Marajoara Pottery and Círio de Nazaré: meaning and consecration of the Brazilian cultural heritage

ABSTRACT This article analyzes the processes of meaning-making and consecration of the Marajoara pottery and the Círio de Nazaré that enabled their recognition as part of the Brazilian cultural legacy. Based on reports from chroniclers, official documents and newspaper articles, the long process of assigning meanings to the Marajoara pottery and the Círio de Nazaré is historically related to a certain ideal of civilization and national identity. The conclusion is that, far from being a natural process, the conversion of these two cultural assets into Brazilian cultural heritage involved political issues and power relations implied in the production of discourses which valued some remnants while others have been silenced.