Ruy, Paulo e Fafá: a identidade amazônica na canção paraense (1976-1980)

Abstract

During the 60‟s and 70‟s, in the 20th century, has taken place a process of “Political and Economical Integration” of the Amazon Region to the rest of Brazilian nation-state, established by the Federal Government. This process created harsh consequences to the Amazonian inhabitants‟ imaginary, since means of communication were included in this governmental strategy, as well as roads, oriented to link and diminish regional disparities. The “integration” generated an infrastructure capable of attracting industries to the region. Nonetheless, many journalists and intellectuals at that time identified this as “new colonization” process. According to them, the capital generated had not produced social improvements the Amazonian populations. Besides, the contact with Brazilian culture through radio and television broadcasts had deeply influenced the paths of paraense‟s politics and art. The popular music in Pará state was influenced by MPB in the 60‟s. However, departing from these debates about a “new colonization”, we can realize that the artistic sense became regionally Amazonian, as a new approach of political support to left-wing regional intellectuals and journalists. In this work, it is explained how this common ground appeared in the songs of the singer and composer Paulo André, in partnership with his father Ruy Barata (poet and lyric writer). Besides, it is developed an analysis concerning the career of the singer Fafá de Belém. It is discussed how her broadcast appearances influenced in the debated and (re) construction of the imaginary concerning the Amazon region.