Fight songs

gender, identity and resistance in the social movement of babassu coconut breakers

Abstract

From the work songs of the babaçu coconut breakers, the Encantadeiras group emerged as an artistic and political expression that highlights the intersection between ethnic identity and gender. This article analyzes how this collective constitutes a fighting strategy within the Quebradeiras social movement, highlighting the centrality of women in community organization and resistance. The research is based on a bibliographic and documentary survey, in addition to fieldwork carried out in Piauí́, using positioned observation, field diaries and semi-structured interviews. The results indicate that the Encantadeiras group articulates multiple forms of inequality – of gender, race, ethnicity and class – in a space demanding empowerment, recognition and social justice, aligning with broader dynamics of rural women's movements in Latin America.