As a child , I remember watching those Brazillian festivals on TV. Their exotic, colorful and revealing costumes, well toned bodies, flashy and shiny make up and athletic performances that made their street festivals look so much fun. O! how I dream of Brazil. My parents travelled to Brazil and bought me this lovely spaghetti strapped dress. It had somany colors that it lit me up like a rainbow. I wore it till it became a skirt and I wore that skirt till it could fit me no more.

When I was twelve, I took part in the West Indies Festival in Lagos Nigeria. I was a Fire Bird, with a big bright orange head gear and fire feathers on my arms and my tails. We danced the streets, we showed off our colors, we wagged our tails as we made merry. I was having my own Brazillian Festival moment, one I would never forget.

Comming to America and learning so much more about the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, I have learnt that a lot of kidnapped Africans were taken to Brazil and enslaved there. The Brazillian culture has subsequently been highly influenced by Africans. The music, the dancing, the food, the dressing and so much more. No wonder I loved those Brazillian festivals so much.

Living here in the San Francisco Bay Area, I have found a touch of Brazil. It reminds me of how they sang ‘Le Fantasico’ as they paraded the streets of Brazil.