Vendors on a Rio de Janeiro beach
Just put your foot in the sand. It doesn't take long before we start hearing the street vendors announcing at the top of their lungs a product whose 75-year history is given away by its timeless packaging: "Ó o Globo! É o salgado e é o doce" ("Hey, Globo! It's savory and it's sweet"). Always paired with iced maté, the biscuit still carries a retro air and is one of Rio's symbols.
But the sands of Rio also welcome the catchphrases and singsong calls of vendors selling beer, sarongs, ice cream, sunglasses, sandwiches. Some ride the gourmet wave, offering burgers with fancy names and designer delicacies — who doesn't know Claudinho's sucolé? The variety of products is immense, and the shouting mixes with the sound of the waves, of feet dragging in the sand, of banter after footvolley matches, of songs coming from speakers and kiosks, in a singular hubbub.
Photo: Monique Cabral - Street vendor at Praia de Copacabana - Agência Tyba
Image description: This is a photograph of a person walking along the sidewalk of an avenue. The person is carrying a large bunch of colorful balloons on their back. The balloons are of various colors, including green, blue, pink, and orange. In the background, there are tall buildings and a road with a few cars.It's no coincidence that, in 2012, street vendors became Cultural and Intangible Heritage of the city of Rio de Janeiro. But don't think they're only found on the beach. They also travel with their irreverent, inventive catchphrases on buses, trains, and subways. More often than not, they use a set line to kick off the long spiel about the product they're selling: "Sorry to disturb the peace of your ride."
And there are the street vendors who, despite the name, remain fixed in streets and squares, or even in the so-called "camelódromos" (street markets). One of the most famous is the one that is part of Saara, the Sociedade de Amigos das Adjacências da Rua da Alfândega, in downtown Rio, where its unmistakable jingle echoes: "Rádio Saara, a voz do centro do Rio!" ("Saara Radio, the voice of downtown Rio!"). But there are several others, such as the one in Madureira, near the Mercadão, and the one in Campo Grande, where the variety of products — and of sounds — is enormous. In this endless sonic universe, amid the buzz of conversations and haggling, the vendors try to attract customers through sambas, evangelical hymns, and shouts announcing the day's best bargains.
