Hard to believe but here we are at the end of the year once again! And again, it was an amazing year here at BW of Brazil! The fabulous writers who contributed material to this blog this year can’t take all of the credit for the success as it was you, the reader, who found the material and often times shared it in other communities where it resonated with new readers. THANK YOU for finding the material on this blog intriguing, whether the news brought a smile to your face and presented another reason why serious changes need to be made in our world.
To finish the year, we will repeat what we did this time last year: feature the top 10 most read articles between January 1st of 2014 and December 31st, today. This list is based solely on which articles attracted the most readers between that time period. As we post material, for the most part, everyday, and the list only contains the top 10, there is a lot of great material that you won’t find on this list. No problem. That’s what the search box is for! The goal here at BW of Brazil is to present news from Brazil from the perspective of race regardless of whether the story will attract a lot of visitors, although that’s always a plus. Sometimes important news won’t always be the most popular story, but that’s OK with us, because we will continue in this format in the coming year!
With that said, let’s get to the list!
Coming in 10th place was a piece about a contest that aimed to appreciate afro textured hair in its natural state. Hair is a topic that will always be popular here as Brazilian society’s obsession with a Eurocentric standard of beauty has been destructive to the construction of a positive identity and self-acceptance for so many women. This contest was so necessary and regardless of who won, ALL of these women were winners!
For 9th place, the title says it all! Of course it’s not possible to able to choose only 10 of Brazil’s most beautiful black women as there is an abundance of beauty all over the country. But these women are just a few of the most beautiful famous faces.
9. The Top 10 Most Beautiful Black Women of Brazilian television
In 8th place is a holdover from last year. The topic of interracial relationships will always be a hotly debated topic which is why this post makes the top 10 for the second year in a row! The debate on this topic will continue in the future as social networks are always on fire when it comes to mixed relationships and it’s no different in Brazil. This post and many others show that, in Brazil, interracial relationships cannot always be seen simply as two people having fell in love. Something to think about!
8. White women for marrying and the Brazilian solution to race: the elimination of the black race
Coming in 7th place is a holdover from 2013 and last year’s number one post! As this post is written in English and from the perspective of race, it’s a timely piece as more and more (black) people in English speaking countries are learning that some of the same racial issues that affect them in their countries can also be found in Brazil. It’s also timely in the fact that in debuted a few months before Carnaval, a major reason that so many people hear about Brazil in the first place. A message to the millions of male tourists that come to Brazil every year: The black woman is not your sex object!
7. A message to the African-American community on stereotypes about Brazilian women
In 6th place, is a discussion on a topic that many black and white Brazilians will note if they’re honest with themselves. Is it a rule that Brazil’s top black soccer stars always have white wives? Is it an unwritten rule? Combined with regular incidents of racism both on the field and in the society in general, this topic will continue to be discussed as more black Brazilians learn to cope with racism and the promotion of white supremacy.
6. Why do black soccer players who denounce experiences with racism always seem to have white wives?
In 5th place is a piece that should fascinate anyone interested in the African Diaspora and the peculiarities of Brazil’s 350 some odd years of the inhumane practice of human bondage.
5. 25 curious facts about slavery in Brazil
In 4th place was a controversial incident that sparked debate long after it happened. The discussions surrounded stereotypes of race, criminality, solutions and human rights. Anyone who learned about this young man’s ordeal must ask themselves if they really believe “we are all equal” as the popular Brazilian saying goes.
4. How Brazil treats its black people: Naked black male found pinned to a post by his neck in Rio
In the 3rd was an event organized by a group in Rio de Janeiro. It was bound to be a popular story as it combined two popular topics. An Oscar winning film and Brazilian society’s apparent problem with seeing large numbers of black people frequenting shopping malls, which was blatantly displayed during the so-called “rolezinho” gatherings.
Number two is a feature that will continue to attract readers as long as its subject, Neymar Jr., continues to dominate futebol fields. During the Brazilian team’s 2014 World Cup appearance at home (that ultimately ended in its greatest embarrassment in history), people from all over the world became fascinated with the Brazilian boy wonder. But as this blog’s main focus is not sports, the questions about Neymar that readers of this site had had to do with interests in Neymar’s race, his parents and why his son Davi looks so white. No, I’m not making this up! At their peak, variations of these questions were sometimes the most popular inquiries leading people to the blog. On one day in particular, during the World Cup, out of the ten most popular search terms leading readers to the blog, eight were about Neymar. This fascination with the player mixed with the topic of race from a Brazilian perspective is sure to continue in 2015!
And coming in at number one was a shocking photo was circulated in a number of social networks. Posted shortly after the incident featured in number 4, this incident actually happened first. As we have seen in the past year, the treatment of black people throughout the world continues to provoke outrage, protest and concern, as well it should! And as we can see from a number of incidents coming out of Brazil just in the past year, this country has many issues to deal with if it ever intends to be an actual “racial democracy” as it has always claimed. In fact, judging from this photo, surely a lot of people were reminded of another infamous human rights violation. The one that lasted for 350 years in Brazil and is discussed came in number in our list of top stories.
So there you have it! The top stories of 2014! Remember, these although these posts were the most popular, with a little more than three years on record, there are countless great stories, interviews, photos and reports to be found here. So scroll down and make use of the search box to the right of this screen. You’re sure to find something that will spark your interest! Again, thanks for a great year, have a great 2015 and please do help spread the word about Black Women of Brazil. We’ll see you here again tomorrow!
This excellent work you do please continue in changed the writing so very well done thankyou
Your articles bring light where no others appear to be shining. Keep things real and strong.
This is a great blog. I love reading the new posts you put up. I also enjoy the debates that go on here. It’s always good to have a discussion on important topics.
A fresh start is a moment of hope and great expectation, may you begin this year with boundless joy, joyful spirit and abundance of God’s favor. 🙂
Happy New Year to you! And also thanks much for your consistent support on this blog!
Look forward to the new year and BW of Brazil will continue bringing the goods!
Thanks a lot. I appreciate the kind words.
I have enjoyed this blog and the ongoing dialogue SO much! It has really helped to shape my understanding of the Brazillian mind about race issues here, and it has helped to give me a better understanding of my place in this society as an African American living in Brazil. I have also enjoyed the many history lessons scattered throughout the blog! Please keep doing your work and spreading awareness to all!
Happy New Year to you and thanks so much for your support! It’s great to know that there are people that really appreciate the blog and having open dialogue on issues presented. It’s not always necessary to agree on things. Sometimes, new understandings come out of the dialogue that may not have happened if everyone agreed on everything!!
Curious, where are you living and what brought you to Brazil?
All the best,
BW of Brazil
Hi Gatas!
To answer you:
I have the heart of a gypsey and I really wanted the experience of living outside the US, though I love my country. I tried Europe fist because I did not have the confidence to try to live in a non-English speaking country. I discovered that Europe had nice countries to visit, but most were cold or a bit too underdeveloped or performing poorly economically for my taste. Also, none of them are particularly good at absorbing immigrant populations – unlike Brazil or the US
But it was in Europe that I discovered Brazilians! I had never met any in the US – I think because they tend to move to specific places and add to existing communities there.
I met my “nordestino” husband there. He is one who grew up with the idea that places like US and Europe are inherently “better” than Brazil. Well, after visiting Brazil, it quite clear that Brazil is much more modern than he imagined it to be, and with more oportunities. I also liked that I was potentially Brazilian when people looked at me (rather than permanently “foreign” because of my skin).
We visited his family in the northeast and I experienced the heat, music, and food that made me feel like I was back in grandma’s kitchen! After that, I was DONE with Europe! I helped my husband to change his view of Brazil ( I later learned about the “complexo de vira lata”) and see that it is not a “third world country” as many continue to imagine it to be. I pointed out that places like Greece, many parts of Italy, Poland, Romania, Ireland, etc. were more “third world” than the major city ans small towns I had seen when we visited his family.
We made the move and it has been one of the best choices of my life! There is an unseen umbilical chord that connects the northeast of Brazil to the southeastern regions of the US. I see it when I attend a Candomble ceremony, or see a group of Brown and Black women laughing in the kitchen. I am not “too loud” or “overly emotional” in Brazil. I am just another woman. It is easy to make friends and develop a full life here…So I stayed!