De la rue aux institutions culturelles, la littérature de cordel au Brésil

This paper discusses Brazilian cordel literature as a research subject and literary form from the point of view of the various actors working on and around it. We begin by showing that cordel literature has a strong territorial identity and is deeply rooted in the Nordeste region. We then analyse the relationship between the recent phenomenon of organizing poets into academies and associations throughout the country, and the institutionalization of poetry, which reached its peak when cordel was recognized as Brazilian intangible cultural heritage in 2018. Our study also points out the commitment of poets to this process, which began in the 1980s when the 1988 Brazilian Constitution recognized immateriality and cultural diversity as part of national heritage. To conclude, we highlight the building of a “world of cordel literature”, in which the different actors collaborate to make cordel literature an integral part of everyday culture and education.