"Who baptized your legs, boy?" Analysis of socio-structural relationships between religiosities of African matrices and capoeira in São Paulo

• Grant number: 23/04084-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Anthropology - Anthropology of Afro-Brazilian Populations
• Principal Investigator: Vagner Gonçalves da Silva
• Grantee: Antonio José de Medeiros Junior
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project aims to analyze the socio-structural relationships that are established between capoeira (regional and angola) and religions of African matrices (especially candomblé and umbanda) which are ethnic-cultural manifestations of black origin raised to the category of symbols of identity national. We consider that these practices, because they were conceived from common experiences lived in contexts of black sociability, present elements that can be shared in symbolic, political and identity terms, such as cosmologies related to deities of African origin, relationship with the body and forms of resistance against the social inequality, oppression and racism. In candomblé and capoeira, for example, the head (ori) and legs (ese) are sacralized points of contact with the ground (home of the ancestors) as a reference; in candomblé initiation takes the head as the center; in capoeira, conversely, the legs are "baptized" taking the place of the head. The research intends to analyze these confluences, complementarities and parallelisms in terms of their systems of insertion, nomination, hierarchy and belonging, musical instruments, repertoire of lyrics and rhythms, formation of the event and space, body expression and gestural language, among others that prove to be significant. At the methodological level, the intention is: 1. To carry out participant observation in two capoeira circles: one existing for seven decades in Praça República, central region of São Paulo, and another at the Núcleo de Artes Afro-brasileiras of the University of São Paulo, where the applicant for this grant is a capoeira practitioner. 2. Collect testimonials (interviews) from capoeiristas who are adherents of Afro-Brazilian religiosities. 3. Collect, on a smaller scale and just as a counterpoint, some testimonies of evangelical capoeiristas who in recent times have denied symbolic links between capoeira and terreiro practices