“Banditismo por pura maldade, banditismo por necessidade”: an analysis of the media representation of cangaceiro baditry

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the media representation of cangaceiro banditry through the feature films “Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol” (1964) by Glauber Rocha and “Reza a Lenda” (2016) by Homero Olivetto. Banditry is a social phenomenon where individuals with a common goal come together to commit crimes, usually involving theft, murder, and extortion. In the media, they are sometimes presented to the public as brave, loyal, and heroic figures. As a theoretical framework, we will use Eric Hobsbawm's theory of social banditry in Bandits (1969), which asserts that social tensions, linked to economic vulnerability, are at its core. We will interpret the cangaço for the individuals within its context as a form of escape, ascent, or revolt against the prevailing political and economic system. Methodologically, we will analyze the aforementioned audiovisual productions from two distinct periods: the First Republic, starting in 1889, represented in the 1960s, and the "new cangaço" in the 2010s. In conclusion, this study seeks to analyze the stereotypes of bravery, rebellion, and heroism surrounding the cangaceiro image and whether the motivations of the individuals joining the bands are, in fact, economic, as the films suggest.