Macau entre a "China Tropical" e a lusofonia a Oriente: Algumas achegas sobre os contextos colonial e pós-colonial.

Morais, Isabel

Although the program of Gilberto Freyre's official visit (1951-1952) to the Portuguese colonies has not included Macao, in his work it is appealing the image of a "Tropical China." According to him, such designation refers to a Brazil, influenced by the East through the interchange of varied people and cultural customs, thus, originating a new civilization. On the other hand, traces of Luso-tropical ideas on Portuguese cultural exceptionalism were almost always present in the official, academic and religious narrative on Macao since the period after to Second World War until immediately before its transfer of sovereignty in 1999, namely in Almerindo Lessa's singular work (1909-1995) centered in the "Luso-tropical culture" in Macao. Today, paradoxically, after almost two decades, there is a surprising revaluation of Macao as a diffusion platform for lusophony under the approval of the Chinese government and the complacency of Portugal. This study aims to broaden the reflection on the representations of lusophony from the past to its repercussions in the contemporary context of Macao under the Chinese administration and as an integral part of the strategy aimed for the "Greater Bay Area", conceived under the international policy "One Belt, One Road" of the People's Republic of China.

EXCEPTIONALISM (Political science); INTERNATIONAL relations; WORLD War II; LESSA, Almerindo; CULTURE; POLITICAL doctrines

Portuguese Studies Review, 2018, Vol 26, Issue 1, p63

1057-1515

Academic Journal