AMST-A100 1st Edition Lecture 20 Outline of Last Lecture I. Brazil and the AmericasII. Religion, race, and nation in Brazila. Race in Brazil (or “race” in Brazil?)b. Race and nationalism in BrazilOutline of Current Lecture I. Religion, race, and nation in BrazilII. Umbanda a. Old Slavesb. Caboclosc. ExusIII. Afro-Brazilian & White UmbandaIV. Kelly Hayes’ documentary Slaves of the SaintsCurrent LectureReligion Race and Nation- Besides referring to their country as a mixed-race nation, many Brazilians say that their country is a “racial democracy” o A place where either race doesn’t exist, or if it does, there is no racial prejudice- Hale explains in the reading the idea that Brazil is a racial democracy or paradise is a myth. o How does this compare to the American dream myth?These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.- It is a powerful myth and proponents of it claim the following as proof:o The lack of legal segregation in Brazil such as the US and South Africa hado The supposedly widespread acceptance of interracial relationships, as well as theidea that most Brazilians are “mixed”o Religious syncretism as in religions such as UmbandaUmbanda- Orixás: recall that we discussed how these West African spirits fit into a number of ADRs,including Candomblé and Umbanda in Brazil.- Pretos velhos: Do they embody docility and accommodation?o Old slaves o “Uncle Remus” characters, always accommodating whites.o Kindly old black guy who helped young white children- “Magical Negros” (Spike Lee’s term)o Stereotypes that persist in our racial unconsciousness o The “magical negro” has special powers that help the white protagonisto Overloaded with meaning, can be both positive and negativeo In both cases, black characters are either depicted as less or more than humano Servant role is portrayed in films- Caboclos: “imperialist nostalgia” Native Americans have become the symbol of nations 100 years before they are exterminated, romanticized.o What do Caboclos symbolize in Umbanda?- Exus: Trickster spirits, most often embodied as prostitutes and hustlers.o Why would those who are marginalized in society make powerful and helpful spirits?o In many religions, people (or spirits) who don’t quite fit often times are considered to have special powers- Escrava Anastáciao Talked about in Hale’s book Hearing the Mermaids Songo Shown with blue eyes, mother was raped by slave owner- Santos Malandros in Venezuela- Botanicas: stores in the US that sell items in order to practice ADRsKelly Hayes documentary Slave of the Saints- Festas: a celebration including music, dancing, drums, and giving gifts to certain saints during specific months to reward them for their hard work all year.o There is a lot of food at festas for both the saints and the people in attendanceo Sacrifice is a necessityo Make sure the saint is properly fed (metaphorical), or someone could come in and destroy the houseAfro Brazilian Umabanda and White Umbanda- Afro Brazilian Umbanda makes blood sacrifices while white Umbanda practitioners do not- Some people read this as a criticism of animal sacrifices in Umbanda
View Full Document
Unlocking...