Ngoma na mata é Terecô: Codó, a cidade dos terreiros

Abstract

In all places where Africans were forcibly taken within the diaspora, processes of constructing freedom existed in which their humanity was respected, and one of these spaces is Afro-religiosity, specifically the Terecô. Ngoma na Mata é Terecô: Codó, a Cidade dos Terreiros focuses on the study of an Afro-religiosity constituted and developed on Maranhão soil. This research presents information ranging from the factors that placed Africans in diaspora into a state of MAAFA to the main locations that saw the emergence of an Amerindian-African religion in diaspora, namely Terecô or Tambor da Mata, already studied by scholars such as Ferretti (2001), Centryne (2015), Ribeiro (2020), Ahlert (2013), among others, who legitimize its African ancestry, especially from the Bantu people brought to Maranhão at the end of the 18th century and sent in greater numbers to the hinterlands of Maranhão during that period. Considering the above, this study aims generally to understand the factors that enabled the emergence of an Afro religiosity in Maranhão territory, as well as to explain the high concentration of Terecô terreiros in Codó-MA. Beyond this main objective, it also seeks to explore the diaspora and Yurugu’s strategies of domination, to understand the settlement process of Maranhão up to Codó, to highlight the genuine Afro-religiosity of Codó by identifying the circuits of Terecô — that is, the spaces and terreiros that most move the city — as well as to understand and recognize the main figures who contributed to the diffusion of this Codoense religion. This is done through a qualitative approach, including bibliographic review, documentary analysis, and cultural geography resources. The dissertation not only maps the significant presence of the terreiros but also investigates how these religious spaces impact and transform the landscape of Codó, contributing to the perpetuation of Afro-Codoense knowledge. This study helps us understand that Codó is a city where an Afro-religiosity is deeply rooted in the very process of territorial formation. This spirituality, expressed mainly through Terecô, is not only part of local religious life but constitutes one of the pillars of Codoense identity. The Afro-religiosity that develops there carries living marks of a Black African ancestry, which has not only shaped spirituality but also contributed to the cultural and social foundations of the city. Recognizing Terecô as a cultural heritage of Codó and as a legitimate expression of a people, it becomes urgent to reflect on the need for public policies aimed at preserving the terreiros. Preserving these spaces is also to value history, protect collective memory, and ensure that this tradition continues to live on for future generations, while also providing a means to confront religious racism.