Dimensões lúdico-sagradas e resistências das congadas em Lambari (MG)

Abstract

Congada is a traditional Brazilian popular festival created by black slaves to resemble African royal processions. This cultural manifestation changed its original meanings due to the needs for representation and the resumption of the identity ties of a population kidnapped in their land and launched into compulsory work. Thus, this article proposes a discussion (of resistance) of the Congada participants and the constitution of their identity processes triggered based on the involvement in the party in the municipality of Lambari, state of Minas Gerais. For this purpose, this article based its analysis in the empirical material composed of semi-structured interviews with Congada players (“congadeiros”) and it examine these reports based on the poststructuralist theoretical contribution. Finally, this study concludes that the disputes between the “congadeiros” and the public power ended up strengthening the bonds of resistance and the identities of the black community involved.