THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MATERIALITY AND IMMATERIALITY IN SAFEGUARDING INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE: an analysis from the Roda de Capoeira

Abstract

This article analyzes the safeguarding of Roda de Capoeira, a cultural asset registered as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Brazil and Humanity, under the aspect of the interaction between materiality and immateriality and its emerging elements. It considers that immaterial culture is based on material aspects that cannot be disregarded and that the effective safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage requires approaches and actions that are beyond the universe of the intangible. Through bibliographical and documentary research, and participant observation, the article reveals that the safeguarding of the Roda de Capoeira shows the importance of the conservation of berimbau as an essential material element for the practice of cultural expression and highlights the use of natural goods as an action component of this materiality. It demonstrates that risks related to the possibility of using these natural assets, such as scarcity or lack of access to them, also represent risks for safeguarding the material support base and, consequently, for safeguarding this heritage. It concludes that political action to safeguard the immaterial heritage, in this case, must consider the right of cultural holders to natural assets that are part of cultural expression.