The Afro-Paradox: Diasporic Chauvinism and Cultural Expertise in Afro-Brazilian Capoeira.

The article examines the cultural exchanges between Brazilian capoeira experts and West African practitioners, focusing on a capoeira festival in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to analyze the dynamics of expertise, race, and diasporic identity within this Afro-Brazilian martial art. It introduces the concept of "diasporic chauvinism," describing how Brazilian mestres (capoeira masters) assert authoritative expertise that often marginalizes African capoeiristas' creative innovations, particularly those involving African languages and cultural expressions. The study highlights the complex interplay of nationalism, racial hierarchies, and gender, noting how African women capoeiristas navigate and challenge both local social constraints and diasporic expectations through performance. Ultimately, the article argues that while capoeira's African origins are celebrated by diasporic Brazilians, the contemporary realities of African practitioners and their innovations are frequently constrained by paternalistic and colonial legacies embedded in global capoeira networks.