Keeping Brazil's cowboy traditions alive

Wearing traditional broad-brimmed hats and red neckerchiefs, their trousers tucked into soft, leather boots, the South American gauchos trot on handsome horses down the street of the small southern community.

Some of the Brazilian cowboys ride with little girls wearing old-fashioned dresses. They parade before crowds in southern Rio Grande do Sul state, which fancies itself as practically a separate nation, with its rugged rural traditions and Germanic roots.

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In this Sept. 20, 2015 photo, a father with his daughter smile during a parade at the Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week, in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Some of the Brazilian cowboys ride with little girls wearing old-fashioned dresses. They parade before crowds in southern Rio Grande do Sul state, which fancies itself as practically a separate nation, with its rugged rural traditions and Germanic roots. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

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During "Semana Farroupilha," or "Ragamuffin Week," in this enclave of 75,000 people, the locals celebrate cowboy tradition and intense pride in the region's 1835 uprising over taxation against the federal government. Celebrated every September, the regional revolt is known as the "Ragamuffin Revolution" because the poor fighters wore raggedy clothing in an insurgency that took a decade to put down.

It's a different world here, about 700 miles southwest of the Brazilian megalopolis of Sao Paulo. Today, revolution is no longer on the table — instead it's the endless rows of barbecued beef. The region is known for having Brazil's best steaks, ribs, sausages and other carnivorous delights, all slow roasted over massive pit of flames.

During the celebration, cowboy culture is kept alive with traditional dances to accordion music, lectures, book readings and camping out under the stars.

Among those celebrating is 45-year-old Antonio Carlos Pereira, a cowboy nearly his entire life.

As he prepares his mate, the herbal tea sipped by seemingly everyone in the south, Pereira says that being part of the horse parades of Semana Farroupilha is a great reason to never leave his work in the Brazilian grasslands.

"I had many offers to move to a big city, but I could never do it," he says. "I want to keep the tradition alive here."

But Pedro Melchiades, 23, laments that many younger gauchos no longer keep the cowboy ways, instead opting for easier jobs in bigger cities.

While he says he's "overcome that desire" to run away to the urban lights, he admits the cowboy life can be lonesome. Still, Melchiades notes that the annual festival "is a good chance to appeal to the ladies."

"That is one of the reasons why I have been in the horse parades for 10 years," he says.

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In this Sept. 20, 2015 photo, a boy and his father prepare to participate in the parade of Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week, in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Each September, the locals keep their cowboy cultural alive with two weeks of traditional dances, lectures, book readings and camping out under the stars. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 19, 2015 photo, couples dance during Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week celebrations, in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. During the celebration, cowboy culture is kept alive with traditional dances to accordion music, lectures, book readings and camping out under the stars. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 19, 2015 photo, a couple wearing traditional clothes, dance during Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week, in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. During the celebration, cowboy culture is kept alive with traditional dances to accordion music, lectures, book readings and camping out under the stars. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 19, 2015 photo, gaucho Jose Newton Franca Silveira, 66, smokes a cigarrette during the Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week, in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Each September, the locals keep their cowboy cultural alive with two weeks of traditional dances, lectures, book readings and camping out under the stars. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 20, 2015 photo, girl Alessandra Fortes de Lima, 6, touches the boot of her father Adimir Goncalves de Lima, 49, before a parade during the Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week, in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Some of the Brazilian cowboys ride with little girls wearing old-fashioned dresses. They parade before crowds in southern Rio Grande do Sul state, which fancies itself as practically a separate nation, with its rugged rural traditions and Germanic roots. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 19, 2015 photo, girls called "Prendas", wear gauchos clothes during the Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week, in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Some of the Brazilian cowboys ride with little girls wearing old-fashioned dresses. They parade before crowds in southern Rio Grande do Sul state, which fancies itself as practically a separate nation, with its rugged rural traditions and Germanic roots. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 18, 2015, a "gaucho" accompanied by his dog, rides his horse to go to his work at the rural area of Santa Izabel ranch, Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Wearing traditional broad-brimmed hats and red neckerchiefs, their trousers tucked into soft, leather boots, the South American gauchos trot on handsome horses down the street of the small southern community. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 19, 2015 photo, gaucho Vanderlei Carvalho, 54, drinks mate during the Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week, in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Mate is a traditional South American infused drink, it is prepared by steeping dried leaves of mate herb in hot water and is served with a metal straw from a shared hollow calabash gourd. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 18, 2015, detail of a gaucho boot at the Santa Izabel ranch, Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Wearing traditional broad-brimmed hats and red neckerchiefs, their trousers tucked into soft, leather boots, the South American gauchos trot on handsome horses down the street of the small southern community. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 18, 2015, Antonio Carlos Vieira, 45, herd cattle at the Santa Izabel ranch, Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. During “Semana Farroupilha,” or “Ragamuffin Week” in this enclave of 75,000 people, the locals celebrate cowboy tradition and intense pride in the region’s 1935 uprising over taxation against the federal government. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 17, 2015, Alcino Rodrigues de Campos, 36, herd sheeps at the Cabanha Escondida ranch, Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Revolution is no longer on the table _ instead it’s the endless rows of barbecued beef. The region is known for having Brazil’s best mouthwatering steaks, ribs, sausages and other carnivorous delights, all slow roasted over massive pit flames. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 18, 2015, gauchos Luiz Guilherme de Oliveira, 15, left, and Antonio Carlos Pereira, 45, drink mate in Santa Izabel estancia, Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Mate is a traditional South American infused drink, it is prepared by steeping dried leaves of mate herb in hot water and is served with a metal straw from a shared hollow calabash gourd. The mate, is the omnipresent herbal tea seemingly everyone in the south continually sips on. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 17, 2015, gauchos herd cattle at the Cabanha Escondida ranch, Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Pedro Melchiades, 23, laments that many younger gauchos no longer keep the cowboy ways, instead opting for easier jobs in bigger cities. While he says he’s “overcome that desire” to run away to the urban lights, he admits the cowboy life can be lonesome. Still, Melchiades notes that the annual festival “is a good chance to appeal to the ladies.” (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 19, 2015 photo, gaucho Leo Moura, poses for a photo in front his home during the Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week, in Alegretemunicipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Each September, the locals keep their cowboy cultural alive with two weeks of traditional dances, lectures, book readings and camping out under the stars. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 19, 2015 photo, gauchos prepare a barbecue or "churrasco" for launch during Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week, in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. It’s a different world here, about 700 miles southwest of the Brazilian megalopolis of Sao Paulo. Today, revolution is no longer on the table _ instead it’s the endless rows of barbecued beef. The region is known for having Brazil’s best steaks, ribs, sausages and other carnivorous delights, all slow roasted over massive pit of flames. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 17, 2015, Antonio Carlos Vieira, 45, herd cattle at the Santa Izabel ranch, Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. The region is known for having Brazil’s best mouthwatering steaks, ribs, sausages and other carnivorous delights, all slow roasted over massive pit flames. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 20, 2015 photo, gauchos wearing traditional clothes gather before the Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Celebrated every September, the regional revolt is known as the “Ragamuffin Revolution” because the poor fighters wore raggedy clothing in an insurgency that took a decade to put down. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 19, 2015, gaucho and horse tamer Frederido dos Santos Santana, 87, attends the parade during the celebration of Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week, in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Each September, the locals keep their cowboy cultural alive with two weeks of traditional dances, lectures, book readings and camping out under the stars. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 19, 2015 photo, a girl and her grandfather ride their horses before a parade during the Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week, in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Some of the Brazilian cowboys ride with little girls wearing old-fashioned dresses. They parade before crowds in southern Rio Grande do Sul state, which fancies itself as practically a separate nation, with its rugged rural traditions and Germanic roots. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 19, 2015 photo, a band play music during Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week celebrations, in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. During the celebration, cowboy culture is kept alive with traditional dances to accordion music, lectures, book readings and camping out under the stars. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 18, 2015, "gauchos" accompanied by their dogs, ride their horses to go to his work at the rural area of Santa Izabel ranch, Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. During “Semana Farroupilha,” or “Ragamuffin Week” in this enclave of 75,000 people, the locals celebrate cowboy tradition and intense pride in the region’s 1935 uprising over taxation against the federal government. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 20, 2015 photo, gauchos parade during the Semana Farroupilha or “Ragamuffin” week, downtown in Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Wearing traditional broad-brimmed hats and red neckerchiefs, their trousers tucked into soft, leather boots, the South American gauchos trot on handsome horses down the street of the small southern community. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 18, 2015, "crioulos" horses, or native horse, are raised at Santa Izabel ranch, Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Celebrated every September, the regional revolt is known as the “Ragamuffin Revolution” because the poor fighters wore raggedy clothing in an insurgency that took a decade to put down. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Sept. 18, 2015, "Gauchos" Carlos Eduardo Brum, 59, left, Pedro Melchiades, 23, center, Luiz Guilherme de Oliveira, 15, 2nd right, and Antonio Carlos Pereira, 45, drink mate at Santa Izabel ranch, Alegrete municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Antonio Carlos Pereira, has been a cowboy nearly all his life. As he prepares his mate, the herbal tea seemingly everyone in the south continually sips on, Pereira says that being part of the horse parades of Semana Farroupilha is a great reason to never leave his work in the Brazilian grasslands. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

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Text from the AP news story, AP PHOTOS: Keeping Brazil's Cowboy Traditions Alive.

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