Tulza to Brasil and Back
Our Tulsa bureau chief, Dr. Steve, is just back from Brazil. We had asked him to take notes, hoping that he might find the answer to George Bush’s question. When he was told that 3 Brazilian soldiers had been killed in Iraq, W asked, “How many is a Brazilian?”
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We left Dec 18 and returned two days ago on a Cornell trip to Brazil, which is Brasil there. The sort of trip one spends travelling.
Four days on the Rio Negro, a tributary to the Amazon and it has many of its own tributaries. We were 1000 miles from the ocean, and the river varies from a mile or more wide. Yes, lots of jungle, and here is a fact: Brazil has 137 different species of monkey.
We did take the train to see the 90 foot Jesus. We were told the architect-builder was Jewish.
Brazil is a Catholic country. History of importing 3 million slaves, who were freed in 1888 and who had no choice but to become Catholic. That is no longer a law, and 48% of blacks have returned to their tribal religions or incorporated some elements of those rites. I am not sure I understood that, although I agreed with the sentiment.
Our guides quoted a historian who wrote that after 500 years of missionaries and governments helping the natives in the jungle, virtually every tribe is worse off. Like our own experience here in Indian country.
We returned to find Rick Santorum is still here, speaking of aborigines.
Ellen is with David and his family in Arizona for tonight’s Fiesta Bowl. I went to one Fiesta Bowl and hated every minute of it, so I am here in Tulsa. Our grandson is the Stanford drum major, so he will dress absurdly, as is the custom.
It is my understanding that at one time football was a game.