Folia de Reis em Leopoldina: uma encruzilhada religiosa, artística e cultural

Abstract

This research aims to demonstrate that the Revelry of Kings, as a Catholic devotional manifestation, comprises inside it both Lusitanian and African influences. It is part of a plastic and phagocytic religion, the Catholicism focused on the saints, called “Santorial” Catholicism, result of the cultural meeting held in Brazil. Although the Revelry be a popular expression of great relevance in the scenario of Zona da Mata at Minas Gerais, especially in Leopoldina, there are few studies that focus on a critical discussion marked out by the influence of African heritage on this popular manifestation. When performing an analysis based on a past marked by the significant presence of blacks, it is noticed mainly in the figure of the clown traits of African heritage as well as the belief in the supernatural and in the power of the yards revealed in the words of the revelers. This research seeks to understand how beliefs, practices, devotions, logical and precepts are articulated in this context, in order to move revelers and devotees the dynamics of reproduction and continuous recreation of the tradition. For this purpose, I analyze three groups from Leopoldina: Revelry of Serra, Revelry of Colodinos, and Revelry of Maú. This research is marked out by the pursuance of producing a knowledge that can contribute to the theoretical-disciplinary enrichment, not limited to only descriptions, but also specifying problematizations concerning to the subject. Thereby, it can be an aid in filling a gap within a deficient literature regarding the study of the expressiveness of the Revelry of Kings in Leopoldina’s city, as a religious and cultural practice of “Santorial” Catholicism permeated by African cultures’ influences. Therefore, in light of these analyses the tradition will be treated as a living element in Leopoldina, constantly changing and reframing, which makes a coherent path with modernity, not in opposition to it.