Monographic collection "Estudos e Documentos"

25 - O Macaense: Identidade, Cultura e Quotidiano

  

O Macaense. Identidade, Cultura e Quotidiano, Roberto Carneiro, Jorge Rangel, Fernando Chau, José Manuel Simões (coords), Lisboa, Universidade Católica Editora, 2019, 286 p. (Estudos e Documentos, 25), ISBN 9789725406564 22,00€   > see UCE link  > free access

In Macau - (aomen) - People's Republic of China, the intersection of peoples and cultures constitutes a true melting pot over five centuries of globalization, resulting in a kaleidoscope of religions, ethnicities, languages and social groups, in which unique attributes of tertium genus such as: patuá, cuisine, art and music, religion and festivities.

These fruits of the encounter, and of the mixture of specific modes of expression and communication, are thus building a new space, a new reference, an identity, at first syncretic, but eventually affirming - and understanding - as remarkable and original: a miscegenation, highly unlikely from the point of view of the probabilities of cultural hybridization.

What is the future of these specificities of the Macanese community in the face of the challenges ahead, in the context of an accelerated economic, cultural and political dynamics in the region of the Pearl River Delta? It will have the Macanese identity, and the territory of Macau, an innovative, historic, role to play in the framework of the new Chinese strategies (i) of globalization, Belt and Road Initiative, and (ii) of the mega-project of development , GuangDong-HongKong-Macau Grand Bay? Will the Macanese community maintain specific ties of solidarity and function as an active diaspora, aware of its identity heritage, without the necessary reference to a territory?

In a world in constant and rapid change, identity, culture and values are very important references in people's daily lives. Likewise, diversity (i.e., identity) is an asset in an increasingly globalized, “connected” and uncertain world. The Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR) has enormous potential in affirming a customary condition of miscegenation, decanted and consolidated over centuries, and a great opportunity to serve as a bridge, with an obvious added value of utility, between peoples, cultures and markets that have been ignored over the years.

Does Macaense integrate particular forms of hybridization and adaptability / flexibility that make it especially resilient to the erosion of time and history? And, on a more general level, what will be the place of mestizo culture in the face of the various processes of globalization suddenly engendered, constantly darned, on a planetary scale where everything is intended to be reduced to a single, primate and dominant culture, that of Homo Coca-Cola Colensis?

It was intended with O Macaense to bring to the academic list the list of some questions regarding a qualified reflection on the past, the present and the future.

This work, with the collaboration of 23 authors, was the result of a partnership between the Center for the Study of Peoples and Cultures of Portuguese Expression at the Portuguese Catholic University, the University of São José de Macau and the International Institute of Macau. The general coordinator of the work was Professor Roberto Carneiro, having as collaborators Professors Jorge Rangel, Fernando Chau and José Manuel Simões. Professor Luís de Abreu was also an illustrator.

The work was launched on 27 September 2019 within the scope of the «Portugal-China 20/20» Colloquium and the presentation was in charge of Professor Luís Filipe Barreto.

The organization thanks the financial support of the Macau Foundation, which kindly granted the sponsorship to this work.

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