Samba is Brazil's "national rhythm", the foremost symbol of its culture and nationhood. To the outsider, samba and the famous pre-Lenten carnival of which it is the centerpiece seem to showcase the country's African heritage. Within Brazil, however, samba symbolizes the racial and cultural mixture that, since the 1930s, most Brazilians have come to believe defines their unique national identity. But how did Brazil become "the Kingdom of Samba" only a few decades after abolishing slavery in 1888?
Typically, samba is represented as having changed spontaneously, mysteriously, from a "repressed" music of the marginal and impoverished to a national symbol cherished by all Brazilians. Here, however, Hermano Vianna shows that the nationalization of samba actually rested on a long history of relations between different social groups -- poor and rich, weak and powerful -- often working at cross-purposes to one another. A fascinating exploration of the "invention of tradition", "The Mystery of Samba" is an excellent introduction to Brazil's ongoing conversation on race, popular culture, and national identity.
Review of "The Mystery of Samba" by Hermano Vianna
Samba es el "ritmo nacional de Brazil", el simbolo principal the su cultura y de su identidad como nacion. Para los foraneos, samba y el famoso carnaval del que esta es pieza principal parecen rezaltar la herencia africana del pais. En Brazil, sin embargo, la samba simboliza la mezcla racial y cultural que, desde los anhos 30s, para la mayoria de los brasilenos ha venido a definir su identidad nacional. Pero como se convirtio Brazil en el "Reino de la Samba" tan solo unas decadas despues de abolirse la esclavitud in 1888?
Generalmente, se representa a la samba como una evolucion espontanea, misteriosa, de un genero musical "reprimido" proveniente de las clases marignales y empobrecidas a un simbolo nacional adorado por todos los brasilenhos. En este libro, sin embargo, Hermano Vianna demuestra que la nacionalizacion de la samba, de hecho, se dio tras una larga historia de las relaciones entre diferentes grupos sociales -- pobres y ricos, humildes y poderosos -- a menudo en contradiccion de propositos entre ellos. Un vistazo fascinante de la "invencion de una tradicion", "El Misterio de la Samba" es una introduccion excelente al dialogo constante sobre raza, cultural popular e identidad nacional en Brazil.
Resena de "El Misterio de la Samba" de Hermano Vianna
En Esta Edicion / In This Edition:
- Zeca Pagodinho (Brazil) - S.P.C.
- Imperatriz (Brazil) - Samba de Enredo 2000
- Almir Guineto (Brazil) - Caxambu
- Gang Do Samba (Brazil) - Coisa de Brasileiro
- Jorge Aragão (Brazil) - Preto Cor Preta
- Jorge Ben Jor (Brazil) - Mangueira Drums
- Martinho Da Vila (Brazil) - Batuca No Chao
- Beth Carvalho (Brazil) - Coisinha Do Pai
- Unidos De Tijuca (Brazil) - Samba de Enredo 2000
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