Brenna Regan
Honors Project, LA Studies 260, Prof. Payne
Thursday, April 21 2005
The Myth of Xica da Silva
Xica
da Silva, or as some claim, correctly spelled Chica da Silva, was the mulata
daughter of Maria da Costa, a black slave, and a Portuguese man, António
Caetano de Sá. She was born between 1731 and 1735 in
the diamond mining region of Tejuco, Brazil. In the 1750s, she ended up as a slave in the household of João Fernandes de Oliveira, the head of a diamond mining
estate. It is said that although
he was engaged, he was so enamored with Xica that he renounced his engagement
to another woman and actually married Xica. This is significant because he publicly and officially acknowledged
their relationship, instead of just taking her as a concubine.
Between 1755 and 1770 they had 13 children.
The story becomes mixed up with possibly mythical elements here; it
is said that because she wasn't allowed to enter the normal church, Joao built
her a private cathedral to worship in.
Whether anecdotes such as the previous one hold any truth, today in
Brazil the myth of Xica da Silva permeates many aspects of the culture; she
has grown into a hero (for many causes) as a slave that used her sexual charm,
good looks, and personal fortitude to climb the ranks of rich society.
Some claim her story represents the beginning of the racial
democratization of Brazil. Certain
groups such as feminists and tradtionally oppressed minorities, view her as
a hero for their cause. How the myth of Xica da Silva is invoked
in certain contexts will be examined below, but first we will look at distinct
manifestations of it in Brazilian contemporary culture.
Xica
on the Big Screen
In 1976, Carlos
Diegues made a film, "Xica da Silva", based on her life as a slave
but set in the mid-19th century. Although referring to a serious
era and situation, the movie is a comedy of sorts:
"... a carnivalesque romp and satirical commentary on slavery in Latin
American that mocks Brazil's image as a utopian melting pot"
*for more information on the director or film here are two links:
< http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/spanl390/xica.htm>
< http://www.mixer.com.br/cacadiegues/framefilmes.htm>
The exaggerated and almost
surreal images from the film are indeed "carnivalesque", mirroring
the themes of sexual freedom and social excess that commonly accompany the
myth of Xica da Silva. Diegues
had practically no sources to work with; and took free reign to produce a
film that touches on themes of gender, race, and pre and post-colonial politics.
Here is how the film
utilizes and tweaks the myth of Xica da Silva:
Carlos Diegues' comedy
concerns Xica (Zeze Motta), a beautiful black slave who uses her sexual charm
and savvy to benefit from Brazil's economic emergence. The film is set in the
18th century, when the fantastic wealth produced from the diamond trade
transformed Brazil into a decadent hothouse. Xica ascends to the role of
unofficial Empress, gleefully mocking her former masters while stockpiling
newly found assets and power.
Xica on TV
1996
saw the premiere of a soap opera or telenovela called Xica da Silva. These soap operas are the highest rated shows on television
in Brazil and command the primetime spots. As can be imagined, they are ubiquitous in Brazilian popular
culture:
"The increase in the
number of Brazilian novelas from the
early 1970s on brought a renewed concern on the part of novela writers and producers to create a national interpretation
of the genre. Brazilian novelas began to comment on contemporary social and political
issues, and distinguish themselves from their Latin American and U.S. counterparts.
By the early 1980s, the genre had became Brazilian(ized), however ambiguous
this term can be, showing itself capable of changing and adapting itself in
myriad styles in order to find new viewers and new markets". For an extensive evaluation of the history and effects of these
telenovelas visit: < http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/SubmittedDocuments/archivedpapers/Spring2003/rego.htm>
*Tip: If you find yourself traveling to Brazil
and fear that you might be impeded from meeting people from such a distinct
culture, brush up on your "Xica" savvy; a good way to start a conversation
with most anyone is to chat about the latest scandal on the infamous telenovela. A link
to a forum site about the show is found below.
How this myth is used in
these telenovelas and for what purpose
is also addressed below.
Xica in Music
The
myth of Xica has, not surprisingly, inspired many musicians. Jorge Ben, a very famous Brazilian artist,
recounts the story of Xica's allegedly lavish life and the hardships she faced.
He says she is "very rich and envied/ feared and despised"
and that "she was obligated to be received/ as a lady of the court".
These are of course speculations about her feelings toward her situation,
but they fit in very well with the idea that Xica's actions were similar to
those of La Malinche in Mexico, just doing whatever she could to get by and
build the best life for herself. The
story of Xica da Silva draws similar responses as that of La Malinche (the
indigenous woman who rose to fame in Mexico by becoming the concubine and
interpreter for Hernán Cortés during the conquest of the continent).
Some indigenous or Afro-Brazilians see Xica's actions as a betrayal
of her people and their dire situation.
Others (such as feminists, possibly) view her actions as smart and
heroic; doing the best she could with the situation she found herself in and
beginning to break down the racial divide.
However, the idea that Brazil is a racial democracy is also contested,
as seen in a following section.
"Xica da Silva" by Jorge Ben
http://www.benjor.com.br
Check out this artist or
jorge.mp3 Listen to the
song!
Another
song inspired by Xica's life is by Boney M and elaborates a different interpretation
of the myth:
On the first day of spring
They heard the news
The word spread like fire
That she had fallen
The fields of that day
Were watered with tears
Tears that were cried
For chica da silva
Chica da, chica da, chica da, chica da silva
Chica da, chica da, chica da, chica da silva
Chica da, chica da, chica da, chica da silva
Chica da, chica da, chica da, chica da silva
She was young and brave
The prime of her life
Fought for her country
Became a spy
And men told the secrets
Once looked in her eyes
They laid in the arms
Of chica da silva
The game that she played
Couldnºt last very long
Luck she relied on
When they had all gone
Her hands tied together
Back on the wall
They shot the life
From chica da silva
Chica da, chica da, chica da, chica da silva
Chica da, chica da, chica da, chica da silva
Chica da, chica da, chica da, chica da silva
Chica da, chica da, chica da, chica da silva
Xica is described
here as a heroine for her people; brave and smart. Her actions are interpreted as "fighting
for her country". This is
the opposite of the implications of Jorge Ben's song, here she is in no way
viewed as a traitor to her people.
Contemporary Manifestations of
the Myth of Xica da Silva
The Xica myth is an essential part of commercialistic tourism
in the town of Diamantina in Minas Gerais. Here is where Xica lived with João and their thirteen
children.
One can also go
and see her gravesite. The
directions to it are as follows:
Local e data da Morte: Na tumba de número 16, da
Igreja da Irmandade Ordem 3a de São Francisco de Assis - Arraial
do Tijuco - MG - (atual Cidade de Diamantina) a 15 de fevereiro de 1792.
Locations and date of death:
In tomb number 16, in the Irmandade Church 3rd Order...
15th of February 1792
The official website of this historical marker offers more detail
about the area and travel plans: http://www.bairrodocatete.com.br/chicadasilva1.html
Commercialism:
"Xica" the telenovela
While
there is money in the tourism industry and this house sees regular tours,
another main way the myth of Xica da Silva is used is for commercialistic goals
is far more widespread in Brazil:
On the screen. How does the
myth change in this arena? Well
all one has to do is think about what sells: Sex.
"Until
the day when the fire of desire occupies it all and makes everything clear..."
-
The ex-nun, Xica
(telenovela)
Sex, and also
drama and intrigue, transform the myth in Diegues' movie in 1975, and more
so in the telenovela that airs every night at ten o'clock in Brazil. Although it is part of the original myth that Xica was extremely
beautiful and possessed an inexplicable sexual allure and charm, on the screen
(specifically in the telenovela) this aspect is elaborated upon considerably.
Examples
of the sexual intrigues that occur in the telenovela:
-
María Dolores: the sergeant's daughter who is imprisoned,
tortured, and condemned to death for having sex out of wedlock
- Elvira: alienated by the elite, forced to
become the only white prostitute in the town, but surprisingly finds true
happiness later with her gay husband and their faithful slave, whom they both
share and who will father half of their children
- The Countess: who, despite being the highest-ranked
woman in the telenovela, complains about her lack of freedom and authority,
engaging in orgiastic sex with male slaves as her only form of empowerment
- Ursula: who seduces one of the wealthiest young
bachelors in town, only to have him accused of rape, force him to marry her,
and still be viewed as a living saint by the conservative residents of the town
- Mikaela: forced into marriage to the leading
army commander but fleeing with her stepson, kills her husband,
his father, in the process
As
one might imagine, these scenes coupled with characters that look like Thaís
Araújo (below) make for must-see TV.
The sexy spin of the myth on television serves to entice viewers,
but also, and more profoundly, addresses notions of gender and the role of
women in past and, still to a degree, present times. The manner in which the Xica myth is commonly told appeals
certain feministic ideals. Xica
is a strong woman who, instead of submitting to the desires of men, has control
of her desires and emotions. Moreover,
she utilizes her realized strength and sexuality to succeed in the social
structure she is forced to deal with. There is a sense here that Xica is somehow enlightened and
is able to embrace sexual freedoms in an unabashed way to her own benefit.
Xica is displayed like this in the film but also is the telenovela as "a fierce, undominated
woman". For elaboration
upon this theme, see an essay by O. Hugo Benavides, http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/social_text/v021/21.3benavides.html.
*If you are intrigued by the premise of this telenovela or are among its many
regular viewers, a forum to talk and catch up on the latest segments is found
at this site:
http://foro.telenovela-world.com/n4/list.php?f=27
Xica da Silva as a Symbol of Brazil's Racial Democracy
The term 'racial democracy', based on the notion of harmony
between Brazil's different races and that unlike South Africa and the American
South there have never been any tensions between them, has traditionally been
used to describe Brazil. In recent
years this idea has been contested, but it entails that the different races
that comprise the country, namely indigenous, African, and Portuguese, have
over the years merged nicely in a sort of 'melting pot' fashion. Xica da Silva, then, being a mulata and
herself marrying and having children with a man from Portugal would seem to
epitomize this way of viewing the racial composition of Brazil.
Unpacking the Xica
Myth: False Notions of Gender and Racial Democracy
There are some that claim that this version of the myth is extremely
altered in order to convey the ideals discussed above.
A professor from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais named Júnia
Furtado objects to the ways in which the myth is invoked regarding claims
of racial democracy and gender/sexual freedoms.
"O seu caso náo
é único, mas é um exemplo forte da estratégia
de se apagar a origem escrava, ou seja, se podia casar com uma negra, desde
que ela fosse 'branqueada'", diz Júnia. "Chica foi usada
como o modelo de democracia racial (de como os brancos se uniam a negras),
quando, na verdade, ela reforca a hipocrisia desse conceito e mostra como
se davam - e ainda se dão - as relacões raciais no Brasil: ter
relacões com negras não é mau, desde que náo oficial.æ
"Her case [Xica's] is not unique, but is a strong example of the
strategy of erasing slave origins, in other words, one could marry a black
woman until she was made to be white", says Júnia, "Chica
was used as a model of racial democracy (of white men uniting with black women),
when in truth, she reinforces the hypocrisy of this notion and reveals how
racial relations were, and still are, in Brazil:
having a relationship with black women isn't bad, as long as it's not
officialæ
Júnia
Furtado, and numerous others, seek to expose the myth of racial democracy
in Brazil as false and actually damaging to truly understanding the social
politics and patterns of poverty, racism, and social mobility. Moreover, Furtado claims that many of
the more grandiose elements of the myth of Xica are false. To learn more about Furtado's research
and claims see these essays:
< http://www.ufmg.br/boletim/bol1207/pag4.html>
< http://www.universiabrasil.net/materia.jsp?materia=2452>
Xica's Legacy Endures
Undoubtedly the
myth of Xica da Silva will continue to change with the shifting social and
political environment of Brazil. What
does endure, however, is the ubiquitous nature of the myth and its amazing
adaptable nature; Xica's story is and will continue to be invoked to illustrate
various ideas and historical threads.
The popular representations of the myth help remind us that much of
Brazil's identity was and is being shaped by the period of colonization, especially
in terms of racial and gender equality.
