Brazzil - Brazil - June 2004
 

Last weekend I became a free man again. Since Easter I have been kept busy with the small matter of the London elections where I was a candidate. Every other evening and on Saturdays and Sundays I would be out with a small team of helpers, delivering leaflets, knocking on peoples’ doors, surveying residents and talking to voters in the market.

Then it all stopped. Polling day came and went, followed by the count the day after. After the results came out it became clear I wouldn't be easing my legs under a new desk at City Hall and so I went home, for a long lie-in.

But then I made the mistake of switching my computer on and checking my emails. As well as the usual spam offers of 'official' degrees, Viagra and promises to extend certain parts of my anatomy, there were a number of messages from people who had read my articles.

It might have been easier to avoid answering and delete them, but that wouldn't have been fair. Having made the effort to work their way through my sometimes impenetrable prose, and then write to me about it, they at least deserved a response (and I'm a sucker for compliments!). And so yesterday I sat down to work my way through the various comments sent to me by people I have never met—and perhaps never will.

Despite having posted it months ago, the story on Brazilian music and nightlife was still doing the rounds and generating interest, while other readers had points to make about the American Confederados who migrated to Brazil in the aftermath of the Civil War.

But amongst these various messages of support and criticism one theme seemed to have motivated my readers to write: where could they find further information about the subject matter in my articles? Could I direct them to a particular band or book? The tone of these messages suggested I was a guide of sorts, someone who could help navigate my readers through the Brazilian community here in London.

This idea tickled me, not least because I never thought of myself as anything of the kind. Although I’m a (bad) speaker of Portuguese and know some of the local Brazilian hangouts in London, I don’t pretend to know it all. Indeed, I am probably more of an outsider than most. I may have been born in Brazil and lived there as a child, but if truth be told, I’m more English than Brazilian.

But then I realised that is probably the best position to be: neither completely on the inside, or indeed on the outside. It’s a good vantage point from which to observe the comings and goings of London-based Brazil.

So I wrote back to my readers, trying to help them with their requests. I gave them the fruits of my knowledge, which really wasn’t very much at all.

While I was doing this, I suddenly realised what I should write about next, now that the elections were over. Instead of writing to each reader individually, giving them the same advice, I would put together an article about it. I would write about the resources I use to gather information about Brazilian life in London and the UK.

Brazilian London

And so here it is: the Guy Burton Guide to Brazil in London. I will be the first to admit that it’s far from comprehensive and bound to miss things out. But as a first step into finding out more about Brazil in London for my readers, I hope that it’s a start.

So where to begin? Perhaps with the most obvious: the Brazilian Embassy - www.brazil.org.uk. Their website has improved dramatically over the last year. I would like to think it has something to do with the new ambassador, who took up the reigns in March last year.

Not only does it have information about the country, which can be used in the classroom (teachers take note), its front page lists all Brazilian-themed events and happenings which are taking place in the UK.

Recently the embassy has been involved in work to raise the profile of Brazilian style and culture, which culminated in a month-long marketing spree during May, the most obvious example being the ‘Brazilianisation’ of Selfridges on Oxford Street.

As well as a Christ the Redeemer mock-up on its façade, the windows were taken over by Brazilian fashion designers and their work, while inside the store, a range of promotions were on offer. In the basement a bar had been set up, from which fruit juices and açaí were on offer. Compared to the rest of the store, it was down here that the local Brazilians had congregated for the best part of a month.

But the embassy doesn’t only involve itself with publicity like that in Selfridges. It was also one of prime movers of a meeting last August which brought together representatives of the Brazilian community, including preachers, academics, civic groups, and those British individuals, who have a connection with Brazil. The idea was to put together a consultative and advisory group which the diplomats at the embassy and consulate could tap into.

Called Diálogo Brasil, it established a presence on the embassy’s website and has broken itself into particular groups, which address particular subjects from immigration to advice on navigating other aspects of British bureaucracy to publicising upcoming events.

At its last meeting in February, it identified a range of groups and organisations which could be contacted on particular issues, from the Brazilian Society at the London School of Economics which puts on seminars about Brazil to Radio Vida Brasil (AM 558), which provides information to the community on a daily basis.

Beyond the embassy there are a number of print and electronic media which I make use of. Leros - www.leros.co.uk - is perhaps the granddaddy of them all, a Portuguese language magazine which has been going for more years than I can remember. As well as its listings guide, it carries a number of interviews with visiting Brazilian artists and musicians, as well as snippets of news from Brazil.

Much of the magazine is given over to advertising as well, which gives you an idea of the interests of Brazilians in London: evangelical churches vie for space with Brazilian restaurants and food shops and English language schools (which is one of the main reasons so many choose to come over).

And because Leros is targeted at Brazilians living in the UK, it will come as no surprise that many of the advertisers are hair stylists and waxing specialists, as well as cosmetic surgeons. Leaving the land of the beautiful bodies, Brazilians will not make do with second best in London.

Bilingual Fare

Jungle Drums - www.jungledrums.org, which began operating last year. Compared to Leros it has a more youthful presence and appeal—and doesn’t seem overrun with advertisers. For those who don’t speak Portuguese, or who are learning, it’s a good magazine to read: its articles are presented in Portuguese on one side of the page and English on the other.

Unlike Leros which tends to regurgitate stodgy news from Brazil, Jungle Drums offers stories about Brazilian culture in London. Recent stories have included the development of capoeira in London and the tropicalismo movement during the military dictatorship (when two of its main protagonists, Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, lived in exile in London for awhile).

Both magazines can be picked up at any of the Brazilian haunts in the city: usually the Brazilian restaurants like Terra Brasil near Euston and Paulo’s in Hammersmith. But I tend to go to the hidden café at the back of the Whistlestop newsagents on Oxford Street.

Over a feijoada I get to read the latest edition of Leros or Jungle Drums as well as look at the message board offering accommodation, cash-in-hand work and details of the next Brazilian party or event. Flyers are stacked by the cash till, announcing a forró party here, a capoeira grading ceremony there: everything the London-based Brazilian needs to know.

Oi! Londres - www.oilondres.co.uk - is another magazine which carries the usual details of Brazilian club nights and musicians. Through it I know that the Brazilian Summer Festival club nights will take place at the beginning of July, while later in the month Bebel Gilberto, Jorge Ben and Trio Mocotó will also be playing.

But it’s different to Leros and Jungle Drums in that it appears to be a primarily web-based operation. And besides its listings, its main feature seems to be about bringing UK-based Brazilians together electronically.

It has a blog where Brazilians’ observations about life in Britain are posted and news is publicised. A recent search brought up details of a new shop in Swindon which sold Brazilian food and the best place to buy women’s knickers like those you can get in Rio.

Visitors are also encouraged to share their experiences, which tend to focus on the shock of being properly cold for the first time (I’ve seen Cariocas walking around in Rio in gloves and woolly hats when the temperature dips to 18C!) and the challenges of making their way through life with very little knowledge of English.

For Researchers

As for those who are less interested in the latest gig or where to buy goiabada, and who want to do research, there are a number of really useful locations. Both the Institute of Latin American Studies and the London School of Economics have good collections of books about Brazil in their libraries, ranging from politics to sociology, history to economics.

Unfortunately, they’re not open to the public and readers need to get permission to use them, but I particularly find the LSE library a useful resource in my articles on Brazilian history.

Like many an immigrant community, many of the London-based Brazilians stick together. This is especially the case when they have recently arrived, in an unfamiliar, cold country where the language is strange and the day gets dark early.

They are therefore likely to be present in large numbers at any event or activity which has a Brazilian theme to it. But the trick is to find out where they will be. The easiest way of finding out is to have been at the previous event. But just as useful is to use the magazine listings or on the various websites as well.

So for Londoners keen to find out more about Brazil in their city, it’s not that difficult to do. Pop into a Brazilian restaurant and pick up a copy of the various magazines. Check out the Brazilian Embassy and Oi! Londres websites. But better still: talk to the Brazilians at the events. They know more than I ever will. They’re not hard to spot and they won’t bite. And hopefully you’ll be able to discard my guide and find yourself immersed in London’s Brazilian scene.

Guy Burton was born in Brazil and now lives in London. He has written widely on Brazil both for Brazzil and on his blog, Para Inglês Ver, which can be read at http://guyburton.blogspot.com. He recently stood as a candidate in the Greater London Assembly elections, where he came fourth in the City and East London constituency. He can be contacted at gjsburton@hotmail.com.