twice and defined at the time. Tlie meanings 

 given are in keeping with the usage in the local com- 

 munity and, in some cases, vary from meanings else- 

 where. 



Abra?o, an embrace wliich may immediately he repeated 

 once, twice, or more times and be accompanied by 

 vigorous pats on the back. 

 Administrador (de fazenda), an overseer of a fazcnda. 

 Aldeia, (1) a village of tribal Indians; (2) a village of 

 Indians settled by the Government or at the initiative 

 of ecclesiastical authorities (colonial era). 

 Almas (armas), the souls of the dead which, under cer- 

 tain circumstances, are thought to return and wander 

 about the world and, sometimes, to disturb, inconven- 

 ience, perhaps harm the living. 

 Almogo (armo^o), the first substantial meal of the day, 

 taken sometime during the morning, usually between 

 9 and 11 a. m. 

 Alqueire, (1) a unit of measurement, equivalent (in the 

 State of Sao Paulo) to 2.42 hectares or 5.9774 acres; 

 (2) a unit of capacity, equivalent to 50 liters. 

 Andor, the platform on which an image is carried in a 



procession. 

 Arapuca, a trap for catching birds, made of taquara (pi. 



20, a-^). 

 Araticum, a wild fruit, from the tree, Annona sp. 

 Arroba, a measurement of weight, equivalent to 15 kgm. 

 Assombragao (plural, assombra^oes), a "visitation" of a 



ghostly being. 

 Bagre, a species of fish of the same family as the catfish. 

 Bandeira, (1) flag: (2) a cloth attached to a mastro. 

 and bearing an impression of the image of a saint; (3) 

 a group, consisting of one or more bandeirantes and 

 their retainers, servants and slaves. 

 Bandeirantes, hardy adventurers, usually of Portuguese 

 or Indian-Portuguese origin who, in the sixteenth 

 and seventeenth centuries, setting out from the region 

 around Sao Paulo, explored, and to some extent ex- 

 ploited, large areas in the central portion of the South 

 American Continent. 

 Barraquinha, a crude shelter under which a counter is 



set up for selling food or drink at a festa. 

 Benzedor (fem., benzedeira), one who seeks to heal by 



"blessing"; that is, by employing magical formulas. 

 Berne, the larvae of the fly called herncira, Dermatoiia 



hominis. 

 Bolo, cake. 



Botequim (plural, botequins), a shop where alcoholic and 

 a few "soft" drinks, usually for consumption on the 

 premises, are the principal items sold. 

 Branco (fem., branca), literally white; a term used to 

 refer to individuals who are of unmixed, or relatively 

 immixed, European origin or have acquired status com- 

 mensurate with that of the whites. 



Bucha de terra, (1) a fibrous growth produced by a plant 

 related to the gourd, Lnffa cylindrica; i2) the plant 

 itself. 



Cafe, (1) cofCee made by roasting the coffee bean together 

 with sugar, and grinding to a fine powder, subsequent 

 to which boiling water is added and the liquid strained 

 through a cloth ; usually taken quite sweet ; (2) the first 

 meal of the day. 



Cafezinho, one or more servings of cafd offered to a visi- 

 tor, in keeping with prescribed rules of etiquette (also 

 referred to as caf4). 



Cafuso (fem., cafusa), a mixed-blood of Indian and 

 African descent. 



Caieira, a pile of wood, covered with earth and fired to 

 make charcoal (pi. 8, c) . 



Caipira, (1) a i-ural inhabitant of the plateau area of the 

 State of Sao Paulo; (2) a person living anywhere in 

 Brazil outside the larger cities; (3) a person living in 

 the city whose behavior recalls characteristics usually 

 associated with rural inhabitants. 



Capelao (plural, capelaes), a layman who, on request, 

 directs a religious ceremony at a private home, a way- 

 side cross or chapel, or at a cemetery, repeating and 

 chanting prayers. 



Capitao-mor, the commander in chief of the militia of a 

 city (colonial era). 



Capivara, a large rodent, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris. 



Card, a plant (Dioscorea spp.) with edible tubers. 



Caraguata, a plant, Bromelia antiacaiitha, the root of 

 which is used for food. 



Carroja, a two-wheeled cart, with shafts, used for trans- 

 porting farm produce and similar items. 



Cavaquinho, a small viola. 



Cedro, a species of cedar, Cedrela glaziovU. 



Centavo, a hundredth part of a cruzeiro. 



Charrete, a two-wheeled cart, with shafts, used for trans- 

 porting persons and, occasionally, light articles. 



Churrasco, a barbecue (pi. 19, e). 



Cidadao, literally, citizen; a term employed in the local 

 community with its original meaning: an inhabitant 

 of the city. 



Cipo, local term, of Guaranl origin, for vine ; more com- 

 monly used to refer to several species of vines used 

 as cord or rope. 



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