A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2013.
Part 46:
Paraty (RJ) – Wall lanterns
Paraty (RJ) – Namoradeira
Paraty (RJ) – Wall lantern
BParaty (RJ) – Namoradeira
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2013, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2013.
Part 46:
Paraty (RJ) – Wall lanterns
Paraty (RJ) – Namoradeira
Paraty (RJ) – Wall lantern
BParaty (RJ) – Namoradeira
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2013, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories
165. Namoradeira
JUNE 2008: Namoradeira
When you wander around in a random street in the smaller towns of the state of Minas Gerais, you have great chances of being stared at by a beautiful young woman. Most of these women are slightly tanned or dark, with a glamorous look in their eyes. Almost perfect, you might say. If you approach these women a little bit, they do not turn off their look. On the contrary, they continue to stare at you. Not surprising, because they are made of wood or plaster. These so-called namoradeiras are typical examples of the Minas Gerais culture. In the conservative places in the interior of the state, young women were not allowed to walk alone on the street, but were kept at home. A young man with great interest for such a young woman had to ask the father of his daughter’s hand. To attract attention of the young men, the young women leaned at the window. The wooden or plaster namoradeiras are offered for sale at local markets, as I encountered this one at the famous Feira Hippie in Belo Horizonte.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2008, 2016
Feira Hippie has nothing to do with hippies in general. It is an open air market, on Sundays, in the morning, in the center of Belo Horizonte. The largest market of Southern America, according to the tourist site, counts more than 2500 expositors, which offer a wide variety of arts, jewelry, toys, bags, shoes, furniture, decoration, clothes, and other things. Besides, there are various stands that offer local snacks and cold drinks. The Feira started in 1969, at Praça da Liberdade. With the years, the market expanded. In 1991, due to shortage of space, the market had to be moved to Avenida Afonso Pena, and now welcomes about 100 thousand visitors.
A namoradeira is a sculpture that is a typical product of Minas Gerais. It generally is made of wood, but can also be made of ceramics, plaster, or resin. The brightly painted sculpture represents a young girl, normally with a dark skin, with one arm supporting her head, and another crossed over her chest. A pose of a young, single girl, who is impatiently waiting for her lover. The sculpture usually is placed in the window.
The original picture was taken in July 2008