In Search of Legitimacy: How Outsiders Become Part of the Afro-Brazilian Capoeira Tradition

by Lauren Miller Griffith

Overview

Every year, countless young adults from affluent, Western nations travel to Brazil to train in capoeira, the dance/martial art form that is one of the most visible strands of the Afro-Brazilian cultural tradition. In Search of Legitimacy explores why "first world" men and women leave behind their jobs, families, and friends to pursue a strenuous training regimen in a historically disparaged and marginalized practice. Using the concept of apprenticeship pilgrimage-studying with a local master at a historical point of origin-the author examines how non-Brazilian capoeiristas learn their art and claim legitimacy while navigating the complexities of wealth disparity, racial discrimination, and cultural appropriation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781785330643
Publisher:	Berghahn Books, Incorporated
Publication date:	01/01/2016
Series:	Dance and Performance Studies , #7
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	248
Sales rank:	360,068
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Lauren Miller Griffith is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Hanover College. She studies performance, tourism, and education in Latin America. Her work has appeared in Annals of Tourism Research, the Journal of Sport and Tourism, and Theatre Annual.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
List of Figures
Acknowledgements

Introduction
 

Chapter 1. A Brief History of Capoeira
Chapter 2. The Challenges of Teaching and Learning Capoeira Abroad
Chapter 3.  Travel as a Way to Overcome Doubts
Chapter 4.  Preparing for the Pilgrimage
Chapter 5.  A World in which the Black Brazilian Man Is King
Chapter 6.  How the Rest of Us Get Our Foot in the Door
Chapter 7. Does Form Really Matter?
Chapter 8.  Will I Ever Be Good Enough?
Chapter 9. Conclusion and Future Directions

Glossary
Bibliography
Index