The discourses of Fado: from the subaltern to the elite

This article reflects on Fado discourses to which it was exposed in specific historical contexts. We will focus on its variability, sometimes associated to subaltern, popular or elite music, unveiling the instability of meaning, and the structures that allow us to understand culture in a broader sense. To do that, we will explore the origins of Fado until its status as a "national song". Then, we will discuss the classification of Fado as intangible heritage of humanity, by UNESCO, facing it as an institution that produces discourses. The article suggests that not only the discourses around Fado influence its social valuation, but also the UNESCO transmits an idea of universality to something that is subjective and positional, by delimiting criteria on what should be considered a heritage of humanity.