ORANGE : Brazilians Kick Off Mardi Gras Festivities

Costumed revelers wiggled, shook and laughed to a live samba beat as the county’s small Brazilian community celebrated its fourth annual carnival party.

The pre-Lenten festival, better known as Mardi Gras in the United States, will be celebrated in Brazil with four days of nonstop dancing and enormous samba parades starting next weekend, but local Brazilians decided to get a head start Saturday night.

“We wait the whole year for this day. It’s the only day that we can remember Brazil and celebrate like Brazilians,” said Lina Rasul of Corona.

Rasul helped found the Brazilian Club of California three years ago to organize family-oriented events for the county’s far-flung Brazilian community.

She and the other approximately 150 Brazilians who showed up for Saturday’s party in Orange said they miss their homeland and look forward to carnival as a chance to “ matar a saudade ,” or kill homesickness.

“In American places there isn’t this Brazilian happiness,” said Jorge Machado, 30, of Tustin, who moved here two years ago from his native Rio de Janeiro.

“Carnival for me is a day of great happiness,” said Cristina Hofmeister of Irvine, beaming, her cheeks adorned with red metallic hearts.

“I’ve dressed up for carnival ever since I was a little girl,” the 41-year-old Brazilian native said. “I always come up with something.”

“It’s a way to get your stress out,” said Lucia Cardwell, 40, of Corona. “Brazil is such a mess, yet the people are happy. It’s five to six days of party, party, party.”

While some shimmied to the deafening beat of the samba drums, horns and tambourines, others munched on kibes, Arabic meat patties popular in Brazil, and guzzled bottles of cold “Antarctica,” a favorite national brew.

Unlike some of the more glitzy carnival parties offered by Los Angeles clubs, the Orange County carnival had the feel of a small-town family party.

“There were always clubs in Los Angeles, but that was only for young people,” said Cale Coelho, 25, of Fullerton. “When we came up with the idea to start this club, it was more family oriented,” he said, adding that parents wanted to be able to share Brazilian culture with their children.

Born and raised in Orange County, Coelho identifies strongly with the native country of his parents. He sported a yellow and green T-shirt of the Brazilian national soccer team, and is eagerly awaiting the first Brazilian game of the World Cup soccer tournament.

Robson Santos, 29, another soccer fan, said he drove 40 miles from Chino Hills to attend the party. He brings his children to club events because he worries they will forget their Portuguese.

“I bring them here so that they can learn the language,” he said.

A few Americans attended the party, too. “Everybody just does their thing and you just have fun,” said Bobby Wilson, 50, a bailiff at the Superior Court in Santa Ana. Wilson comes with his Brazilian wife, who looks forward to the party every year.

And some were entirely new to carnival. “It’s my first Brazilian experience,” said Andrew Thompson, 23, an Orange Coast College student.

“I think it’s awesome. I’m going to Brazil next year,” he said.