Happy New Year!

The Offering

Each country has its customs for insuring that the upcoming year will bring abundance in health, happiness and wealth. In the States, we eat black-eyed peas on January 1st.


New Years is a very special occasion in Brazil. Everyone wears white. Several rituals  have to do with being on the beach, so Rio de Janeiro is a favorite celebration location.

While Brazil claims to be a Catholic country, the African influence is undeniable. Their gods and goddesses mesh with Catholic saints.

Here a Bahian lady offers flowers to the most popular African deity - Iemanjá, Queen of the Sea. At New Years Brazilians and tourists alike, throw flowers into the ocean for her to bring them good luck.

Other traditions are: jumping 7 waves, eating 7 pomegranate seeds, saving 7 pomegranate seeds inside a tiny red cloth tied up with red string, eating lentils...OK, the list goes on and on, but you get the picture. Fireworks explode in the skies and people toast the New Year with champagne!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  ( PRÓSPERO ANO NOVO!)

All paintings on my blog are for sale. For more info write me at mdiggs@mdiggs.com
Visit: www.mdiggsart.com, too.