Bezerros - Pernambuco

Population: 57.371 inhabitants
Area: 493 km2
Distance from the capital: 101 km
Accesses: BR-232. Visit map of Recife and Pernambuco.

History
The origin of Bezerros dates back to 1740. The name Bezerros means "calves" in Portuguese; back in 1740, the region was place for an intense trading of cattle, which originated the city and its name.
Today, the city comprehends the head office district of Bezerros, the districts of Sapucarana and Boas Novas, and the villages of Serra Negra, Sítio dos Remédios, Cajazeiras and Areias.
Yearly, on May 18th Bezerros celebrates its political emancipation. The Saint of the city is São José.

Economy
The economy of Bezerros is benefited by the proximity with the capital, Recife.
The commerce, the industry, the agriculture and the tourism are the main activities of Bezerros. The city takes advantage of the two largest regional festivities, the carnival and the June feasts; in carnival alone, Bezerros is visited by more than 100 thousand tourists (this is nearly double the number of local residents). Over the past years, as the city and State governments invest in marketing, and visitors spread the word, the flux of visitors has only gone up.
The city has registers of 650 commercial establishments, mostly retailers, in diverse business sectors.
In the industrial sector, there are candy industries, food processing, beverages, brick works, pottery, pre-moulded, plastics and sawmills.
In the agriculture, the main seasonal cultures are tomato, cauliflower, cabbage, pepper and cucumber. The subsistence cultures include corn and beans, and in the animal raising field, there are farms of cattle, pigs, poultries and goats, which give to the city the status of beef distribution hub.

Tourism
Even though it had became famous as the "a terra dos papangus" (Land of the Papangus - see photo), the city of Bezerros has a culture that goes way beyond the use of masks in Carnival.
Known as the "Folia do Papangu", Bezerro's Carnival is the busiest in the Agreste (see map of Pernambuco) and the only with a theme (namely, papangus) in Brazil. Bezerros has been for years contributing towards the preservation of our most authentical carnival traditions.

The tradition goes that the carnival partiers should prepare their own costumes, not telling anyone else. That way, everyone should enjoy the party anonymously, until the final of the last day of Carnival, when masks and costumes should fall and all identities are revelead.
Known in the country and abroad, the Carnival of Bezerros receives over 100 thousand people in the three days of Carnival, and on the Sunday this number reaches 50 thousands visitors.
The ornamental masks wich fills the Carnival of Bezerros with colors are made of papier-mâché. There are dummies of several kinds, some reaching 5 meters tall.

With artists known in Brazil and abroad, Bezerros preserves its folklore and its original culture. Much thanks to artist J. Borges, the city is the biggest woodcuted pictures producer of the State; there are several studios of this kind in the city that draw the attention of tourists from all parts of the country.

Also in Bezerros there is the Centro de Artesanato de Pernambuco (Pernambuco's Handicraft Center). This place offers a rich exhibition of artistic works by over 400 artists of Pernambuco. Made with various techniques and materials, the art pieces show what each region of the State has of most representative in the handicraft field. The Center also works as a gathering spot for artisans, offering art-instructive workshops, exhibitions and qualifying courses.
Bezerros is also known for natural beauties. To those who enjoy ecological trekkings, a good tip is the Reserva Ecológica da Serra Negra (Black Mountain Eco Reserve), with lakes, fountains of mineral waters, and preserved stretches of Atlantic Forest.

Other sites:
Bezerros Today. Portal of Bezerros, with informations about tourism, workmanship, popular culture and others.

Source of informations: IBGE and Government of the State of Pernambuco
Pictures credits: Government of the State of Pernambuco.