Largo da Banana and black presence in São Paulo’s history

Abstract

The Largo da Banana relates to the history of the black population in São Paulo. Acknowledged as one of São Paulo’s “cradle” of samba, samba musicians are its main spokespersons. Largo da Banana used to be located near the former Barra Funda Railway Station. From the first decades to around half the Twentieth century, informal laborers in the railway logistics used to gather together in that space. Within a precarious and unsteady daily life, they used to play samba and tiririca. In the fifties, the municipality built the Pacaembu Viaduct in that area, aiming to extend the homonym avenue beyond the railway road. In the sixties, samba musician Geraldo Filme wrote two songs in which he paid homage to Largo da Banana and regretted its disappearance after the viaduct’s inauguration. In these and other of his songs, the artist recorded his perceptions on the life conditions of São Paulo’s blacks and samba musicians, their sociabilities, and also the urban changes he witnessed. Considering that his artistic work contributes to enlighten aspects of social reality, I analyze some of his songs to interpret the sociabilities at Largo da Banana, as well as the urban intervention in that location.