The author Thiago de Mello, the singers Dona Onete and Gaby Amarantos, the rhythm Marabaixo… These and other cultural expressions are part of the Amazonian way of being, living, and creating. These manifestations are as diverse as the Amazon itself – built by different identities in the region – such as the indigenous, African, European, and other migratory influences.
A multiplicity of contemporary cultures and artistic expressions attract the attention of Brazil and the rest of the world. The diversity of rhythms, such as “carimbó” (a type of rural dance from Pará) and “toada” (a simple and monotonous melody); in gastronomy, “tucupi” (an Indigenous yellow sauce), açaí, guarana, and “pirarucu” (a river fish); in the celebrations and its symbols, such as the porpoises at the Sairé Festival, the oxen at the Festival of Parintins and the Círio de Nazaré rope; in the artistic and literary representatives, such as Fafá de Belém, Milton Hatoum, Jaloo, and many others.
Outside Brazil, the Amazon remains consistent in its cultural diversity, either by the Joropo dance, typical of Venezuela; by the Colombian rhythm Bambuco or by the Peruvian literature, represented by Arturo Hernández, Ana Varela and others.
The Amazon is made up of music, artifacts, flavors, fashions, folklore, graffiti, and other expressions mixing influences from the past and modernity, renewing itself daily. And that wealth is infectious to everyone. Preserving the Amazon also means experiencing its culture. Keep it pulsating and spread it around. Eternalize it. The Amazon of tomorrow is already happening today through the art and culture of its people.
