Note from BW of Brazil: First of all, let me just say that it’s really good to see this layout. For those of you who may not be familiar with this young lady, let me give a brief background. Every year as Brazil’s world famous Carnaval season gets closer, the country’s top television network, Rede Globo, begins saturating the airwaves with the black woman known as the Globeleza. Dancing the samba and gyrating basically naked save for the body paint on her body. These short vignettes are aired several times per day as the countdown to Carnaval winds down. The title of Globeleza, while coveted by some women, is repudiated by other black women who see the depiction of a naked, gyrating black woman as simply a re-enforcement of one of the “places” that black women have long held in by Brazilian society, the other being the maid.
Over a period of 20 years there have now been four Globeleza girls, with the fourth and most recent having won the title in a controversial, televised contest to take over the title from the departing Globeleza of the previous eight years. Nayara Justina won the contest and reigned as the new Globeleza, but almost from the beginning, her victory and subsequent reign was marred by a series of humiliations. Viewers degraded her with all sorts of insults: she can’t dance a good samba, she’s not pretty and she’s too dark-skinned among other insults. The previous three Globeleza women were much lighter shades of brown skin, “mulatas”, as such women of visible African descent are often defined in Brazil. After the public hostility, Globo TV decreased the number of times her commercial aired everyday until the point that her clip wasn’t being aired at all. To add insult to injury, Globo announced that Nayara would be replaced after only one year as Globeleza. According to reports, Nayara went into a period of depression after the shock of the news.
As such, it’s good to see receive the support she received from many in the black community who felt her pain even with the continuous bitter pill to swallow that is the image of the hyper-sexual black woman always on display during Carnaval, advertisements and such. The debate over the long time depictions of black women and sexuality continue with the current TV series Sexo e as negas. November is Brazil’s Month of Black Consciousness, with the Day of Black Consciousness being November 20th. As such, Nayara was chosen to model a brand of Afro-oriented clothing in commemoration of the day and month which is celebrated in 300-350 cities throughout the country.
In honor of the Day of Black Consciousness, Nayara Justino does a photo shoot in African garb
Courtesy of Criativa Online – Photos: Eduardo Só/MF Models
The Day of Black Consciousness is on November 20, and Nayara was approached by the U’Z Criolos store in São Paulo, that specializes in African clothes to present a few styles.
Nayara Justino, known as the Globeleza do Povo (The People’s Globeleza), went through various issues of prejudice and racism in the final stretch of her post as the Globeleza girl, which led to her receiving support from various black groups in the country.
Sought by these groups, Nayara received quite a bit of support and became practically a black icon, against a different racism, that of the shade of her color, with phrases like “Ela é muito preta” (she’s very black), were made about her in the media.
In one of her comments to the press Nayara said: “I’m not mulata nor am I morena as they put (it), I’m negra (black), I’m very proud of that.”
The Day of Black Consciousness is on November 20, and Nayara was approached by the U’Z Criolos store in São Paulo, that specializes in African clothes to present a few styles.
The shoot is only being released now because of the time of arrival of the material and the production schedule, but the result was what was desired by the dancer, who was overjoyed and promises to come out in a turban in some event.
“Brazilianness mixed with African colors. They refer to a necklace piece to be always with you, close to the heart; working with hand-made bracelets with bright colors to highlight the beauty of the skin like polished and sophisticated pottery.
With the uniqueness and sophistication turbans come to enhance the beauty that was missing to model the head,” said Letícia Evaristo, owner of the brand and the one of those responsible for the Movimento Negro (black movement) in São Paulo.
Source: Criativa Online
Very nice. Never knew that there was a Black History Month in Brazil (called by a different name, of course) like there is in the United States. Thank you for sharing.
I am so happy to see Nayara overcoming the bullsh*t white supremacist notions that were thrown at her, and embracing her tru beauty! She is much more appealing to look at as the African queen that she is, rather than as a naked samba dancer fulfilling a stereotype! Team Nayara!
She is veeeery beautiful.
Wow! What a stunning woman! I’ve never heard of Nayara Justino before. I’ll have to research her and find out more. She is a true beauty! 🙂
I agree but I think it’s a shame that most Afro-Brazilian men would never look twice at her…Maybe that’s why she married who she married…Of course well can never judge without knowing the facts but it’s not hard to note a clear pattern!
Oh No! Tell me you’re kidding! She married one of them?? I can’t believe it! I am so sick of these brainwashed black men that wont give sistas a chance. I don’t know what they see in these pasty skinned women. They have no shape,hips or butt. Their bodies can’t compare to black women on any level. Some of these guys embarrass ne as a black man. I feel bad that she had to “cross over” to the other side. Damn! Lost another black goddess.