BODY PRACTICES IN QUILOMBO SÍTIO VEIGA: THE DANCE OF SÃO GONÇALO AS AN IDENTITY FACTOR
Body. Culture. Body Practices. Dance of São Gonçalo. Quilombo.
Among these practices, dance is the focus of this thesis. The Dance of São Gonçalo is the most significant cultural and religious manifestation of the Sítio Veiga quilombo, being a centenary body practice brought by the founding couple Chiquinho Ribeiro and Antônia Eugênio from the city of Paus dos Ferros – RN in 1906 and passed down through generations. This thesis aimed to understand the corporeal expressions and identity constructions of the participants in the Dance of São Gonçalo in the Sítio Veiga Quilombo, located in the central hinterland of Ceará, in the municipality of Quixadá, Ceará, Brazil, considering it as a ritual process shaped by distinct rites and sensory perceptions. Currently, the dance takes place during the Dance of São Gonçalo Festival, held in the quilombo every November. The study was based on field research, qualitative in nature, exploratory and descriptive, employing techniques such as observation, interviews, and questionnaires. The social actors of the research were the dance participants, the Culture Master, the musician, and the 12 (twelve) female dancers. The dance is divided into three stages, which are structured as rites: the Procession, the Journeys, and the Farewell. The Dance of São Gonçalo, in particular, is expressed through interculturality, valuing the richness of the group and cultures, contributing to the strengthening and reaffirmation of the community's identity aspects. During the academic journey, two documentaries were produced about the Dance of São Gonçalo in the Sítio Veiga Quilombo. The first presents the music with the complete lyrics of the dance sung by Master Joaquim Roseno, and the second addresses the entire ritual process of the dance discussed in this research.