Abstract
In 1939, the notable Carmen Miranda starred in the Brazilian motion picture Banana da Terra (literally Homeland Banana), performing the — now historical — Dorival Caymmi’s samba “O Que é Que a Baiana Tem?” (“What is it about the Baiana?”).1 Briefly, the song pays homage to the baiana2 (i.e. a black female ambulatory vendor) who “typically” sells Afro-Brazilian food on the streets of urban centers. Miranda’s impersonation of this market woman within a modern casino show illustrates, more importantly, the enduring popularity of this character-type within Rio de Janeiro’s entertainment industry. Accompanied by a group of samba musicians, Bando da Lua, Miranda sings:
What is it about the baiana? 2x
[Literally, “What is it that the baiana has?”]
She has a silk turban. (Yes, she) has.
She has gold earrings. (Yes, she) has.
She has gold bracelets. (Yes, she) has.
She has pano da costa.3 (Yes, she) has.
She has an embroidered blouse. (Yes, she) has.
She has gold necklaces. (Yes, she) has.
She has a starched skirt. (Yes, she) has.
She has dressed-up sandals. (Yes, she) has. (Author’s translation)
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Life is a Marketplace and our true house is in heaven.
Yoruba proverb
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© 2015 Cristina F. Rosa
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Rosa, C.F. (2015). What is it about the Baiana?. In: Brazilian Bodies and Their Choreographies of Identification. New World Choreographies. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137462275_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137462275_6
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-55470-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-46227-5
eBook Packages: Palgrave Theatre & Performance CollectionLiterature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)