Estádio do Maracanã: construção e reconstrução de significados

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the representations of the stadium Jornalista Mário Filho, Maracanã, in distinct moments of its history. Corroborating Tuan s argument (1983, p. 151) that the space is transformed in a place as it acquires definition and meaning , the central thesis is that Maracanã becomes a place for the fans based on a combination of meanings. We have established specific objectives which have driven three/four articles, aiming to contemplate the different steps the stadium has passed through and allowing us to verify the construction of meanings about Maracanã. The first of them analyzes the newspaper reports about Maracanã stadium since its opening (1947-1950). The second describes and analyzes the ways the fans have experimented Maracanã, enabling the construction of meanings about the stadium. The third article aims to analyze the construction of the fans memories about Maracanã. Lastly, we analyzed the configurations introduced in the society, bringing on the stadium s restructuring and establishing new perceptions about it. The study is justified by the possibility to understand how a symbolic place is built, based on the relationships between individuals and space, especially in a moment the country is ready to receive major events and is forced to build/rebuild sport venues. Drawing this path of Maracanã s representation history will allow us to certify, in future papers, to what extent a place interfere in the representations, changing practices and behaviors. As methodological support, we used the content analysis of (BARDIN, 2011) and the case study of (THOMAS; NELSON, 2002). The data was collected through semi-structured interviews, analysis of documents, and systematic observation. We concluded that factors such as Maracanã s architecture, the course of time and the experiences lived within the stadium have contributed to make it an affective and symbolic place for Rio s fans.