Abstracts Category : Other

The <i>Villancicos de Negro</i> in Manuscript 50of the Biblioteca Geral da Universidade de Coimbra: A Case Study ofBlack Cultural Agency and Racial Representation in 17th-CenturyPortugal

by Simao Joana Alves

The development of Renaissance Portugal was greatlyimpacted by the transatlantic slave trade during the colonialperiod, as the country emerged as a major European power not onlyfinancially but also culturally. It is well known that Portuguesemusical practices during this period, especially with regard tosacred polyphony, resembled those of other European cultures,however, there is more to this narrative. Knowing that thetransatlantic slave trade was one of the major consequences ofcolonialism, and that by the 16th-century Black Africansrepresented more than 10% of the population in Lisbon and othercities in Portugal makes it crucial to consider Black Africans asmajor agents of cultural transfer.As the groundbreaking work ofhistorians Kate Lowe, A. C. de C. M. Saunders and Jose Tinhorodemonstrates, the presence of Africans had a significant impact onPortuguese social and cultural life. Contemporary written andvisual sources (such as paintings) demonstrate that, for instance,music from sub-Saharan Africa was performed in a variety ofsituations and on different levels of society: in the squares andtaverns of early modern Lisbon, in religious processions around thecountry, and at the Portuguese court.The primary aim of this thesisis to explore the musical activities of Africans in early modernPortugal, emphasizing their influence towards the practice of thevillancico. To contextualize the question of how Black Africanshave influenced the practice of music in Portugal, I discuss thesocial, cultural and legal role of Black Africans within thesociety. Through a thorough stylistic and formal comparison of the<i>Villancicos de Negro</i> to other villancicos of thesame collection that represent other ethnic groups or anunspecified type, I will seek to demonstrate that the<i>Villancicos de Negro</i> share a common stylisticand formal profile. Moreover, I will examine the specific issue ofrepresentation of race, focusing on what the works can potentiallytell us about how Black Africans were perceived within Portuguesesociety and how they were represented in the liturgical context ofChristmas celebrations, during which these villancicos werefrequently performed.I propose that the African slaves brought toPortugal during the fifteenth century not only had a major role indevelopment of the society by contributing and participating in thepractice of music in Portugal, but also influenced the practice ofPortuguese villancicos.Advisors/Committee Members: Spohr, Arne (Advisor).