Isabel Maria de Alcântara, Duchess of Goiás

What people wore

Informal home attire for men

Brazilian men often discarded stiff outer layers at home, wearing only a cotton shirt, knee-length breeches, and clogs. Only a few elite men owned nightgowns, which were used to signal worldliness and status.

Daily life

Eating Without Cutlery

Meals were often eaten without cutlery, using hands to shape manioc flour into balls, known as pirão, which were dipped into broth and meat.

Music

The popular Afro-Brazilian lundu dance

The lundu, an Afro-Brazilian dance characterized by sensual movements and syncopation, was performed in courtyards after the workday. While elites performed polite contra dances, the lower classes preferred the more expressive and energetic lundu.

At the table

Cassava flour and the pirão paste

Cassava flour was a staple eaten by all classes, often mixed with meat juices or broths to form a thick paste known as pirão, which was typically eaten with the fingers.

Getting around

Decorated lead mules guided the way

Lead mules were decorated with ornaments like peacock feathers, shells, and ribbons, and wore a bell to help guide the rest of the herd.