Ilha Grande Local Customs

In most of the restaurants on the island, the meals are all served for 2. It seemed to me that surprising amount of solo travelers were on the island and the person that I was traveling with and I have very different taste, so we thought that it would be difficult to dine on a budget...then we asked if the meals can be prepared for 1 and they all could. Good to know...

Vila do Abraao is comprised of two different social worlds of habitants, the humans and the dogs. The dogs of Abraao can be seen strutting aimfully around the island streets either alone or with friends on their way to....well, wherever they are going??? The dogs of Abraao are not strays, they share a symbiotic bond with both the island itself and the people that live there. They stroll through restaurants as you dine, but do not beg for they have been trained collectively by everyone who works on the island. They are healthy for the most part and appear to have full bellies at all times. They are more affectionate than most housepets and it is not uncommon for one of them to lovingly lay against you as you watch the sunset, or for a puppy to climb in your lap as you read a book. They love to be loved! We met Lula (as we named her) at dinner, our first night and saw her at all hours of the day and night cutting out around the streets and stopping to say Hi. If you are a dog lover, you will be mesmerized at how an entire community of dogs can live freely and happily without fights and without packs and without owners. Amazing!

This wood boat,built in 1910,still serving the island,a faithful server,was always there for all kinds of missions,saving people,helping to build the island,bringing food and medicines,the doctors from far away places.
It saw many tragedies and happiness,deaths and newborns.
Today,the boat serves the fire dept in the island!

FULL MOON NIGHTS:the natives met in big groups,in front of the local church,drinking coffee and eating tipical cakes ( BOLO DE FUBA or BOLO DE MANDIOCA ),and apreciate the full moon!!
MERCHANDISING:natives used to switch their first needs,changing coconuts,bananas and other fruits for fishes.
EVERY MONDAY:the natives from Abraao beach lighted candles in the main cross,in front of the beach,in honour of the death ancestrals.
A very interesting fact was the many cases of " inocent " incests that happened here.
Many children left their villages and went to live in other villages,growing by themselves,far away from their families,with no contact with them at all!
Many years after,they found themselves married to sisters or brothers who they didn't meet anymore and could not recognize.
ESCAPING FROM THE PRISON:many prisoners who tryed to run away from the jail,switched their shoes side, the heel instead the fingers,to confused the guards who searched for them.
All the tips here I learned during my visit at the historical museum,and are only a few examples of many more curiosities!

" CALANGO ",is the name of the natives tipical dance.
The nights when the comunity met to dance and sing,where a big happy celebration,the songs tipically are happy songs.
The light for the party was provided by torchs,the songs were played with accordions and triangles.
The party started in a certain village,and than,the inhabitants of the other villages joined,following the noises of the party,climbing and walking till the place!
After-party was a walk to the cascades,to an early morning bath!

The natives from the colonization time,were a mix of indians ( TAMOIOS TRIBE ),Portugueses,Spanish,English,French and Dutches ( the pirates or slaves dealers who passed by..) and Africans.
These natives lived here till 80 years ago!
Their cultural customs are a mix of all those cultures as well!

Once again the Pousada shows off a wonderful side garden of flowering plants. I admit I do not know the names of the plants.

Well the only bananas we see in Canada are either shipped in from the Tropical Countries or are in a Conservatory. On Ilha Grande they grow in the garden at the Agua Viva Pousada.