August in Brazil

Larry Rohter, finally reporting from Brazil again reports on the antipathy Brazilians have toward August:

Nearly every Brazilian is familiar with the rhyme "Agosto, mês do desgosto," or "August, the month of sorrow and grief." The elderly, the poor and those born in rural areas are most prone to take the proverb to heart and let it guide their behavior, sociologists say, but it is not hard to find believers among all economic, racial and age groups.

This is certainly news to me. I asked Mércia about it today and she said it was a widely held superstition. Of my twelve trips to Brazil in the last 9 years, I've been there in August four times and no one ever mentioned anything about this belief to me. I think I'll ask about it on my next trip there. I leave on September 1, and yes, that is just a coincidence.

Comments

[Alves]

Yep, bad stuff happens in August. Everybody knows that.