Mapping Diaspora: African American Roots Tourism in Brazil

Brazil has become a popular destination for African American tourists looking to explore their cultural roots in the black Atlantic diaspora. Patricia de Santana Pinho's research explores African American roots tourism, providing personal and collective meaning for those seeking black identity and heritage. It also offers economic and political rewards, supported by a structured industry. Roots tourism originated in the late 1970s when black intellectuals, artists, and activists were drawn to Bahia, absorbing the largest number of enslaved Africans. It examines the tensions between racial and national identities and the gendered dimensions of travel, particularly when women are the primary seekers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 30 December 2018
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

Brazil, like many countries in Africa, has emerged as a prominent destination for African American tourists seeking to explore the cultural roots of the black Atlantic diaspora. Patricia de Santana Pinho, in her extensive ethnographic research spanning over a decade, delves into the realm of African American roots tourism, a profound and poignant form of travel that holds immense personal and collective significance for those seeking to connect with their black identity and heritage. Furthermore, as revealed through her interviews with Brazilian tour guides, state officials, and Afro-Brazilian activists, roots tourism also offers economic and political benefits that support the establishment of a structured industry.

Tracing the origins of roots tourism back to the late 1970s, Pinho highlights how groups of black intellectuals, artists, and activists were particularly drawn to Bahia, a state that, in centuries past, had absorbed the largest number of enslaved Africans. This phenomenon, Pinho argues, has resulted in African Americans becoming frequent travelers across what she refers to as the map of Africanness, a interconnected network that fosters transnational solidarities and exposes the unevenness of the black diaspora.

Roots tourism, as Pinho discovers, provides a rich platform for examining the complex interplay between racial and national identities, as well as the gendered dimensions of travel, particularly when women are the primary roots-seekers. Through her meticulous analysis, Pinho sheds light on the ways in which roots tourism contributes to the construction of black identities, the preservation of cultural heritage, and the promotion of cross-cultural understanding.

Moreover, roots tourism has the potential to empower marginalized communities and challenge dominant narratives. By engaging with their ancestral roots, individuals can reclaim their history and assert their agency in the present. This, in turn, can lead to greater social and political change, as individuals and communities work towards a more inclusive and equitable society.

In conclusion, African American roots tourism in Brazil represents a powerful and transformative form of travel that offers profound personal and collective meaning for those seeking to connect with their black identity and heritage. Through her extensive research and insightful analysis, Patricia de Santana Pinho contributes to our understanding of the complexities and significance of roots tourism, highlighting its potential to promote social and cultural change while challenging dominant narratives.

Weight: 416g
Dimension: 157 x 234 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781469645322