The shackles of heritage: reflections on the IPHAN's practices related to quilombolas communities

Abstract

From the change of perspective embodied in the Constitution of 1988, the Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage (Iphan), responsible for the protection and safeguarding of cultural heritage in Brazil, had to meet the demands arising from the recognition of the assets of reference array of African descent, among those related to quilombolas communities. Thus, the tombamento and, from 2000, the registry, as instruments of national heritage policy for private use Iphan, have been triggered as forms of recognition, protection and safeguard these assets. Within this universe, this article proposes a reflection on how cultural heritage of quilombolas  communities have been treated in the field, seeking to identify the conflicts and possibilities in the recognition of collective rights of these communities through cultural heritage policies. Through this reflection, forms of equity merger "unconsecrated" by Iphan and separation of the field of cultural heritage in two distinct areas - tangible and intangible - are problematized.