Discuss Two Forms of Latin American Popular Culture

Discuss two forms of Latin American ‘popular culture’ that have been transformed into ‘global’ cultures. How do you account for the popularisation of these forms with global audiences? The term ‘globalisation’ can be a very complex term to define. For the purpose of this essay and in relation to ‘culture’ I will define globalization as the growth of the culture and values of one society to a global scale (Held, D. 200: 48). Culture, as quoted by R. Williams in Keywords (1976), is one of the two or three most ‘complicated’ words to define (Williams, R. 1976:76). Culture’ can be seen as a way of life and the work and practices of intellectual and aesthetic activity (Williams, R. 1976:80). ‘Popular culture’ (or ‘Cultura Popular’ in Spanish) refers to a wide range of cultural forms, which fall outside the institutionalised and canonised forms of knowledge and aesthetic production (Marsh, 2012). They are generally defined as ‘high’ culture (Charles, M. 2000:3). Therefore, ‘Global’ culture can be seen as a way of life and the work and practices of intellectual and aesthetic activities from one society into a global scale where every individual share and practice the same activities.

Although Latin America is rich in culture and has many different cultural forms, this essay will only discuss two types of ‘popular culture’ and how these cultures have become to be ‘global cultures’ and how these have been popularised and the relation it has with some theories developed in recent years. One of the cultures that will be discussed in this essay is the popular dance in Brazil known as Samba and how this music genre has developed over time and become a global music icon. The other culture this essay will discuss is Film in Latin America, the types of genres in the film industry, whilst also discussing how these have globalised.

A theory developed in the 1960’s and 1970s, known as the ‘Dependency Theory’ studies that poor countries and third world countries are not poor because they lack natural resources but because such resources in those poorer countries have been used to help developed western countries. Dependency scholars argued that because of the external ties of Third World nations that made them dependent on industrialized nations for capital, advanced technology, and expertise, these nations would remain in a state of underdevelopment or stunted economic and social growth (Dependency Theory 2001).

This is a reflection on how ‘Popular Culture’ in Latin America has developed over recent years. Latin America does not have resources, such as technology, to help is cultural forms develop globally and therefore requires the aid of other countries in order to do this. To study this theory further and discuss its argument, this essay will discuss a popular music genre in Latin America and how it has become a ‘global culture’. There are several types of popular music in Latin America. These include, out of many of them, tango, salsa, nueva cancion, chicha and samba.

This essay will discuss the popular dance of Brazil, which is known as samba. Samba is a style of music and dance that originated in Bahia, Brazil, which originally emerged in the early twentieth century. Although its origin began in Brazil, the music was developed from a fusion of styles from different countries such as America, Africa, India and parts of Europe but generally African because of the different slave trades between both continents. It mixes traditional African rhythms, such as the batuque as it is believed to have descended from it, with popular urban rhythms like the maxixe.

Samba, however, is now an icon of Brazilian national identity. Samba can also take on several different forms such as the samba-de-enredo and the samba-cancao but the most popular one is Samba Batucada, which is a samba dance performed on the streets. This can be seen through the famously know ‘Rio de Janeiro Carnival’ (Shaw and Dennison, 2005:14). The three main characteristics of Samba are instruments; Samba music is based around percussion instruments. This includes maracas or shakers, woodblocks and drums. The rhythm, the first and third beats are emphasized in a four-beat measure.

Each instrument or part is equal in importance, each exciting rhythm pushing through the overall structure. And the ‘call and response’, this is when the leader initiates a change in the music and the ensemble responds (What is Samba, 2010). Samba, in recent years, has become globalized through several forms of culture and it is known worldwide as an iconic Brazilian dance. One prime example of how Samba has been globalized is via the ‘Rio de Janeiro Carnival’. This is an enormous event that is known globally. Although Carnival is a celebration that defines the country’s cultural identity, its origin is European.

The Portuguese brought the first form of carnival to Brazil in the seventeenth century. However, the introduction of Samba in the carnival was not introduced until the late 19th century early 20th Century. The carnival consists of several parades and dances through the streets of Rio de Janeiro. The different samba schools of Brazil come together to create the Rio de Janeiro Carnival (Brazil Carnival, 2008). In most European countries, for example in Spain, they also celebrate carnivals around the same date as Brazil. People will also dress up in exotic outfits and come out to dance and parade on the streets.

As well as dancing Samba they dance their own cultural dances, such as flamenco. Therefore, this shows that samba has been globalised and integrated into other societies cultures. Another example on how samba has become global is through the famously known actress Carmen Miranda. The music and films featuring Carmen Miranda constitutes an example of the ways in which cultures forms from Latin American are made more portable to global audiences (Marsh, 2012). Carmen Miranda was a Portuguese emigre who bridged the gaps of race and class and united the nation through Samba in Brazil between 1929 and 1939.

She then went to become a Hollywood icon between 1939 and 1955, her first Hollywood film was ‘Street of Paris’ (1939). She was seen as in-betweenness as she was white in Brazil but not white enough in the United States (Shaw and Dennison, 2005: She dressed in an exaggerated version of the clothes of an Afro-Brazilian food-seller wearing large headdresses made of piles of exotic fruits. Through Carmen Miranda, Brazilian cultures was tamed and civilized and its ethnic mix diluted in order to ‘sell’ its culture abroad (Marsh, 2012).

This is a prime example that helps back up the argument set in the ‘Dependency theory’. Event though, their own culture was emerged in home countries, such a Brazil with Samba, it was made global with help of other countries and for their own benefit. The example of Carmen Miranda is a prime example. Carmen Miranda became a Hollywood icon in the 1940’s and Brazilian culture was able to be broadcasted around the world with her films. As a Hollywood film, revenue was brought into the United States economy rather than the Brazilian economy.

It shows that without the help of other countries, countries from poorer backgrounds, such as Brazil, are unable to progress as they lack the resources they require. In this instance, Brazil does not have a strong film industry like America and therefore is unable to produce good quality films for them to become popular. There are other theories such as ‘the socio-cultural evolution theory’, which is defined as a process of transformation in the behaviours, patterns of social organization, and cultural symbols of a population (Sociocultural evolution, 2001).

In order to study this theory further and discuss its argument I will discuss the link of some Latin American Films that can be linked to this theory. Latin America cinema is often thought of abroad as comprising films that can be defined as art-house and/or popularity committed, particularly as a result of the highbrow auteurist movements of the 1960s and 1970s. Popular films in Latin America traditionally have not translated or travelled well (Shaw and Denison, 2005:255). However, there have been several films in the Latin America industry, which have made an impact in other countries, such as the United Kingdom.

Films like Fresa y Chocolate (Cuba 1993), Amores Perros (Mexico 2000), and Y tu mama tambien (Mexico 2001) (Shaw and Denison, 2005:255). Latin America film industry was known globally thanks to the Mexico Golden Age between 1940 and 1950. Mexican film became the most important in Latin America in the early twentieth century. However, the industry collapsed in the nineties due to the economic crisis but as the decade drew to an end film production restarted (Shaw and Denison, 2005: 255/56).

The main theme that helped Mexican film production become very popular throughout Mexico and Latin America and to some extent the United States of America and Europe was the Mexican Revolution. This genre proved to be the most popular one in the film industry, especially those starring Cantinflas y Tintan were amongst the most popular films (Shaw and Denison, 2005:257). They way in which the Latin America film industry has become global, is through popular films such as those produced by Alfonso Araus in his film ‘Como agua para chocoloate (1992)’.

This film was a major success both at home and abroad and it is in our days on of the most important Mexican films (Shaw and Denison, 2005:257). However, Mexican films are often less popular in Mexico than in countries such as the United States or Europe. They only become popular once it has been popularised abroad. In this example, it shows a reflection of the ‘socio-cultural evolution theory’. It shows that the popularisation of the film ‘Como agua para chocolate’ was only popularised in its own country when it became a global hit abroad.

Therefore, if the film was not broadcasted abroad, it would of not have become popular in Mexico. In conclusion, we can say that most of Latin American cultures are known worldwide. As discussed, Samba has become a globally known culture since the early 20th Century, when it began in Bahia, Brazil. This is mainly thanks to the Rio de Janeiro Carnival event that is celebrated in Brazil every year. This has enabled other cultures worldwide to experience the beauty of Samba and the cultures of other countries have been able to integrate it into their own culture.

Another way in which Samba has become worldwide known is through Carmen Miranda who was a huge Hollywood icon in the late thirties and early fifties. She became worldwide know via her debut film ‘Street of Paris’ (1939) and thanks to Hollywood film industry Brazils culture was able to become a ‘global culture’. Not only she was able to bring samba to other cultures through her films but also to show that Brazilian cultures was tamed and civilized and not as it was know as a wild and uncivilized culture. Another Latin America culture that has been globalized over recent years is Latin America film.

Although the film industry is not as strong as other states in the world, it has been recognized globally through films such as ‘Como agua para chocolate’ (1939) and also thanks to the Mexican Golden Age between 1940 and 1950. It is ironically to say that Latin American films are usually more popular abroad, such as the United States and Europe, than their home countries. Although most of Latin America’s cultures have become ‘global cultures’ they have been popularised thanks to other countries outside Latin America.