Sustainable Offerings as Crafts: Art, Ecology, and Spirituality in Contemporary Afro-Brazilian Rituals
Publication information:
Abstract
Drawing from extensive fieldwork, this paper analyses the ecological turn of Afro-Brazilian religions in the region of Rio de Janeiro. Ecological concerns are reshaping Afro-Brazilian spiritual practices, leading to a transformation in both the material and aesthetic dimensions of rituals. This emerging aesthetic foregrounds the role of artistic and craft practices as intrinsic to the ritual process, transforming them into a form of devotion and ecological activism. By emphasizing creativity and resourcefulness, this approach challenges the baroque aesthetic of excess that traditionally characterized Candomblé and Umbanda rituals in the past decades.
Presenter Biography
Giovanna is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ). Her work looks at Afro-Brazilian religions through the lenses of environmental anthropology and human-animal studies. Currently, she is focused on the intersections of climate science, ritual practices, and religion in Brazil.