ABSTRACT
This chapter examines Amulherada, an all-female carnival group in Salvador, Bahia and the ways in which they use their music to create a space for crafting, negotiating and resisting racial and gender subjectivities. It examines the particular contributions of Amulherada, an all-female carnival group based in the Centro Historico, Pelourinho. The chapter begins with a brief discussion on race and black activism in order to articulate the dynamics of identities in Brazil, whether they are racial, gender, and/or class. It addresses how racism and racist denial inspired cultural-political movements created by and oriented towards Afro-Brazilian communities. The chapter concludes by exploring Amulherada's use of Afro-Bahian popular music, samba reggae, and drum performance as a means of reclaiming their voice, and advancing and empowering women, particularly women of color an even more vulnerable group in Brazilian society.
