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BONNIE S. WASSERMAN Judeotropicalism1: Jewish Transculturations in the Lusophone New World ABSTRACT: This paper conceptualizes Sephardic Jewish survival in the Iberian Peninsula and the so-called New World through the lens of Lusotropicalism, syncretism, transcul- turation and mestizaje. Beginning with the Edict of Expulsion in Spain and forced conver- sion to Catholicism in Portugal, New Christians face the violent side of transculturation. After the Inquisition is set up in Portugal, New Christians develop syncretic methods to worship as both Jews and Christians. Under a united peninsula between 1580-1640, Conversos fee to Holland where they unite with other Jews and become the Nação, a community whose identity is both religious and fnancial. This group goes with the Dutch West India Company to Recife where some Portuguese New Christians become Jews once again. After the Portuguese retake Recife, the Jews of the Nação fee to Suriname, developing mestizo communities there and in some of the Caribbean islands. Other Jews from Recife arrive in New Amsterdam (New York) where they establish a thriving commu- nity. After 500 years, the infuence of these groups can still be felt in the synagogues built in New York, the creole language Papiamentu/o spoken in Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire, and the tombstones in Suriname, Curação and Barbados, among other things. KEYWORDS: transculturation, Lusotropicalism, Gilberto Freyre, Judeotropicalism, New Christians, Holland, Sephardim, synagogues RESUMO: Este artigo investiga várias teorias usadas para explicar a mistura de raças e culturas como o Lusotropicalismo, transculturalismo, sincretismo religioso e miscigena- ção para examinar a sobrevivência dos Judeus sefarditas depois da Expulsão de 1492 da Espanha e das conversões forçadas em Portugal em 1497 até hoje em dia.
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