Festa Junina – A Festival of colours. Don’t colours just work miracles when you see them? When combined with the intensity of music, the intensity of colours can activate our emotions in fascinating ways. Sometimes, these feelings will find their expression in movement, for example dance. On top of this, delicious food and drinks are at hand, so it’s one of the best kinds of celebration!
Festa Junina in Berlin: Colours, Sounds and the Taste of Brazil
Festa Junina, or festas de São João, is held every year to celebrate the birth of John the Baptist. Introduced by the Portuguese, the festivities are especially popular in Brazil. In Berlin, Festa Junina fulfils the function of a cultural celebration. This event represents the Brazilian community in Berlin and invites people to join in so they can listen to music, dance, dress up and take part in many other cultural activities. Influenced by the customs of farmers, the event features traditional costumes and dances celebrating fertility of the land, typically represented by a bride, a groom and guests surrounding them in a mock wedding. The dancers then act out several rural stories. Music from accordions, triangles, guitars, fiddles and drums accompany these dances known as “quadrilha.” Needless to say, a great amount of food also goes into celebrating fertility.
The festival also features several games and competitions for children and adults, for example the one-legged race or the three-legged race, ring toss or dart toss. Whatever you pick, you will have endless amounts of fun. Games make you laugh, and laughter brings people together. Therefore, we have chosen Festa Junina as our next student event.
From DAS Akademie to Festsaal Kreuzberg
Because of the Corona crisis, we still haven’t decided a date to celebrate Festa Junina. Usually, Festsaal Kreuzberg is the venue of this colourful celebration. Now, have we mentioned that Festsaal Kreuzberg boasts a secret garden by the river? A lush touch of green on the water. Just the right setting for a summer festival!
All German course participants at DAS Akademie are invited to join in on the fun. So, just meet us this Saturday at the school and let’s go together!