Edmonton man learns new instrument to connect with Afro-Brazilian roots
CBC
It might be kismet that led Sandro Silva to finally pick up the Brazilian banjo, nearly two decades after it first sparked his interest.
Silva had been drawn to the small-necked, four-string instrument since he was a child. But the Edmonton filmmaker never had the time to learn how to play until he found himself unemployed when the pandemic hit.
Playing the Brazilian banjo helps him maintain a connection to his Afro-Brazilian heritage and culture, Silva said.
"That's actually how I feed my soul," he said. "I don't want to lose it because I'm away from my country."
WATCH | Silva explains his connection to the Brazilian banjo:
Silva said Brazil's long practice of slavery and colonization contributed to the erasure and marginalization of Black and Indigenous Brazilians.
He is eager to promote Brazilian culture in a way that acknowledges African contributions. For that reason, he likes to play samba music on the Brazilian banjo.
"Samba is power, resistance and history," he said.
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