A popular joke in Brazil dictates that the year only properly begins after the Carnival holidays, the four-day period of festivities that takes over the nation this weekend. The idea is that the celebrations are such a big deal that the “Country of Carnival” waits until the parades and street parties are out of the way before turning their attention to anything else. As the world watches the colorful scenes that largely form the visual identity of Brazil overseas, the joke seems to be quite close to reality.
However, it might be time for Brazil to rethink about the ramifications of being globally recognized as the Country of Carnival.
The colorful celebrations during this pre-Lent period are associated with Brazilians’ image of being the “coolest nationality” in the world, as CNN once said. It brings to mind the idea of joy and celebration, even in situations of national crisis, such as in 2016, when The Economist argued that the country was “partying on a precipice.” Or in 2018, when The Guardian said Brazil was “turning to carnival as an escape from crime and corruption.”
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