Cabocle

/ˌkæbəˈkli/ noun

Definition

A person of mixed European and indigenous or African ancestry in Brazil and other South American regions; variant spelling of caboclo.

Etymology

From Portuguese 'caboclo', possibly from Tupi 'caá' (forest) plus 'boc' (to break). The term describes a social and ethnic category in Brazilian society with complex historical roots.

Kelly Says

Brazil's racial categories are completely different from North American ones—'caboclo' describes a specific cultural and ethnic identity, not just a mixture, showing how identity is culturally constructed.

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