The "Ver-O-Peso" Open-Air
Market in Belém
The Ver-O-Peso is the largest and most exotic street fair in Brazil, with hundreds of species of plants and animals sold as foods, medicines, charms, or for other purposes. We will walk through the market, starting with the fish market in the corrugated iron building. Do not exhibit jewelry, cameras or handbags. Keep a close eye on your pockets and backpacks (frontpacks?) so that we do not involuntarily contribute to a redistribution of income.
The name of the market, "Ver-O-Peso," means "see the weight" and refers to the colonial practice of weighing all produce and collected rubber for taxation purposes. In the past, almost all the foodstuffs coming into Belém entered the city through this market because of its proximity to the river and to the city center. (Nowadays, the wholesale fruit and vegetable market is located by the Guamá River and is called CEASA.) The market is divided into a meat market, a fish market, fruit and vegetable venders, medicinal plant sellers, farinha merchants, animal dealers, and stalls for household goods. There are ornamental plants and used magazines and books, as well. You can even buy clothes off the rack and leather goods. Looking further, you can find antiques and smuggled electronics. Unmentionables can also be located there, often with little searching.
Here are some activities you can carry out at the street market (while also being street-wise):
1. Learn the name of five fish species. Determine their prices, how highly they are regarded, how they are prepared, whether they are river or oceanic species, how they were fished, if they can be consumed by pregnant women, etc. (Vocabulary: peixe, água doce, água salgada, preço, pescar.)
2. Learn the name of five medicinal plants ("plantas medicinais"). For what are they used? How are they prepared? Who can administer them? Who can take them?
3. What are five animals ("bichos") used medicinally ("como remédio") in Belém? For what are they used? How are they prepared? Who can administer them? Who can take them?
4. What are the regional fruits? (Indicate 5 or more "frutas regionais"). What are their Portuguese names? What are their prices? Which ones, if any, were collected from forest trees?
5. What kinds of "farinha" are sold in the market? How do they differ among themselves? What are their prices? What kinds of hot peppers ("pimentas") are sold?
6. What are the vegetables ("legumes") sold in the market? (Indicate 10 types.) Which of these are regional? Which of them are grown in other regions of Brazil? What about quality, hygiene, and variety?
7. What are the ornamental plants for sale in the market? What are the special healing qualities associated with some of these "plantas medicinais"? Which are regional?
8. What is the price of a 10 m set net ("rede de pesca") for fishing? What about a throw net ("tarrafa")? What does a line ("linha de pesca") and hook ("anzol") cost? Is anyone fishing from the wharf by the market? What, if anything, have they caught?
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Last modification: Jul, 16, 2003
