Eva Cassidysinging People Get Ready by Curtis Mayfield
“Tomorrow, you can choose policies that invest in our middle class, create new jobs, and grow this economy so that everyone has a chance to succeed. You can choose hope over fear, unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo. If you give me your vote, we won’t just win this election — together, we will change this country and change the world.”
Senator Barack Obama
Wall Street Journal
November 3, 2008
Oi Gente!
This is it. Tomorrow is the day we’ve all been waiting for. This election year has been emotional and full of drama. You’ve got to admit it was great being so involved and so fueled by a presidential election. I’ve never missed an opportunity to vote since I became an American citizen and I can’t wait to cast my vote tomorrow for Barack Obama. It is a priviledge to be part of such a historic moment. My family back in Bahia say they will all be with me in spirit tomorrow when I vote. I know they will.
A few things you should know before going to the polls tomorrow:
A fresh voice out of Maranhão, in Northeastern Brazil, Aline de Limasucceeds in creating the perfect score for my tense-filled soul; helping me to soar above the stress. Whether she sings in Portuguese, perfect French and even Swedish, her lush voice echoes Maranhão. One cannot separate Maranhão from Aline. She is a testament to this land of ripe fruit and endless mangroves, sand dunes and exotic birds. It is no accident that Aline brings such beautiful gifts to her latest CD, Açai . Her music will make you want to take off your shoes and feel the moist earth beneath, take a moment to hear the rustling of the babaçu palms or wade in the lagoons of the Lençóis Maranhenses.
“My friends” I’ve been hearing a lot about taking off the gloves, kitchen sinks and swift boat politics. We are nearing the end of a long presidential campaign. It’s do or die now and it is clear that the Republican party is in deep trouble. There is nothing else to do but attack.
In the first presidential debate Senator McCain could barely bring himself to look at Senator Obama. In the second, he sought to dehumanize Senator Obama by referring to him as“that one”. We should not be surprised at this. It’s no mystery how McCain feels personally about Obama. The point is that all these attacks are the desperate acts from a Republican party falling apart.
While McCain was out of sorts, Obama was poised and confident. McCain was stiff and at times seemed as if he may be suffering from a little constipation. It is clear not just to me, but to the country why “that one” won the debate again last night and why “that one” will be the next president of the United States.
Recently, I had the opportunity to see Menelaw Sete’s work up close and personal. My good friend purchased a piece on a recent trip to Bahia. MenelawSete is internationally known as the “Picasso of Brazil.” It’s easy to compare MenelawSete’s work to Picasso. You can see elements of cubism in the way the forms are taken apart and analyzed according to their shapes. I was immediately taken by his use of color and the distinct Afro-Brazilian flavor he brings to each painting.
As I learn more about MenelawSete, it is his off-the-wall personality and how he expresses this in his work that is so fascinating. This Bahiano has been painting since childhood and started to make inroads in the 80’s upon completion of his formal art training. His work has been exhibited in galleries throughout Europe, the US, South America and Asia. Should you find yourself in Bahia, you must visit his galleryin the historic district of Pelourinho.
Ah…Bahia. How I miss you. It seems like Friday’s are days of great saudades (longings) for me. I want to leave work and suddenly find myself on a beach in Bahia eating acaraje from a street vendor. I would think nothing of stuffing my face with a few of those crunchy bean fritters with an icy cold beer.
Forgive me for being biased but Bahia has to be one of the most interesting states in Brazil. It’s cultural history (African, Portuguese and indigenous), music, art, literature, cuisine and laid-back lifestyle draw people from all over the world. Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking of going back home to live. I have these grand ideas of the house I would build. It would be eco-friendly of course, using materials found only in Brazil. It would be open and large enough to host lavish gatherings with friends yet cozy enough to kick back. One day Bahia, one day.
When I found Living in Bahia by Angelica Taschen, I screamed. The publishers of this beautiful book really took the time to find the most extraordinary homes and places in Bahia to feature. The book takes you from simple fisherman’s huts to amazing modern homes by some of Brazil’s most notable architects. They even give you a little peak into singer and composer Caetano Veloso’shome in Salvador.
It’s always tudo bem in Bahia!
You can purchase the book online through:
TASCHEN Books ( you can thumb through all the pages in the book. Amazing!)
Brazilians are paying close attention to US politics, especially the presidential race. For Afro-Brazilians in Bahia and in other parts of Brazil, it is empowering to see someone that looks like your uncle or brother running as president of the United States. You can’t go anywhere in Bahia without seeing something related to Obama. My sister who just came back from Bahia sent me this photo. The words on the poster translate to “The Power has shifted”. Is it me or is Barack Obama looking very Bahiano in this poster?
Did you know that under Brazilian law, a political candidate is allowed to run under whatever name they want on election materials? Hoping to bank on Obama’s popularity, many during the upcoming elections have chosen to run with the name Obama. A candidate for town council in Petrolina, Brazil is campaigning under the name “Barack Obama” even though his real name is Alexandre Jacinto. The candidate is even pushing a Yes, We Can” message.
There are no reports of any candidates running under the name “John McCain.”
MichelleObama was truly bossa last night. In Brazil, to do something with Bossa is to do it with particular flair and charm. I couldn’t help thinking of an old Bossa Nova tune when I saw Michelle walk out to give her speech. She was smooth, full of passion, true elegance and full of love for her husband and family.
It’s taken me some days to post this entry because it is so personal to me. When I learned of Dorival Caymmi’s passing last week, it took me to a nostalgic place.
My avô (grandfather) was a big fan of Caymmi and in many ways the two favored each other in appearance. Upon my avô’s death he left a collection of old recordings to my dad; among them were many of Dorival Caymmi’s albums.
When we first came to the States, my dad would play Dorival on Sunday afternoons. I would break down and cry. I would ask him to take me back to Brazil. That I missed my grandparents or that it was just too cold here. After a while I got used to life in America and it was comforting to hear Dorival’s voice in our New York City apartment; especially during those long, cold and dark winters. Every time I hear Dorival’s songs it reminds me of that time and how we got through those first years in a new country.
Dorival Caymmi left his native Bahia as a young man to go to Rio. There at the age of 16 he wrote his first hit “O Que É Que a Baiana Tem”(What is it about Bahian women?). This was Carmen Miranda’sfirst hit. It is said that it was Dorival who taught Carmen how to shake her hips like a Bahiana. Dorival wrote over 100 songs and recorded 20 albums. His musical style was based on Afro-Brazilian rhythms and the folkloric sounds of Bahia. Antonio Carlos Jobimcalled him a “universal genius” and our country’s greatest composer.
Dorival is a Brazilian national treasure who will be greatly missed.
I am convinced. Michael Phelps is an amphibian. You can’t help but stand in admiration of the man. He is simply an amazing athlete to watch. Last night was especially sweet for me. Brazil’s Cesar Cielo Filho won the men’s 50m freestyle final. Cesar Cielo Filho won the gold medal in an Olympic record time of 21.30. Thank you Cesar. I was beginning to feel some kind of way.
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