Exu não faz mal a ninguém : uma análise antropológica das violências e das estratégias de enfrentamento dos povos de terreiro na cidade de João Pessoa

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the violences experienced and the coping strategies adopted by the povos de terreiro (Afro-Brazilian religious communities) in the city of João Pessoa (PB), focusing on forms of violence arising from religious intolerance and racism against these groups. In a society that claims to be a “racial democracy,” this research emphasizes the historical and cultural formation of Brazil and the tensions emerging from the Brazilian model of racism, particularly targeting African-derived religions and their followers. The study discusses the effects of structural racism, highlighting how religious intolerance is a direct consequence of colonial domination, shaped by Eurocentrism and exclusionary colonial policies. Additionally, it seeks to contribute to the debate on anti- racist and anti-colonial struggles within the context of Black religiosity in Brazil. This is a qualitative study, based on bibliographic research and theoretical analysis, with direct data collection through interviews and informal conversations with both practitioners of terreiros and relevant authorities, regarding the violences experienced in their religious spaces. The results demonstrate how these forms of intolerance impact daily life and social experiences within these communities.