Le Navire Negrier: Refiguration Identitaire Et Esclavage Au Bresil (Brazil and Cultural Narratives on the African Diaspora, Slavery) (Critical Essay‪)‬

* L'article presente l'analyse de la narration theatrale d'une mere de saint d'un terreiro de Rio de Janeiro portant sur le depart, le voyage et l'arrivee des esclaves au Bresil. La piece est jouee par des enfants et des membres de la famille de saints d'un terreiro d'une peripherie de Rio de Janeiro dans le cadre d'une activite educative. La narration est porteuse d'une idee centrale : les esclaves sont venus au Bresil porteurs d'une culture materielle et immaterielle, d'une memoire et de traditions transposes au Bresil par l'intermediaire de ceux qui surent resister aux lois de l'esclavage et aux conditions de la servitude. Le candomble, religion qui prend ici une signification politique forte, est un element structurant de la narration puisque les entites servent de figures, celles des esclaves et ancetres divinises mais aussi liberatrices. La figure victimaire de l'esclave se trouve renversee et se transforme en heros tandis que la narration de la nation bresilienne place les esclaves et l'Afrique comme figures premieres et civilisatrices. * This article presents the analysis of the dramatic narrative by the mother-of-saint of a terreiro in Rio de Janeiro, which recounts the departure, the voyage, and the arrival of slaves in Brazil. The play is put on by the children and members of the family-of-saint of the terreiro situated on the outskirts of Rio as an educational activity. The narrative conveys a central idea: that the slaves came to Brazil bearing with them a material and intangible culture, and a memory of traditions transferred to Brazil by those who were able to resist the laws of slavery and the conditions of servility. The candomble, a religion with strong political implications in this instance, is a structural element of the narrative, as the deities become characters in the play, those of slaves and ancestors who become not only deities but also liberators. The figure of the slave as victim is reversed and transfonned into hero, while the story of the Brazilian nation gives slaves and Africa the leading and civilizing roles.