Life is a dance.
Cachaca culture is a celebration, an accompaniment of this dance. It’s a quick stop to remind us of our senses, to lighten our spirits. One need not be experienced in cachaça consumption to quickly learn that each cachaça is different. Each cachaça has a story. And it’s these stories that bring people together all across Brazil.
I’ve spoken elsewhere about the importance of the cachaça community. But it’s the Confrarias, the clubs in nearly every city, which help drive the passion for Brazil’s native spirit.
The most well-known of these Confrarias is one from Rio de Janeiro—Confraria do Copofurado. Copafurado is the torn or broken cup.
While in Belo Horizonte for Expo Cachaca a little over a month ago, I had the good fortune of meeting a number of members, who showed up in force. Delightfully passionate, extraordinarily kind, and looking for a good time, they moved collectively throughout the exhibition space with their matching shirts. They were a beautiful symbol of the culture. To understand the philosophy of the Confraria, one need only read the lyrics to their anthem:
Let's all "pingola" (drink pinga or cachaça)
brotherhood is our law, our union
because living is much better
when you have love and peace in your heart...
we want to consecrate
the ideal that equates the master with the apprentice...
In will and in demand
one way to a happier life...
"Copofurado" is more than a motto
it's a good reason
reason for being of our great fraternity...
Whoever is "bohemian" and a good guy is welcome
to enjoy our good company...
Our desire is to welcome at the same table
great friends, from the richest to the penniless...
Sharing our only certainty:
UNITED WE WILL DRINK! ALONE TOO!
Now, if that doesn’t make you want to hang out with this group, I don’t know what will.
The Confraria de Cachaça Copo Furado was created in 1994, in Ipanema, (which if you don’t know, is a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro) in 1994. It is a non-profit, legally registered civil entity of a cultural nature and character, which holds monthly meetings. All its activities, touch the human and social interest of Brazilians related to cachaça. The Confraria's objective, is to promote the history, study, and appreciation of cachaça as the genuine national drink.
Their members travel around the country researching production, exceptional cachaça brands. They have presented at symposia, seminars and fairs and they persist in the mission of promoting cachaça, in Brazil and abroad.
These words, however, don’t fully describe the feeling of being around them. It’s in these clubs like Copofurado, where one really understands how important the national distilled spirit to the sense of identity, the sense of belonging, and pride of many Brazilians.