Publicação
Portugal against the Moors in the 21st century: invisible diasporas and the "mediatic romanticism" of a contemporary opera
| Resumo: | The impressive staging of Geraldo e Samira: Uma ópera para Évora [Geraldo and Samira: An Opera to Évora] – an open-air show of 2019, seen by a thousand people in the historic Portuguese-Arab city of Yabura (as Évora was called in Arabic) and sponsored by the local government – featured the Portuguese version of Cid Campeador, Geraldo Sem Pavor [Geraldo the Fearless], who conquered many territories of al-Andalus in the wake of the so-called Reconquista carried out by the Christian kingdoms in the 12th century. Through analyzing Geraldo e Samira’s discourse on the Other, my chapter will explore the possible connections between a persistent “mediatic romanticism” (riddled with Orientalism) and the cultural and political “invisibility” of those who are today the “Moors” of Portugal: the Muslim diaspora communities from former Portuguese colonies (especially those from Mozambique and Guinea Bissau), as well as those from other former European colonies (especially those from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Senegal). Contrary to what has been happening across Europe in recent years, Portugal is seen as an example in the way it deals with Muslim immigration due to an alleged promotion of multicultural coexistence. This chapter aims to question this vision of the phenomenon, insomuch as the idea of the integration of the Other into the national community does not fail to meld with long-standing civilizational stereotypes. |
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| Autores principais: | Machado, Everton V. |
| Ano: | 2023 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | capítulo de livro |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso restrito |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa |
| Resumo: | The impressive staging of Geraldo e Samira: Uma ópera para Évora [Geraldo and Samira: An Opera to Évora] – an open-air show of 2019, seen by a thousand people in the historic Portuguese-Arab city of Yabura (as Évora was called in Arabic) and sponsored by the local government – featured the Portuguese version of Cid Campeador, Geraldo Sem Pavor [Geraldo the Fearless], who conquered many territories of al-Andalus in the wake of the so-called Reconquista carried out by the Christian kingdoms in the 12th century. Through analyzing Geraldo e Samira’s discourse on the Other, my chapter will explore the possible connections between a persistent “mediatic romanticism” (riddled with Orientalism) and the cultural and political “invisibility” of those who are today the “Moors” of Portugal: the Muslim diaspora communities from former Portuguese colonies (especially those from Mozambique and Guinea Bissau), as well as those from other former European colonies (especially those from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Senegal). Contrary to what has been happening across Europe in recent years, Portugal is seen as an example in the way it deals with Muslim immigration due to an alleged promotion of multicultural coexistence. This chapter aims to question this vision of the phenomenon, insomuch as the idea of the integration of the Other into the national community does not fail to meld with long-standing civilizational stereotypes. |
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