ABSTRACT
The plots present in the mamulengo repertoire vary greatly and mostly refer to subjects of everyday life, such as festivities, work, or social satires. They also sometimes describe Northeast folk traditions (folguedos), myths and superstitions, as well as religious issues ranging from the Catholic Church to Indigenous Brazilian and Afro-Brazilian cults. Ethnographers have pointed out the influence of African fetishist cults in Brazil, in which figures are seen as having magical powers, or as being inhabited by spirits. Many mamulengo puppeteers believe they have spiritual experiences while performing. This chapter discusses some connections between mamulengo and spirituality: Are religious issues still present in the mamulengo show? How are the spiritual experiences reported by the puppeteers and what do they mean? have spirituality matters appearing in the Mamulengo carved out spaces of resistance or accommodation to the puppeteers and to their communities?
