Abstract

LAMBORGHINI, Eva. Re-Appropriation and Re-Signification of “Black Culture”: Afro-Uruguayan Candombe Practice by Socially White Youth of Buenos Aires (Argentina). univ.humanist. [online]. 2017, n.83, pp.303-330. ISSN 0120-4807.  https://doi.org/10.11144/Javeriana.uh83.arcn.

The article analyzes the growth of Afro-Uruguayan candombe in a country -and, especially, a city, Buenos Aires- that has historically seen and considered itself as "White-European.” The Uruguayan candombe was first cultural heritage of Afro-Uruguayan immigrants in Buenos Aires; later, this practice went beyond the migrant community, and it was taught and transmitted to various social sectors. It is currently part of the youth culture of an increasing number of cities in the country. The paper focuses on the re-appropriation and re-signification of Afro-Uruguayan candombe by young, middle-class, socially white Argentineans. It aims to understand the deployment of "black culture” beyond socially black groups -a scantly studied topic-, employing theoretical perspectives from "Afro-Latin American studies,” "youth cultures,” and "new social movements.” The paper shows how Afro-American cultures, far from being frozen assets, are subject to permanent constructions of meaning and ways of interpellation that reach far beyond the populations that originated them.

Keywords : Afrouruguayan candombe; Buenos Aires; black cultures; youth cultures; social movements.

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