Spirit possession and cultural innovation: the case of two Japanese female religious leaders
Ordep J. Trindade-serra Trindade-serra
Revista de Antropologia July 3, 2020 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.11606/2179-0892.ra.1995.111439 via DOAJ
Summary
Jorge Amado, a renowned Brazilian writer, popularized the Afro-Brazilian cult Candomblé as practiced in Bahia through his novels, shaping widespread ideas about it. His literary interpretation, not a documentary, uses symbolic anthropology and reflects his personal involvement with Candomblé. Though an atheist, Amado championed syncretism between Catholic and Afro-Brazilian rites. This paper examines his treatment of that syncretism in the novels Tenda dos milagres and O sumiço da santa.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Amado's novels present a literary interpretation of Candomblé that promotes Catholic and Afro-Brazilian syncretism, warranting anthropological study. |
Abstract
Jorge Amado, one of lhe most renowned brazilian writers, has in many of his novels focused thc afrobrazilian cult named candomblé, as it is practised in Bahia. We can say that a great deal of the more generalized ideas about bahian candomblé owe to Amado's novels their world widespread diffusion. But of course Amado's presentation of this cult is not a documentary, ethnographic report. His literary interpretation of candomblé symbolic system deserves anthopological consideration; particulary Amado's personal envolvement with lhe candomblé's world is to be studied from an anthropological point of view: though he defines himself as an atheist, Amado has taken a firm stand as a champion of the synchretim between catholic and afrobrazilian rites. This paper deals with Amado's treatment of catholic and afrobrazilian synchretism in his novels Tenda dos milagres and O sumiço da santa.