"BREAKING THE CHAINS"

(RE)EXISTENCE IN THE SONGS OF CLARA NUNES

Authors

Keywords:

Clara Nunes, african-derived religions, counter-coloniality, Military Dictatorship, music and resistance

Abstract

Brazilian artistic production during the Military Dictatorship was characterized by a tension between state repression and the quest for spaces of identity affirmation. In this context, Clara Nunes’s trajectory stands out for her transition from an initial romantic repertoire to an artistic expression rooted in African and Afro-diasporic religions, serving as a vehicle for (re)existence in the face of the impacts of colonial erasure. This study aims to analyze how Clara Nunes’s musical artistry—drawing on references to African and Afro-diasporic religions—functioned as an instrument for the (re)existence of cultural heritage and the strengthening of Black identity during the Brazilian Military Dictatorship. The methodology employed is qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive, utilizing documentary research. A survey of her discography from 1964 to 1985 was conducted, resulting in the identification and analysis of 24 songs. The results indicate a significant presence of African and Afro-diasporic deities, symbolic territories, and cultural manifestations within the lyrics. The final conclusions suggest that Clara Nunes’s music acted as an insurgent force that challenged the silencing policies of the authoritarian era. Her songs fostered cultural mediation and generated a sense of belonging, ensuring the continuity of ancestral knowledge and symbolic resistance against ethnocide.

Author Biographies

  • Leyde Klebia Rodrigues da Silva, Federal University of Bahia

    Adjunct Professor at the Department of Documentation and Information, Institute of Information Science, Federal University of Bahia (DDI/ICI/UFBA), Brazil. Collaborating Professor in the Graduate Program in Library and Information Science (PPGB) at the Federal University of Cariri (UFCA), Brazil. Holds a Ph.D. in Information Science from the Graduate Program in Information Science jointly offered by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and the Brazilian Institute of Information in Science and Technology (IBICT). Holds a Master’s degree in Information Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Library and Information Science from the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB).

    Research interests include: Foundations and Epistemologies of Information Science and Library and Information Science; Epistemicide and Memoricide in Information Science and related fields; Postcoloniality, Decoloniality, Anticoloniality, and Countercoloniality in Information Science and related disciplines; Black Women in Information Science and related fields; Memory and Society; Sociology of Information; Ethnic-Racial and Gender Studies in informational contexts; Knowledge Production; Dissemination, Use, and Appropriation of Information; and Web Information Sources.

    She is a member of the Center for Studies and Research on Information, Education, and Ethnic-Racial Relations (NEPIERE); the Research Group Integrating Competencies, Building Knowledge, Training Scientists (GEINCOS); the Ecce Liber Research Group: Language, Philosophy, and Knowledge; and the Research and Study Group on Information Mediation and Communication (GEPEMCI).

  • Denise Braga Sampaio, Federal University of Bahia

    Professora do Instituto de Ciência da Informação da Universidade Federal da Bahia (ICI-UFBA). Doutora em Ciência da Informação pela Universidade Federal da Paraíba (PPGCI-UFPB). Mestra em Ciência da Informação pela Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (PPGCI-UFPE). Bacharela em Biblioteconomia pela Universidade Federal do Ceará (DCI-UFC). Professora do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biblioteconomia da Universidade Federal do Cariri (PPGB/UFCA). Áreas de interesse: Memória, Competência em Informação, Mediação da Informação e Práticas Informacionais. Membro dos Grupos de Pesquisa: GeMinas - Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisas em Mediação, Organização e Representação da Informação e os Marcadores Sociais da Diferença e inclusoS - Informação, Memória, Tecnologias e Sociedade. Membro dos projetos de extensão ICIne, Leituras Andantes, Observatório da Diversidade e Coordenadora do Programa de Extensão DiversAção.

  • Ana Claudia Medeiros de Sousa, Federal University of Paraíba

    Professora da Universidade Federal da Paraíba e do Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciência da Informação da Universidade Federal da Paraíba

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Published

2026-11-13

Conference Proceedings Volume

2026: XXVI ENCONTRO NACIONAL DE PESQUISA E PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM CIÊNCIA DA INFORMAÇÃO

Section

GT 12 – Informação, Estudos Étnico-Raciais, Gênero e Diversidades

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