O Terreiro de Mãe Bena: resistência e protagonismo feminino para além do sincretismo

Abstract

This research analyzes the Terreiro de São Sebastião, led by Mãe Bena in Parintins, Amazonas, through a sociocultural and intersectional approach, exploring Black female leadership, religious resistance, and the agency of the Terreiro’s adherents. It seeks to understand how this space functions as a territory of identity affirmation and resistance against structural racism, religious intolerance, and gender hierarchies. Methodologically, the research adopts a qualitative approach with an ethnographic orientation, employing participant observation, semi-structured interviews with Mãe Bena and members of the Terreiro, as well as document analysis, literature review, and ethnophotographic and audiovisual records. The study highlights that Afro-Brazilian religious Terreiros are not merely spaces for spiritual practice but also centers of knowledge production, sociocultural resistance, and female leadership. The findings indicate that the Terreiro de São Sebastião represents a dynamic locus of religious and social re-signification, articulating tradition and innovation in the face of contemporary challenges and hegemonic structures, while reaffirming Afro-descendant culture and religious autonomy.