Whose intangible cultural heritage? Cowboy culture, heritage self-determination and the expression of a divided nation in the context of populist politics in Brazil

Since the institution of a national intangible cultural heritage policy in 2000, the term ‘intangible cultural heritage’ has successfully entered the daily governance vocabulary in Brazil. Although the experience of successive administrations in the executive branch of the state established a consistent policy, the legislative branch has been increasingly making divergent uses of the idea of intangible cultural heritage. Members of Congress have been approving bills to declare certain practices as national intangible cultural heritage in ways disconnected from the procedures required by the policy managed by the executive branch. In analysing a few cases of intangible cultural heritage nomination associated with the livestock industry, I identify competing assumptions about the role of the state in the implementation of actions regarding intangible cultural heritage in Brazil. I argue that the contention reflects the current social polarisation effected by the recent context of populist politics in the country. Therefore, national intangible cultural heritage policies are not homogenous courses of actions implemented by unified nation-states, but rather spaces of engagement where social disputes find an opportunity to be articulated.