In the Southeast Region of Brazil, formed by the states of Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Holy Spirit, there is a cultural diversity richly influenced by indigenous, African, European and Asian cultures.
According to 1998 data from the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), the Southeast Region of Brazil is the one with the largest number of people, totaling a population of 70,190,565 inhabitants.
Festivals, gastronomy and typical dances, among others, represent customs and cultural manifestations of the Southeast region.
Festivals of the Southeast Region
Check out the main parties in the Southeast of Brazil below.
Southeast Region Carnival
The most popular festival in Brazil is celebrated in all the states of the Southeast region, where there are parades of samba schools.
Although the parade in São Paulo has gained greater proportions in recent years, the parade in Rio de Janeiro remains the best known in Brazil and in the world.
June Festivals in the Southeast Region
The festivals of popular saints (Santo Antônio, São João and São Pedro), also known as caipiras festivals, are popular Brazilian festivals especially celebrated in the Northeast and Southeast regions.
These parties are celebrated with square dancing, and with traditional foods and drinks of the time (such as hominy, popcorn, cornmeal cake, rice pudding and mullet).
In addition to the bonfire, many games in June are present at these parties, which are decorated with flags and colorful paper balloons. They are: jail, courier, fishing, among others.
Other celebrated parties
Check below a list with some more typical festivals celebrated in the Southeast Region.
- Feast of Senhor Bom Jesus de Pirapora
- Bumba party my ox
- Kayapó Party
- Cavalcades Party
- Congo party
- Feast of the Divine
- Yemanja's Party
- Cowboy Party
- Folia de Reis or Reisado
- Ox Kings Feast
- New Year's Eve party
- Rosary Feast
- Ticumbi Party
Southeast Region Dances
Check below some of the dances present in the culture of the Southeast Region.
shoots arrows
It is a dance of a religious nature, in praise of São Sebastião, typically from Espírito Santo. In this dance, the dancers (men and women) use two arrows each to mark the rhythm along with the tapping of the feet.
Mineiro-stick
It is a typical dance from Minas Gerais that only has the participation of men, who use wooden sticks to mark the rhythm of the choreography.
Other dances from the Southeast Region
- Batuque
- Capoeira*
- Catira
- caxambu
- Ciranda
- Congo
- Azorean dance
- German dance
- green cane dance
- anteater dance
- Dance of St. Gonçalo
- old men's dance
- fandango
- funk
- jongo
- Gang
- scarf samba
* Originally, capoeira is a martial art that mixes fight, culture, sport, dance and music.
Southeast Region Music
With regard to music, the best known musical expression in the Southeast region comprises the following styles:
- Bossa nova
- Pagoda
- Samba
- Cry
- funk
- Lundu
Tourist attractions in the Southeast Region
Despite being known for famous beaches such as Copacabana beach, the two symbols that reflect tourism in Rio de Janeiro are the Christ the Redeemer, (also called Corcovado because of the hill where it is located) and the Sugar Loaf cable car.
In the state of São Paulo, one of the great highlights in terms of tourist attractions is the Ibirapuera Park.
In the state of Minas Gerais, among the various tourist attractions, one of the most outstanding places is the historic center of the city of Ouro Preto.
Finally, as one of the main tourist attractions in the state of Espírito Santo, we have the Pedra Azul State Park.
Cuisine of the Southeast Region
Rio de Janeiro is the home state of Brazil's best-known Brazilian dish in the world. The so well known and appreciated Beans and pork it is a carioca delicacy.
São Paulo is the second city in the world that consumes the most pizza and, therefore, it has great pizzerias.
In Minas Gerais, the Minas cheese or Minas cheese, the cheese bread and also the dulce de leche are highly appreciated at the national level.
In Espírito Santo, in turn, the typical dish is moqueca capixaba, a dish that is accompanied by pirão.
Other Southeastern dishes
The gastronomy of the Southeast region is very rich. In addition to the dishes above, we still find:
- Angu
- Cod cake
- Cornmeal cake
- couscous
- Crumbs
- Tropeiro beans
- Cassava or cassava
- pirão
- Facing São Paulo
- bean tutu
Myths and Legends of the Southeast Region
A series of myths and legends bring richness to the folklore of the Southeast Region. See some examples.
Werewolf
The Werewolf is represented by a man who transforms into a wolf on a full moon night.
Headless mule
The headless mule is represented by a donkey that, in place of the head, has flames of fire.
Other myths and legends from the Southeast Region
- invisible horse
- Curupira
- mass of the dead
- bogeyman
Stay on top of everything about folk legends and myths by checking the texts below:
- Legends of Brazilian Folklore
- Legends of the Southeast Region
- African legends
- Indigenous Legends
Religion in the Southeast Region
Due to Portuguese influence, most of the population in the Southeast region is Catholic.
Religion is present in important cultural marks located in this region of Brazil.
The Basilica of Nossa Senhora Aparecida, in São Paulo, for example, is the second largest basilica in the world, second only to the Basilica of São Pedro, in the Vatican.
Our Lady Aparecida is the patron saint of Brazil and, thus, on the day dedicated to her (October 12), thousands of devotees head to the Catholic church.
Christ the Redeemer, in Rio de Janeiro, was considered one of the seven wonders of the modern world and is also in second place, worldwide, in terms of the greatest sculpture of Christ.
The statue is a tourist attraction for Brazil in the world.
The Church of São Francisco de Assis, in Minas Gerais, was considered one of the seven wonders of Portuguese origin in the world.
The famous sculptor known as Aleijadinho worked for nearly three decades on its architecture.
Convento da Penha, in Espírito Santo, is one of the oldest sanctuaries in Brazil and is considered historical and cultural heritage. It is the biggest tourist attraction in the state.
Other religions of the Southeast Region
- Spiritism
- Umbanda
- Candomblé
- Evangelical religion
- Buddhism
- Messianism
- Anglicanism
Games of the Southeast Region
As in other regions of Brazil, the great cultural diversity of the Southeast is also reflected in traditional games.
O All Matter separated a selection of the best known games and games in the Southeast Region of Brazil. Check out!
- Blind snake
- Hopscotch
- Marble
- Stick or stick in the can
- flag or flag stealer
- Yellow cow
- Cockfight
Curiosities about the Southeast Region
- The oldest city in Brazil, São Vicente, is in the Southeast Region, more specifically in the state of São Paulo.
- Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the most municipalities, accounting for a total of 853.
- Rio de Janeiro was once the capital of Brazil.
- The largest port complex in Latin America is in the Southeast Region of Brazil. It is the Port of Santos, in the state of São Paulo.
- The Southeast is the most populous Brazilian region.
folklore quiz
Don't stop here! Toda Matéria has selected a series of very rich texts to help you complement your studies.
- Cultural diversity in Brazil
- Brazilian culture
- Northeast culture
- Southern culture
- Midwest Culture
- Northern Culture: know its wealth!
