Berkley Center

My host mother was concerned she wouldn’t be in the house to greet us when me and my roommate arrived because she was running errands. Being the responsible woman we’ve learned she is, our host mom had a trustworthy friend of hers greet us and help us move into our new home.

Amal is a small, brown man from Rio de Janeiro with heritage from India. He was very welcoming and took us under his wing right away. After showing us the bus stops and supermarkets in the neighborhood, we began to relax at the house listening to Amal play the guitar.

Before we knew it, he had handed us booklets with an unknown beautiful Indian woman on the cover. He quickly flipped us to the same page where there was a four line poem he began to sing. Being our first day, we weren’t quite sure if it was in Portuguese or Hindi. If that doesn’t give you an indication of how lost we were, I don’t know what will! Amal paused briefly to praise Krishna, and tell us how he is the one we need to love with our whole heart. Then, he had us sing.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Hare Rama Hare Rama. We read off the paper uncertain of what exactly we were reciting. However, after several repetitions, we had the four easy lines memorized, and the pace picked up. My roommate, after five more minutes of repetitious singing, stood up to dance. Naturally, I joined.

Although I am a devout Roman Catholic, and as I previously believed Brazil to be as well, I willingly praised to the Hindu god Krishna by singing the same four lines about this god for 45 minutes with our new friend Amal. Secretly, I was hoping this wasn’t going to become a daily activity.

Once the confusion defused and everyday life in Brazil became ritual, I looked back on that first day to explore my first unanswered question (other than “What am I doing here?”). Isn’t Brazil a Catholic country? Yes, officially Brazil adopts Catholic traditions into the culture and government as approximately 75 percent of its people are Roman Catholic. Saints’ days are recognized by national holidays. Everyone blesses each other to part with God in one’s travels. Many people make the sign of the cross when passing in front of a church. Of course, there is the world renowned Christ the Redeemer overlooking the city in its entirety. Still, I never realized that this country is so rich with other religions.

Brazil also has a significant presence of Afro-Brazilian religions from the African and indigenous influence in the country’s history. I say significant not because of its number (hardly half a percent of the country practices), but because of the strength of the religion even in such a small number. Candomblé, for instance, is a religion that was brought to Brazil by the black slaves that were shipped from Africa to Brazil. The religion is most prevalent in Bahia, a coastal state of Brazil closest to Africa. Those who practice worship the gods, or orixás, many of which are fused with Roman Catholic saints.

Candomblé in Rio de Janiero, where I am currently studying, is also called Macumba but differs slightly as it resembles witchcraft. The holidays vary in traditions and rituals, but often they wear white because it is respectful to all orixás. All Brazilians wear white on New Year’s to represent peace, but very few realize this ritual comes from African traditions.

In all honesty, my daily reality does not encounter much of the Afro-Brazilian culture. However, I study at a Catholic university, translated as the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Similar to Georgetown, there is a cross in every single classroom, and I often see nuns on campus. Even more prominent in my daily life is Christ the Redeemer, who I can see from every point in the entire city.

I can’t help but feel his presence wherever I am because he is always there. Visiting this monument was the most wonderful view I have ever seen, and it is apparent to me how easily tourists are flushed with overwhelming emotions of gratitude and appreciation of their lives and of this beautiful world we live in when in his presence. Brazilians, and myself, are fortunate enough to be reminded of this every day with Christ constantly in their horizon.