THE STRUCTURAL IMPACT OF COLONIZATION ON AFRO-DESCENDANT CULTURES IN BRAZIL: RESISTANCE AND RECONFIGURATION

Abstract

This article analyzes the structural impact of colonization on Afro-descendant cultures in Brazil, highlighting the historical mechanisms of domination that shaped persistent social inequalities and influenced the identity formation of the Black population. Using an interdisciplinary approach, it discusses how colonial practices—including enslavement, institutional violence, and the imposition of Eurocentric cultural models—caused profound ruptures in the sociocultural dynamics of the African peoples brought to the country. At the same time, it highlights the strength of the strategies of resistance, re-elaboration, and cultural preservation developed by these communities over the centuries, such as in the fields of religiosity, music, language, community organization, and political movements. The study demonstrates that, despite the structural impacts of colonization, Afro-descendant cultures have remained alive and in constant reconfiguration, constituting one of the pillars of Brazilian identity and a fundamental field for understanding contemporary struggles for racial equality.