Decolonizing gender in candomblé

tension between African cosmogonies and colonial norms

Abstract

This article analyzes gender performativity in Candomblé, exploring the tensions between its Afro-Brazilian cosmology and the colonial imposition of gender binarism. The research adopts a qualitative approach, based on bibliographic review, the analysis of mythical narratives, and Bardin's Content Analysis (2011). The theoretical framework includes Oyẹrónkẹ Oyẹ̣wùmí (2021), who questions the colonial construction of gender in Africa, and Paul Preciado (2020), who discusses biopolitical control mechanisms over bodies. The results reveal three main trends: (1) the persistence of colonial norms that rigidly separate masculine and feminine roles within the terreiros; (2) the presence of myths and cosmologies that offer fluid alternatives to Western gender models; and (3) the tension between tradition and transformation, in which some leaders promote gradual or immediate changes. However, Candomblé myths do not sustain colonial gender segregation; on the contrary, their narratives reinforce fluidity as a central element of Afro-Brazilian cosmology. The study concludes that while Candomblé’s ritual structure still reproduces colonial norms, its cosmology provides a foundation for a more inclusive religiosity. For Candomblé to become a truly decolonial space, religious leaders must question the binary norms inherited from colonialism, fostering a more inclusive practice aligned with its ancestral traditions.