Abstract:
In the second half of the 20th century, percussion in Salvador, Bahia, became a central space for cultural expression among Afro-descendants and popular classes, from the perspective of Paulo Freire and Carlos Rodrigues Brandão, or among subaltern groups, according to Gramsci, Spivak, and Mignolo. This dissertation analyzes the musical knowledge produced by the percussion movement Vai Quem Vem, created in the 1980s in the Candeal neighborhood of Salvador. Its main objective is to understand this knowledge based on the rhythms from Candeal and the systematization efforts developed within the Ponto de Cultura Pracatum project (2016–2017), linking them to the classroom teaching of percussion of African origin. Grounded in a decolonial approach, the research draws on authors such as Freire, Mariátegui, Quijano, Dussel, Mignolo, Walsh, and Arboleda, and adopts a participatory research methodology combining historical-musical investigation, direct observation, audiovisual documentation, and the analysis of six characteristic rhythms, with an in-depth focus on two. The findings reveal significant innovations in Candeal’s rhythms compared to other percussive traditions in Salvador, both in the 1980s and today, especially regarding polyrhythmic organization and creative use of instrumentation, such as placing low-pitched voices on the offbeats, breaking with established conventions of Afro-Bahian percussion genres. The study highlights the importance of oral and gestural transmission, oralitura, as proposed by Leda Martins, in which physical presence and direct interaction with local masters proved essential, even for capturing elements that audiovisual media cannot fully convey. Strategies were also developed to adapt Western musical notation to these rhythms, creating accessible transcriptions for musicians without training in European music theory, including phrases, timbres, cycles, and subdivisions. As an outcome, the research produced didactic materials, technical exercises and arrangements, that connect oral tradition to classroom pedagogy. It concludes that the knowledge of Vai Quem Vem constitutes a valuable cultural heritage whose understanding and transmission demand respectful and decolonial epistemological approaches, fostering the recognition of popular musical practices as legitimate sources of knowledge and pedagogical innovation, while strengthening the dialogue between community and academia.
