How Brazilian are Quicumbis?

Abstract

My goal in this article is to show how the emphasis on mestiçagem (ethnic/racial/cultural mixture) in the formation of Brazilian popular culture may have obscured our understanding of performance traditions deemed to be “typically Brazilian.” I focus on the quicumbi and begin the article with an analysis of the earliest references to this performance, followed by theories on its origin and meaning. I then contribute to this discussion by adding references to festive traditions in Angola. By showing that certain aspects of the performance traditionally assumed to have been shaped by mestiçagem, such as the “African Indians,” may in actuality have been African in nature, I challenge the interpretation of the quicumbi as an essentially Brazilian tradition. I conclude with a reflection on the importance of the findings presented in this article for our general understanding of cultural identity formation in Brazil.