(, in
Portuguese) is a lifestyle of idleness, fast living and petty crime. It is traditionally celebrated in
samba
Samba () is a broad term for many of the rhythms that compose the better known Brazilian music genres that originated in the Afro-Brazilians, Afro Brazilian communities of Bahia in the late 19th century and early 20th century, It is a name or ...
lyrics, especially those of
Noel Rosa
Noel de Medeiros Rosa (December 11, 1910 – May 4, 1937) was a Brazilian singer-songwriter. One of the greatest names in Brazilian popular music, Noel gave a new twist to samba, combining its Afro-Brazilian roots with a more urban, witty langu ...
and
Bezerra da Silva
José Bezerra da Silva (February 23, 1927 – January 17, 2005) was a Brazilian samba musician of the partido alto style.
Biography
Bezerra da Silva was born on February 23, 1927 in Recife. He played zabumba as a child and sang coco in Recife. ...
.
The concept is common in
Brazilian literature,
Brazilian cinema
Brazilian cinema was introduced early in the 20th century but took some time to consolidate itself as a popular form of entertainment. The film industry of Brazil has gone through periods of ups and downs, a reflection of its dependency on stat ...
and
Brazilian music
The music of Brazil encompasses various regional musical styles influenced by European, American, African and Amerindian forms. Brazilian music developed some unique and original styles such as forró, repente, coco de roda, axé, sertanejo ...
.
The exponent of this lifestyle, the ''malandro'' (a masculine adjective), or "
bad boy" (rogue, hustler, rascal, scoundrel, gangster), has become significant to
Brazilian national identity as a
folk hero
A folk hero or national hero is a type of hero – real, fictional or mythology, mythological – with their name, personality and deeds embedded in the popular consciousness of a people, mentioned frequently in Folk music, folk songs, folk tales ...
or, rather, an
anti-hero
An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero or two words anti hero) or anti-heroine is a character in a narrative (in literature, film, TV, etc.) who may lack some conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism and morality. Al ...
.
The ''malandros'' are a classic
carioca
Carioca ( or ) is a demonym used to refer to residents of the City of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil and their culture.
Like other Brazilians, ''Cariocas'' speak Portuguese. The ''carioca'' accent and sociolect (also simply called "''carioca''", ...
archetype. The well-dressed, work-shirking wise guy who sidesteps society’s rules to live as he pleases.
Definition
''Malandragem'' is a strategic approach used to gain an advantage in various situations, often of an illicit nature. It involves savoir faire and subtlety, demanding aptitude, charisma, and cunning to manipulate people or institutions for the best outcome with minimal effort.
Disregarding logic, labor, and honesty, the ''malandro'' assumes that such methods are incapable of achieving a favorable outcome. Those who practice malandragem act in the spirit of the Brazilian adage, immortalized by former Brazilian soccer player
Gérson
Gérson de Oliveira Nunes (; born 11 January 1941), generally known as Gérson, is a Brazilian former association footballer who played as a midfielder. He won numerous national trophies with the club sides of Flamengo, Botafogo, São Paulo and ...
de Oliveira Nunes in a cigarette TV commercial (hence the name "
Gérson's law In Brazilian media culture, Gérson's law is a principle in which a certain person or company gains advantages indiscriminately, without caring about ethical or moral issues.
Gérson's Law has come to express highly characteristic and unflattering ...
"): "I like to gain the advantage in everything."
Malandragem is often seen as a tool for individual justice in the face of oppressive forces. The individualist ''malandro'' survives by manipulating people, fooling authorities, and sidestepping laws to ensure their well-being. In this way, the ''malandro'' is a typical Brazilian hero, with literary examples including
Pedro Malasartes and
João Grilo.
''Malandragem'' is employed by individuals of various social positions to gain illicit advantages in gambling, business, and social interactions. A ''malandro'' may deceive others, but this doesn't necessarily make them selfish. Their use of ''malandragem'' often aims to escape unfair situations, even if it means resorting to illegal means. In fiction, ''malandragem'' is a device used to introduce wit, a characteristic of an antihero.
In capoeira

In
capoeira
Capoeira () is an Afro-Brazilian martial art and game that includes elements of dance, acrobatics, capoeira music, music, and spirituality.
It likely originated from enslaved Mbundu people, of the Kingdom of Ndongo, in present-day Angola. The ...
, ''malandragem'' is the ability to quickly understand an opponent's intentions, and during a fight or a game, fool, trick and deceive him.
[Diaz, J. D. (2017). Between repetition and variation: A musical performance of malícia in capoeira. ''Ethnomusicology Forum'', 26(1), 46–68. doi:10.1080/17411912.2017.1309297] This malandragem is one of the basic tenets in the philosophy of capoeira and is similar to the cunning of the Hunter deity,
Oxóssi
Oshosi ( Yoruba: Ọ̀ṣọ́ọ̀sì, Portuguese: Oxóssi) is an Orisha of the Yoruba religion in West Africa and subsequently in Brazil and Cuba.
Candomblé
Oshosi is the spirit associated with the hunt, forests, animals, and wealth. He is ...
.
Some of the popular proverbs among capoeiristas embodying the philosophy of malandragem include:
* "''Quem não pode com mandinga não carrega patuá''" (He who can't handle mandinga doesn't wear a patuá). In other words, everyone should be aware of their limitations.
* "''Urubu para cantar demora''" (A vulture takes a long time to sing), or its alternative version: "''Bater papo com otário é jogar conversa fora''" (Talking to a fool is a waste of words).
* "''Valente não existe''" (There's no such thing as a tough guy). It means capoeiristas should not be misled by the appearance of "tough guys" and should acknowledge that everyone experiences fear and insecurity to varying extents. They should see the person beneath the physical strength facade, whether in themselves or others.
Literature
*
*
See also
*
Gérson's law In Brazilian media culture, Gérson's law is a principle in which a certain person or company gains advantages indiscriminately, without caring about ethical or moral issues.
Gérson's Law has come to express highly characteristic and unflattering ...
*
Jineterismo
Though the Cuban government does not release official crime statistics, Cuba is considered one of the safer countries in Latin America. Gun crime is virtually nonexistent, drug trafficking has been largely curtailed, and there is below-average cri ...
*
Jeitinho
(, in Portuguese language, Portuguese) is a method of accomplishing a goal by circumventing or bending the rules or transgressing social conventions. The concept is a deeply ingrained part of Brazilian culture.
Overview
The word "jeitinho" is ...
References
{{Brazil topics
Brazilian cultural conventions
Slang terms for men
Stereotypes
Stock characters
Subcultures
Crime in Brazil