POR AÍ

Tropical Christmas

Some of Brazil's greatest composers and singers have gathered around the Christmas tree for a Yuletide treat. It's A Brasilian Christmas with Brazilian spelled with an s. Just in time for Natal they are playing and singing the Season's favorite tunes: "Silent Night" by Dori Caymmi, "White Christmas" by Ivan Lins, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by Joyce, among others. Global, a newborn group with musicians from Rio and Los Angeles, created by Oscar Castro-Neves, gives new life to Bach's "Air on the G String" and Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy". They've redone these classics which are respectively called "Air on a Six String" and "Dance Natahl". A Brasilian Christmas is being released by Astor Place Recordings.

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Costly un-promotion

"Why does the Brazilian government send money and the green plutocracy's chiefs on a pleasure trip to New York when the tribes in the jungle are in a permanent state of penury?" The question was posed by weekly newsmagazine Veja after September's Amanaka'a Amazon Network's VII Amazon Week in New York. According to the publication Amanaka'a was able to get almost $1 million from the Brazilian government being $600,000 from Suframa (Superintendência da Zona Franca de Manaus -- Superintendence of Manaus Free Zone), $150,000 from the Environment Ministry, $100 from Ibama (Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis -- Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) and $50,000 from Embratur (- Empresa Brasileira de Turismo -- Brazilian Tourism Company).

And what did Brazil get in return? Silence in the Yankee press and just a couple of curious Americans looking at the Amanaka'a's shows and exhibits. The only real interested seemed to be Brazilians. The group is now inviting those interested in an expedition to the Amazon Rainforest "which is destined to make both news and history." People are being invited to apply at Amanaka'a's Web site at http://www.amanakaa.org. There is a form which needs to be filled up and mailed together with a deposit for $2,500. There's no date for the trip, however, and no final price for the expensive adventure.

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Back to Brazil

Miami's Brazilian consulate has never seen so many Brazilians asking for help so they can go back home. Since June there is a daily average of four people knocking at the consulate's door with the same problem: they are feeling the heat from the American INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service). Immigration agents in Florida have been constantly raiding companies that employ undocumented foreigners.

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A rare tribute

Terry Vogt, chairman of the Brazil Society of Northern California and president of ARBI Transnational, Inc., a financial advisory company, has been awarded the Ordem of Rio Branco, the highest honor bestowed on foreigners by the Brazilian government. Vogt, who worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil, has dedicated his career to pursue activities linked to that country. In 1986 he formed ARBI which is affiliated with the ARBI Group of Rio de Janeiro. Vogt received his award from the Consul General of Brazil in San Francisco, minister João Almino.

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