This article presents a reflection on the vocality in traditional cultural performances. The research begun with a fieldwork from 1998 to 2003 in the Maroons Community of Pombal, State of Goias, Brazil. The starting point is the concept of vocality as formulated by Zumthor, embracing orality and an "en-bodied" vocal dimension. The concept of performance as an analytical category, cuts across the fieldwork, the local making, and the result of this research with the accomplishment of a play as a retribution to the community. The classic formulation of Austin enables the study of phonematic and sound aspects as meanings, within an "Aesthetics of Opacity" as pointed by J. J. Carvalho. The local vocality will be considered in the field of Afro-Brazilian vocalities, in the special contingent process of the Brazilian State recognizing Pombal as a "Quilombo", arisen in the salience of the ties established with the community along the research.
black culture; performance; quilombo (Brazilian maroons); traditional vocalities