Religions and languages

Dogs and churches

Jesus is the star player; Jesus is the coach; Jesus is the ball. We walked towards the Fonte Nova stadium in Salvador peppered by the smilingest Brazilians handing out various evangelical pamphlets. (Stephen-I am still using one of them--the table of games--to follow the logistic maze set up by FIFA and Brazil.) A twenty piece drum band pounded out a driving beat, colorfully-dressed dancers led the parade down Avenida Joana Angelica, and tourists snapped photos of the spectacle. The performers cleverly mixed their Brazilian flag outfits with 'I only need Jesus' slogans. A banner read 'Jesus te amo' and another one 'Jesus loves you'.

Jesus Loves You

It is hard not to get caught in the spirit of the music as we walk to the stadium. Everyone crowded around, singing and dancing. I (Mery) am a little conflicted as I dance to the drums while the performers are holding anti-abortion and anti-sex trafficking-signs and pro-education. I like this music... uh..wait. Can i just dance for a couple of those agendas? And can I add a " pro-traffic and pedestrian safety" sign. It is an amazing feat to traverse the streets in Salvador avoiding sidewalk trenches, disappearing sidewalks, and what one can only describe as driving that knows no rules.

For the tourists: beer vendors and military police

Though we are not sure the evangelical group netted any new members on the day of the Germany-Portugal game, other evidence shows they may not have a bad strategy. The banks ask you to 'be like Brasil' and text #torcidabrasil [fa
n of Brazil] to show your support. Supermarkets have display after display of some soccer player, the FIFA emblem, and their product (Brahma, Budweiser, batteries, and bananas; Coca-Cola, coffee, chips, and candy...). Clothes stores of any station lead with flag-inspired fashions, and cafes all have flat screens with a game on. As we walked back from the stadium, a bit deflated by Germany's shalacking of poor (literally and figuratively) Portugal, we looked for baby Brazil shirts. In front, the small storefronts seem to only sell soccer souvenirs in the blue, green and canary yellow of Brazil. Once past the initial row of items, you see that the store really sells toilet seats, cheap plastic toys, shower curtains or yarn. 

The 'cheap' seats of Germany-Portugal

Many say that soccer is a religion in Brazil, but I'm not so sure. There's no collective emotion, no effervescence in those outside the bars and sometimes not in those inside, either. I sense they are more ambivalent. Or maybe many of them are non-observant soccerians or even rebellious deniers. Soccer seems to be the *language* of Brazil. It provides the unifying symbols to all communication and interactions. On a game day, it's impossible to not ask someone what they're doing for the game, whether they think Brazil will play with more style than they did in the opener, to not enjoy one of the cold advertised beers as you are watching. Half the street is green, and the other half is canary yellow. The blue sky completes the idea that God is indeed on Brazil's side. 

Companies have integrated soccer adjectives, colors, and trophies into their marketing. Doormen discuss the defeat of Ronaldo and the pugnacious pride of Pepe. Soccer street banners and dancers invite you to dance to the revelry of the Copa. And so, in the end, you buy cheap Brazil t-shirts for your baby and her abuelas, too. You want to speak Brazilian, too.  

Yellow, green, and blue

Overlooking the Bahia de todos os santos,
the second-largest bay in the world