Léguas’ dwelling, land of enchantment: Religion and the city in Codó (Maranhão)

Abstract

Based on ethnographic research carried out in Codó, in the interior of Maranhão, this article seeks to answer how religious entities relate to the city. To achieve this goal, the field of Afro-Brazilian religion studies in the state is first contextualized, particularly regarding terecô, the religion covered in the article. This is followed by a look at aspects of cosmology and ritual that draw attention to the relationship between terecô, the enchanted spirits of Légua Boji Buá’s family, Codó and its woodlands. This is how the idea of a land of enchantment is elaborated. To move on to the final part of the text, the emic category “dwelling” is used to explore the constitution of land, earth, and houses based on the practices of people and entities. It suggests folds, dimensions, and layers mobilized by those who look at the city from the perspective of religion. As the argument unfolds, we conclude that thinking cartographically and administratively about the place is not enough: to think about the city and the terecô, we need to understand that Codó is a place of thought.