Making identity out of circles: afro-Brazilian ideas of being yourself

This circle, expressed in thought, story, and cultural practice, offers one Brazilian — and particularly afro-Brazilian — way to think outside of the logic of opposition and polarization. This strength of identity can come from the center of gravity in a spinning dancer, a cultural circle, the connection to an umbilical cord, the steps of a samba, or the curly hair of an old quilombo philosopher.

Interviews in the podcast come from various movies made by Usina da Imaginação and directed by Rita Oenning da Silva and Kurt Shaw: The Rhythm of Liberation (2025), Brincar na Rosa de Tambor (2024, and Sambar é Filosofar (2024).