Reggae and the transformation of the “Brazilian Athens” into the “Brazilian Jamaica"

Abstract

This article examines the transformation of São Luís do Maranhão’s identity through the expansion of reggae, situating it within broader twentieth-century processes in which local Black cultural practices became symbolic markers. It argues that the consolidation of an entertainment market, driven by radio, television, and live performances, was crucial to this shift. Initially confined to marginalized spaces and associated with social stigma, reggae gradually expanded across different social groups through the agency of DJs, producers, and Black communities. This process was not the result of state or elite appropriation, but of sustained cultural agency from below. The emergence of the idea of a “Brazilian Jamaica” reflects the formation of an imagined community shaped by media circulation. Despite resistance from local elites, reggae ultimately redefined the city’s symbolic landscape, highlighting the central role of subaltern cultures in shaping collective identities.