Week 13: The TV Tower Fair

Below the TV Tower along the fuselage part of the city, the Planalto, is an ongoing art fair. This market has people selling handicrafts, jewelry, furniture, clothing, leather goods, rock carvings and trinkets year round. We decided to start our Christmas shopping here with attempt to be mostly done with gifts to ship home by Thanksgiving.

We bought a musical instrument from a Bahian transplant to Brasilia who calls himself "O Mestre Angolar". He grows the bamboo and gourds and uses recycled materials to make musical instruments common in Brazil that are used in capoeira, a type of martial art and dance developed by African slaves. I purchased a berimbau (as demonstrated by O Mestre) for my mom. I think she'll get a kick out of trying to figure out how it works.

Here, the kids are watching this vendor and leather craftsman from Mato Grosso punch holes in a belt for Grandpa. Cattle ranching is a big part of the agriculture industry in Brazil, and leatherwork is quite common here. They make sandals, bags, hats, belts, shoes and many other things from leather. For the most part, the objects have a rough, hand-made look to them.

I really wanted the terra cotta St. Francis, a very popular saint in Brazil, but I didn't want to add any more weight to our household goods. I think this style of pottery is characteristic of the southern part of Bahia.