Capoeira and Migration in Europe: Sociability through the Multisensory Lens

The chapter analyses capoeira in Europe through a multisensorial perspective of migratory mobilities because multiple senses are at the core of this diasporic heritage. Capoeira has been on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage since 2014, comprising martial arts, dance and sport, created by people enslaved in the Portuguese colonisation of Brazil. Therefore, rituals have evolved through capoeira dialogue with the sensing body of the capoeirista. The methodology includes mobile methods, recognising the movement of bodies, objects, discourse and practices from a multisensory perspective. The results show the social function of heritage, with power disputes and multiple narratives filling the gap in understanding heritage as an integrating agent from the affectation of multiple senses.