Paper short abstract:

The proposal of this paper is to analyze what results when different groups that frequents every weekend for leisure the streets of the historical region of Lapa are confronted, to its touristic uses and elite circuit.

Paper long abstract:

Since the begging of this century, Lapa's region has suffered many changes. In a process that was put forward by small enterprises and a few specific actions from the government, the scenario suddenly changed: from a central area characterized by non preserved heritage and poor population, Lapa became a huge center of leisure and tourism, with many restaurants, bars, and night clubs. A research made in 2004 by Data/UFF attested that approximately 110.000 people go to Lapa during each weekend; among these 25% are tourists, and these numbers surely have increased during these last years.

But contradicting what was expected by the entrepreneurs, not only tourists and the middle-upper classes frequent the place. People from poor regions in Rio de Janeiro also go to Lapa, for fun or for informal work in the streets. Clearly they are not in the same circuit characterized by expensive samba concerts or fine restaurants, but they remain there marking its own territoriality through specific forms of occupy the space and making a particular representation of Lapa, its history and tradition. What emerges from this different practices and speeches about this same place, and how to face that ethnographically,are the main questions that boosts this paper.