of woodcutters; and four or five farmers or other villagers of similar age and competence.

Among the
subjects most often discussed are various as¬ pects of local politics; activities connected with farming, the
cutting of timber and the building of roads; and the possibility of a rise or fall in the price of farm
products. Humorous anecdotes also are told and polite joking is indulged in.
A second group gathers regularly at the prin¬ cipal botequim, where drinks are sold and tables are
available for card playing. The composition of this group also is rather stable. It differs from that at the
venda of Seu Sebastiao in that there always are more young men than older men pres¬ ent. It also differs
in that almost never are any of the village leaders to be seen here; while there usually are present in the
group the three men who are especially noted for their consumption of alcoholic drinks. There is
considerable drinking and gambling. Most of the men spend the time they are here playing cards; one day
they will play truco, another day bisca, another day escopa. Com¬ munication is not of the sustained
variety like that at the venda of Seu Sebastiao. It consists princi¬ pally of exclamations or single phrases.
Complete sentences are rare. There is much laughing and joking. Voices often are raised suddenly, some¬
times simultaneously from two or more tables where games are in progress. Few anecdotes are told.
Hilarity is ordinarly occasioned by the unus¬ ual behavior of someone who has been drinking rather
freely. Sometimes, a chorinho 213 forms here, composed usually of three young men play¬ ing,
respectively, a cavaquinho, a violao, and a tamborine, and music will be added to the excite¬ ment of
playing cards, gambling, and drinking with one’s friends.
A third group gathers at the bakery. Its com¬ position is also relatively constant. Those present are almost
always boys and young men between 15 and 30 years of age. Rarely is an older man to be seen in the
group. Although liquor is also sold at the bakery, there is little drinking. Conversation is more sustained
than at the botequim; less sus¬ tained than at the venda of Seu Sebastiao. Among the topics of
conversation most frequently touched upon are women, soccer, and hunting, in that order. Other subjects
heard being discussed include mili-
*** Also called batucada.
tary service, drinking, a coming festa, the raising of song birds, and the ability to drive a truck. A
chorinho forms here more often than at the bote¬ quim, usually composed on each occasion of the same
four young men, who occasionally are joined by those who customarily play at the botequim.
Similar groups do not form at either of the other two vendas or at the second botequim. Although a few
men sometimes may be seen standing or talk¬ ing at each of these places, the composition of the
respective groups is more variable and the time of their forming is more irregular.
On Saturdays and rainy days, the principal points of reunion are the same as those in the eve¬ ning. On
Saturdays, the regular members of the different groups usually are joined by several farmers and their
older sons who have come to town to make weekly purchases. On rainy days, the men are together most
of the day. That night, however, the stores and botequim are closed earlier than on other days, usually by
6 or 7 o’clock.
On Sundays, three additional groups customar¬ ily form during the day. One of these is to be seen
conversing in front of the door of the church, especially at the termination of Mass; another at the coreto,
or sape-covered shelter with a raised platform (pi. 19, a), in the square in front of the church; and the third
in front of the venda of the Japanese storekeeper. By evening, however, these groups have broken up and
the same pattern pre¬ vails as on week days.
The periodic renewal of the communal life is symbolized on Sunday in the number of persons to be seen
on village streets. During the week, except on days of festa, and at the time when the bus goes through,
the streets are almost deserted, the number of persons to be seen in any one street at any one time being
quite negligible. On Sun¬ day, however, the situation changes. Beginning shortly after daybreak, several
persons may be seen in the streets. The number gradually in¬ creases up to a maximum at midday,
remains rather stable through the early afternoon, and declines as night approaches. This “pulsation” in
the com¬ munity’s life is evident in a count of persons seen during 2-hour intervals from daylight to dark
on a recent Sunday. It was made from the window of a house in the village, whence the principal street
and a part of the praqa could be seen. The count was as follows: