From Francisca to Chiquinha: The unsuspected pioneering of Chiquinha Gonzaga

Abstract

This article takes the trajectory of Brazilian composer Chiquinha Gonzaga (1847-1935) with the purpose of analyzing the social construction of her repute having in mind the gender inflexions present in 20th century Brazilian field of cultural production. The attempt of circumscribing her social network - focusing on the constitution of her archive and on her first biography by the folklorist Mariza Lira (1899-1971) - is supported by a socio-anthropological perspective that sees in the compositor's life history the result of a collective project in which multiple interests are negotiated and materialized in a specific narrative. In this sense, either the name Chiquinha Gonzaga or the adjective "pioneer" can be thought through this complex dynamics.