Abstract
Essay problematises the gendered nature of such cultural celebrations in a country where the roles attributed to women are limited. He explains that they were doubly marginalised, first by their fathers and then by their husbands, who would control them for the remainder of their life. With regard to the presence of women in Folia de reis, Padao clarifies that their role was limited to taking care of food requirements and preparations like making the flag for the main celebration.
However, he highlights that one can still find texts with explanations that defend the ideology that women should not be allowed to participate in the folia. Since the beginning of the last century, the increased participation of women in the folia vouches for their struggle for the contestation of space.