Capoeira - a Brazilian immaterial heritage: safeguarding plans and their effectiveness as public policies

Abstract

This paper aims to analyse the actions promoted by the Brazilian federal government for the promotion of Capoeira, which is a mix of dance, fight and play, practised with musical instruments. It is commonly called an Afro-Brazilian martial art. So, in this paper, we analyse the effectiveness of the proposed Safeguarding Plan to Capoeira, assuming the suggested orientations from the National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute concerning its elaboration and execution. The elaboration of safeguarding plans aims to define and organise a group of actions willing to enhance social/environmental production, as well as reproduction and transmission conditions of the registered cultural immaterial heritage. It is important to mention that Capoeira is also much related to representations about Brazil.