Identidade territorial e usos de lugares públicos: a capoeira em São José da Tapera – AL

Abstract

This work focuses on interpreting the uses of public places and the territorial identity of the cultural and popular manifestation of capoeira in the territory of São José da Tapera – Alagoas. In this perspective, the research has as general objective to identify the manifestation of the practice of capoeira in public space and the different uses of the places by the social actors. The territorial identity of this cultural manifestation before the territory is constituted collectively and according to the memories of the group. Henceforth, the practice of capoeira was negatively constructed through difference, and its practice for years was excluded from urban centers due to the marginalization of its practitioners defined as “others” or outsiders in public places. In this way, the place of cultural manifestation of this particular form of expression is understood to be the public space of urban centers, which in the case of the capoeira circle is performed in the squares by its members. These create their territoriality through the particular symbolic expressions of their culture, which is preserved in the collective memory of the subjects to each new generation of practitioners, revealing the identity constitution and the search for the permanence of the cultural act in the territory. For the conceptual development, readings were carried out that emphasize the compression of Territory, Territoriality, Identity, Place, Public Space and social actor. As well as the approach of the historical-geographical affirmation of the city of São José da Tapera and the cultural affirmation of capoeira in Taperense territory, which was possible through field research, observation, interview with the group and application of a questionnaire to different social actors of the public place studied. The phenomenological methodology used in this work sought to highlight the clarification of a certain phenomenon; therefore, the construction of this research consists of the use of theories from bibliographic sources and narratives of the members of the group. Furthermore, the main authors who guided the research were Raffestin (1993), guiding the concept of territory and its power relations; Haesbaert (2007), as necessary for understanding territoriality and multiple territorialities; Woodward (2000) and Perico (2009), in the conceptualization of identity and territorial identity; Laurentino (2006) and Serpa (2004), in the understanding of public space and the debate about the spontaneity of its places; Lussac (2013), Menezes (2008) and Paiva (2007) enabled the historical synthesis of capoeira and reveals the symbolic expressions present in immaterial culture; among other actors that were necessary. In addition, the work was divided into three chapters, which address important aspects for understanding the territorial identity and uses of public places and the identification of the capoeira group.