Revising citizenship: migration and fado in the play of identities in ...
Revising citizenship: migration and fado in the play of identities in ... Revising citizenship: migration and fado in the play of identities in ...
“I may sing a malhão 17 or a vira 18 , or even a simple song; everybody will consider it a fado.”(personal interview, Lisbon, 28.08.1990, in Carvalho, 1991:67).New meanings challenged the identity of fado. If until then fado could be considered“a musical genre, defined within certain limits in terms of song format, tempo,melodic, harmonic and rhythmic patterns, literary thematic and instrumentation”,from then on, vocal style, Amália’s references in other interpretive ways were alsodefining characteristics of the category (Carvalho, 1991:67-68). The elasticity theseinterpreters gave to the identity of fado was not well accepted by those who saw itas a reference to the past, subject to the nationalist purposes of the Estado Novo’scultural policy.In the migrant context in Newark, the conditions expressed as motivations for participationin the event: the taste for old repertoire, the preference for sad subjects and pastthemes, apparently working for the conservative categorisation of fado, did not work forthe other musical repertoire present on the same night. The intensity of the participationleft, however, the impression that the audience was more identified with the lambadadance than with the fados offered up. The contrasting domains co-existing withinthe event resulted respectively from accepted past narratives of nationalist inspirationand mind subjection or from current experience of intercultural motivation and bodyattraction. Both produced essence for identity-belonging strategies, observable in thesolidarity expressed by the participants in both parts of the performance. However, oneof the domains was accepted to represent Portuguese national identity and the otherwas not. Is it possible that this inference has been part of the cause for the frustrationexpressed by the participants? Why is it that a performance domain that interests andpromotes solidarity, motivating identity within a group of Portuguese people cannot orshould not be considered motive for Portuguese identity? What are the impedimentsfor a group of Portuguese people in Portugal or elsewhere to choose a domain foridentity-belonging? May this identity be considered a Portuguese identity? Who or whatdetermines the Portugueseness of the Portuguese identity?From the complex and diversified domains implying different roles of identity dealtwith in the situation described, it is possible to interpret that, for this case:- Reasoning dealing with and eventually choosing from among plural identities, anotion advocated by Sen (in Appiah, 2008:346), may imply mental reflection andbody experience; both may point to opposite directions and the apparently lessrationalised may prevail;- Awkwardness in advocating what is “officially” announced as the chosen identitymay indicate that it is not so. Avoiding names, circumstances, links of differentsorts are among plausible indicators of contrariness;- Reluctance in accepting welfare as part of one’s own identity may compromisethe condition to an extreme point so that it may mean unintended identification,or identification with something not wanted.- The “aegis of the moment” (Dias, 1971:33 in Cabral, 2003:524), changing throughtime and place, requires constant updating regarding domains of identity of individual,group and country or nation concern.88 Music and Migration
… for citizenship representationDifferent peoples experience different organising principles, and citizenship, amillennial European concept, seems to resist time and space adapting itself, notwithout tragic experiences and inhumane delay, to the changing needs of everydaylife. The main systems of Latin representation, jus sanguini and jus soli, respectivelythe right of blood and the right of soil, have coexisted within the policies differentstates have produced to determine citizenship rights. Who we are born fromand where, relating the earliest body and place experience of each individual, havebeen so far determinant for peoples’ organisation into nations, states or countries,19 most of them founded on old previous parts of others. In contemporary,complex and changing environments however, who we are and where we are, afterbirth though, and in different phases and circumstances of life, have motivatedreflection and study on the notions of identity and citizenship. These, in turn bearrelevance for the delineation of changing policies of state organisation and care.Social Sciences, including Anthropology, Cultural Studies and Ethnomusicology,among others, have produced theoretical insights for the study of human behaviouras representative of identity strategies basic to life in society. Being part ofthe interest in the study of music performance processes and products since the1980s, the notion of identity was recently reviewed in the Ethnomusicology literatureby Timothy Rice (2007, 2010). Migration in its growing manifestation, allied withother globalising trends like electronic mediation potentially reducing distancesand multiplying contacts, is showing problems, inaccuracies, shortcomings andtremendous gaps in the organisation of nations, requesting urgent deep revisionof some established state principles.The notion of citizenship, the quality of being citizen, the inhabitant of the city in theenjoyment of civil and political rights of a free state, 20 is under scrutiny. Central tolegal sciences for long, it became increasingly meaningful for social, human and educationalsciences in contemporary democratic societies. It implies a legal and politicalrelationship between individual and state and it is a fundamental right. Liberalismand multiculturalism, mainly conceived in the social struggle of migrant efforts, haveenriched and challenged the concept. Questioning the idea of citizenship as a form ofinclusion Halfmann notes its oddity:“Citizenship is an odd form of inclusion as compared to membership in other social systemsbecause it combines universalistic and particularistic criteria in the same process of inclusion.Citizenship is attributed to all individuals equally, but only insofar as they belong to aparticular nation-state. This inclusion in the political system originates from the formula ofthe Human Rights Declaration of the French Revolution, which stated that every individual[excluding women] 21 has a right to be a member of a «nation»” (Halfmann, 1998:514).The fusion of the “nation” with the state, he stresses, makes citizenship different fromthe forms of inclusion in other social systems of modern society whose universalismis not restricted to nationals (Halfmann, 1998). The notions of citizenship and nationalismneed continuously renewed attention. Policies implemented throughout theworld are being challenged as unsatisfactory measures in the light of compliance withMigrações _ #7 _ October 201089
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… for <strong>citizenship</strong> representationDifferent peoples experience different organis<strong>in</strong>g pr<strong>in</strong>ciples, <strong>and</strong> <strong>citizenship</strong>, amillennial European concept, seems to resist time <strong>and</strong> space adapt<strong>in</strong>g itself, notwithout tragic experiences <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>humane delay, to <strong>the</strong> chang<strong>in</strong>g needs <strong>of</strong> everydaylife. The ma<strong>in</strong> systems <strong>of</strong> Lat<strong>in</strong> representation, jus sangu<strong>in</strong>i <strong>and</strong> jus soli, respectively<strong>the</strong> right <strong>of</strong> blood <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> right <strong>of</strong> soil, have coexisted with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> policies differentstates have produced to determ<strong>in</strong>e <strong>citizenship</strong> rights. Who we are born from<strong>and</strong> where, relat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> earliest body <strong>and</strong> place experience <strong>of</strong> each <strong>in</strong>dividual, havebeen so far determ<strong>in</strong>ant for peoples’ organisation <strong>in</strong>to nations, states or countries,19 most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m founded on old previous parts <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs. In contemporary,complex <strong>and</strong> chang<strong>in</strong>g environments however, who we are <strong>and</strong> where we are, afterbirth though, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> different phases <strong>and</strong> circumstances <strong>of</strong> life, have motivatedreflection <strong>and</strong> study on <strong>the</strong> notions <strong>of</strong> identity <strong>and</strong> <strong>citizenship</strong>. These, <strong>in</strong> turn bearrelevance for <strong>the</strong> del<strong>in</strong>eation <strong>of</strong> chang<strong>in</strong>g policies <strong>of</strong> state organisation <strong>and</strong> care.Social Sciences, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Anthropology, Cultural Studies <strong>and</strong> Ethnomusicology,among o<strong>the</strong>rs, have produced <strong>the</strong>oretical <strong>in</strong>sights for <strong>the</strong> study <strong>of</strong> human behaviouras representative <strong>of</strong> identity strategies basic to life <strong>in</strong> society. Be<strong>in</strong>g part <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> study <strong>of</strong> music performance processes <strong>and</strong> products s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong>1980s, <strong>the</strong> notion <strong>of</strong> identity was recently reviewed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ethnomusicology literatureby Timothy Rice (2007, 2010). Migration <strong>in</strong> its grow<strong>in</strong>g manifestation, allied witho<strong>the</strong>r globalis<strong>in</strong>g trends like electronic mediation potentially reduc<strong>in</strong>g distances<strong>and</strong> multiply<strong>in</strong>g contacts, is show<strong>in</strong>g problems, <strong>in</strong>accuracies, shortcom<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>and</strong>tremendous gaps <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> organisation <strong>of</strong> nations, request<strong>in</strong>g urgent deep revision<strong>of</strong> some established state pr<strong>in</strong>ciples.The notion <strong>of</strong> <strong>citizenship</strong>, <strong>the</strong> quality <strong>of</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g citizen, <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>habitant <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> city <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>enjoyment <strong>of</strong> civil <strong>and</strong> political rights <strong>of</strong> a free state, 20 is under scrut<strong>in</strong>y. Central tolegal sciences for long, it became <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly mean<strong>in</strong>gful for social, human <strong>and</strong> educationalsciences <strong>in</strong> contemporary democratic societies. It implies a legal <strong>and</strong> politicalrelationship between <strong>in</strong>dividual <strong>and</strong> state <strong>and</strong> it is a fundamental right. Liberalism<strong>and</strong> multiculturalism, ma<strong>in</strong>ly conceived <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> social struggle <strong>of</strong> migrant efforts, haveenriched <strong>and</strong> challenged <strong>the</strong> concept. Question<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> idea <strong>of</strong> <strong>citizenship</strong> as a form <strong>of</strong><strong>in</strong>clusion Halfmann notes its oddity:“Citizenship is an odd form <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>clusion as compared to membership <strong>in</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r social systemsbecause it comb<strong>in</strong>es universalistic <strong>and</strong> particularistic criteria <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> same process <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>clusion.Citizenship is attributed to all <strong>in</strong>dividuals equally, but only <strong>in</strong>s<strong>of</strong>ar as <strong>the</strong>y belong to aparticular nation-state. This <strong>in</strong>clusion <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> political system orig<strong>in</strong>ates from <strong>the</strong> formula <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> Human Rights Declaration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> French Revolution, which stated that every <strong>in</strong>dividual[exclud<strong>in</strong>g women] 21 has a right to be a member <strong>of</strong> a «nation»” (Halfmann, 1998:514).The fusion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> “nation” with <strong>the</strong> state, he stresses, makes <strong>citizenship</strong> different from<strong>the</strong> forms <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>clusion <strong>in</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r social systems <strong>of</strong> modern society whose universalismis not restricted to nationals (Halfmann, 1998). The notions <strong>of</strong> <strong>citizenship</strong> <strong>and</strong> nationalismneed cont<strong>in</strong>uously renewed attention. Policies implemented throughout <strong>the</strong>world are be<strong>in</strong>g challenged as unsatisfactory measures <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> light <strong>of</strong> compliance withMigrações _ #7 _ October 201089
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