"i Have To Know Who I Am.": An Africana Womanist Analysis Of Afro-Brazilian Identity In The

160 Pages·2015·1.02 MB·English

by  Doris Waddell Gilliam

Florida State University Libraries
Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School
2013
"I Have to Know Who I Am": An Africana
Womanist Analysis of Afro-Brazilian
Identity in the Literature of Miriam Alves,
Esmeralda Ribeiro and Conceição Evaristo
Doris Waddell Gilliam
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THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

“I HAVE TO KNOW WHO I AM.”: AN AFRICANA WOMANIST ANALYSIS OF AFRO-
BRAZILIAN IDENTITY IN THE LITERATURE OF MIRIAM ALVES, ESMERALDA
RIBEIRO AND CONCEIÇÃO EVARISTO

By

DORIS WADDELL GILLIAM

A Dissertation submitted to the
College of Arts and Sciences
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

Degree Awarded:
Spring Semester, 2013

©
Doris Waddell Gilliam defended this dissertation on March 29, 2013.

The members of the supervisory committee were:

Peggy Sharpe
Professor Directing Dissertation

Kathleen Erndl
University Representative

Delia Poey
Committee Member

Juan Carlos Galeano
Committee Member

The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and
certifies that the dissertation has been approved in accordance with university requirements.

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To Dr. Maurice Waddell, Sr. who would be so proud to see me arrive at this point in my life and
Mrs. Doris P. Waddell who has lovingly ensured that I complete this stage of my journey—feet
forward and ready for the future.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I did not complete the dissertation alone. Throughout this journey I have received
support and encouragement from a number of people for whom I am truly grateful. I would like
to thank Dr. Peggy Sharpe, my major professor and Dissertation Advisor, for introducing me to
the fascinating topic of Afro-Brazilian writers. Not only did she teach me about the rich history
and culture of Brazil in classes, but she ensured that I would arrive at a greater understanding of
each writer’s work by interacting with them personally. Dr. Sharpe’s knowledge of Brazil,
critical advice, encouragement, and friendship have been invaluable in helping me arrive at this
point. I appreciate committee members, Doctors Kathleen Erndl, Delia Poey, and Juan Carlos
Galeano for their guidance on my dissertation, as well as the time they spent talking with me
about the dissertation process, my career, school, and even life choices.
The Humanities, Modern Languages and Linguistics departments as well as a number of
individuals at Strozier Library played a great role in assisting me along the way. I can truthfully
state that every Humanities professor was helpful in some way, whether it was in taking really
interesting and useful film classes with “Profesora” Maricarmen Martinez, or receiving guidance
and support from department chair, John Kelsay, and graduate student advisor Dr. Carla Reid. A
number of Humanities professors including, Drs. Cashin and Stoddard, served as support
systems with their kind words, deeds and advice. I offer special thanks to Dr. Cloonan,
Chairman, and the Department of the Florida State University Modern Languages and
Linguistics Department for virtually adopting me as one of their own. Special appreciation to
Dr. Michael Leeser for allowing me to learn and teach Spanish to Florida State students in new
and innovative ways and to the Modern Languages and Linguistics faculty who offered kind
words and conversation on quite a few occasions. A huge “thank you” goes to Strozier Library
employees for their assistance with procuring materials. Velma Smith, Interlibrary Loan
Director, frequently went above the call of duty to ensure I had the materials all of the materials I
needed. A final note of appreciation to Julie Dow whose eye for editing and comments about
literature were always thoughtful and on target.
Love and “thanks” go to my friends and family on and off the Florida State campus. The
Humanities Doctoral Support group was an indispensable source of information and friendship.
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In addition, I will not forget the friends who encouraged me with kind words, deeds, and prayers.
This is especially true of Kelvin Lindsay who has been a great listener and supporter throughout
my studies. Finally, I would be remiss in not mentioning my appreciation for Linda McCorvey,
Pamela Crosby, Constance Adams, and Camille Whitehead, my “sisterfriends” away from home.
I would not have arrived at the point without my biggest supporters, members of the
Waddell family. Thanks to my siblings Maurice and Marcia who always offered perspective on
the important things in life. A big hug to my brother John, who along with Douglas set the
precedent for attending Florida State University, offered wonderful advice about the doctoral
process and the importance of finishing the course. A final thanks to “Mama” whose love,
intelligence, wise words and frequent encouragement have carried me to the end of this journey.
Finally, I stand on the shoulders of many people, named and unnamed. I honor and give thanks
to you for assisting me along the way.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... ix
1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1
Definitions................................................................................................................................... 1
The Black Female Intellectual and Writer .................................................................................. 2
Historical Context ....................................................................................................................... 3
Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 7
Limitations .................................................................................................................................. 8
Sources ........................................................................................................................................ 9
Chapter Outline ......................................................................................................................... 11
2. SURVEYING SCHOLARSHIP ON RACE IN BRAZIL ........................................................ 15
Origins of Twentieth Century Racial Discourse ....................................................................... 16
Twentieth Century: Defining the Nation through Race ............................................................ 17
Afro-Brazilian Response to Elite Discourse on Race: 1920s-1930s ........................................ 20
Revising the Theory of “Racial Democracy”: 1950s-1970s .................................................... 23
Twentieth Century Black Activism and Literature: 1970s-1990s ............................................ 24
Contemporary Afro-Brazilian Women and Race in History, Politics and Literature ............... 26
Examining Race, Class and Gender through the Africana Womanist Lens ............................. 29
Post-revisionist Considerations of Race: Twenty-first Century ............................................... 32
3. MÃE PRETA, MULATA, MULHER: AFRICANA WOMANISM AND THE “QUESTION OF
THE BLACK WOMAN” IN BRAZIL ......................................................................................... 34
Imagining Afro-Brazilian Women: Mãe Preta and Mulata .................................................... 41
Challenging the Stereotypes: “Amefricanidade” ..................................................................... 48
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Challenging the Myths: Feminism, Black Feminism, Womanism and Africana Womanism . 54
Clenora Hudson-Weems ........................................................................................................... 55
Exploring Africana Womanist Predecessors: Feminism, Black Feminism and Womanism .... 57
Africana Womanism ................................................................................................................. 67
4. ‘HERSTORY’: SELF-NAMING AND SELF-DEFINITION IN THE LITERATURE OF
MIRIAM ALVES, ESMERALDA RIBEIRO AND CONCEIÇÃO EVARISTO ....................... 83
The Call to Identity ................................................................................................................... 84
“I am who I say I am.”: Self-naming and Identity .................................................................... 84
“This is the reality of my existence”: Self-definition and Identity ............................................ 85
Miriam Alves ............................................................................................................................ 87
Searching for the Self in Alves’s “Estranho Indagar” .............................................................. 91
Esmeralda Ribeiro and "Ogun" ................................................................................................. 98
Esmeralda Ribeiro’s “Ogun”: “I have to know who I am.”.……….....…………………….101
Traversing the Africana Womanist Path: Rejection ............................................................... 102
Self-Examination .................................................................................................................... 105
Contest .................................................................................................................................... 108
Awakening and Acceptance .................................................................................................... 109
Exploring the Africana Womanist in Conceição Evaristo’s Ponciá Vicêncio ........................ 116
Conceição Evaristo ................................................................................................................. 116
Into the Void: Rejection and Loss of Identity ......................................................................... 121
Searching for Identity: Self-Examination .............................................................................. 125
Returning from the Void: Transformation and Memory ........................................................ 126
5. CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................... 131
References ................................................................................................................................... 140
Biographical Sketch .................................................................................................................... 150

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ABSTRACT

This dissertation explores black female identity in the literature of contemporary Afro-
Brazilian writers Miriam Alves, Esmeralda Ribeiro, and Conceição Evaristo. The research
approaches Alves poem “Estranho Indagar” (1983), Ribeiro’s short fiction work “Ogun,” and
Evaristo’s novel Ponciá Vicêncio, utilizing Africana Womanist theory. It situates Afro-Brazilian
female writing within a global Africana Womanist paradigm and focuses on two of the theory’s
eighteen tenets, self-definer and self-namer, to explore the concept of black identity in Afro-
Brazilian female writing. Chapter One reviews the socio-cultural origins of the challenges of
black female identity. It also proposes Africana Womanism as a methodology for examining
black female identity in Brazil. Chapter Two surveys literature on twentieth century Brazilian
racial ideology, Afro-Brazilian history, and activism, as well as the marginalization of Afro-
Brazilian women from Brazilian history and the literary canon. Chapter Three focuses on the
mãe preta and mulata stereotypes as the root cause of black female invisibilization, lack of
socio-economic progress, and stifling of black female identity. Moreover, it contrasts currently
utilized feminist theories and argues for the use of Africana Womanism as an appropriate global
perspective for understanding and analyzing the lives of Afro-Brazilian women. Chapter Four
applies the Africana Womanist tenets of self-namer and self-definer to the works “Estranho
Indagar,” “Ogun,” and Ponciá Vicêncio to investigate the relationship between self-naming, self-
definition and Afro-Brazilian female identity. Chapter Five summarizes the previous chapters,
offers findings from the study, and suggests avenues of new research for future Brazilian and
Brazilianist scholars.

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