Executive Summary

Afro-Brazilian Samba in Australia is more than dance, music or arts performance. It is a multi-decade cultural practice sustained through community leadership, intergenerational teaching and diasporic continuity. This research report documents a living network that has developed across cities and states, shaped by migration, collaboration and local adaptation. It maps participation and leadership demographics nationally. This report forms part of a broader PhD research project examining the history and pedagogy of the community.

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Introduction

In 2024, leaders and community members from 'Afro Brazilian' Samba in Australia worked together on a participatory research project. The project documents the history and teaching of Samba in Australia. It is led by PhD candidate Susie Smith at the University of Newcastle and supported by Umbela Brasil.​

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Methodology

An online survey was shared by more than 40 community leaders between May and June 2024.  178 people completed it. From June to August 2024, 22 leaders took part in filmed interviews. The stories of three respected elders who have passed away were also included through community oral history, extending the dataset across generations.​ 

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Survey responses were cross-checked for internal consistency by correlating similar questions across sections. Findings were then compared with leader survey data and interview transcripts to identify convergences and divergences. Data was analysed using descriptive statistical methods alongside qualitative thematic analysis to ensure triangulation across sources

 

The data shows a strong, practice-based Samba community in Australia. This community is culturally connected to Brazil, while being demographically adjacent to, but not the same as the Brazilian-born population recorded in ABS census data.​ For a first survey of this kind, the results are strong and reliable. They provide a clear national picture of Samba practice in Australia and show high levels of trust, participation, and community connection.

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Gratitude

This research was supported by the Commonwealth through an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship and conducted within the doctoral program of the School of Education, College of Human and Social Futures, University of Newcastle.

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Gratitude to Dr Debbie Stockton and Professor Robert Parkes for their supervision and intellectual guidance throughout this work.

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​We acknowledge the ancestors whose lives, resistance, creativity and cultural knowledge form the foundation of this tradition, and upon whose enduring legacy this research stands.

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We acknowledge the elders whose stories continue to guide the community, and whose contributions extend this research across generations.

 

We thank the community for its strong support of this project. The level of participation reflects significant trust and engagement across the national Samba network.

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Saudações to the community leaders who championed this project and circulated the survey nationally. Your leadership and trust made this level of participation possible.

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Citation APA 7

Smith, S. L. (2026). Demographic survey results of the Afro-Brazilian Samba community in Australia. Umbela Brasil. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18765177
In-text: (Smith, 2026)