See here in Brasilkids an interview with Master Claudio and his group, of
Resende, Rio de Janeiro, that is participating of
an interchange on teaching capoeira to germany children.

 

 

Men, women, children, blacks and whites joins on the circle. Some touch musical instruments: "atabaque", a kind of drum, and one or more "berimbau", an one string only instrument. Two people leave the circle, place close instruments and ask for protection. Music starts. Everybody sings. Inside rhythm of singing and instruments, partners starts into motion on circle center. One´s Feet turns suddenly in route to the other, that deviates and answers to the blow. Principle isn´t to harm the friend. Each one plays, showing that it could reach the other, but this does not happen. It seems a dance, but also as a fight. It seems a fight, but it also seems a play. It is a capoeira group.

Capoeira is a fight, a dance, or a toy that seems to have been createde on Brazil, based on culture from black slaves brought here, mainly of them came of Angola, in Africa. For they, pulled out of their land for a terrible life in Brazil, the capoeira appeared as a form to train the body to defend themselves from Slavemasters, other slaves and cops.

On capoeira blacks found understood, even they many times said different languages and even though they were of tribes who were enemy back in Africa. In the circle they could have fun, sing, forget the hard work hard and dream and prepair themselves for a different and free life.

Capoeira: art, music, dance, fight, life

To understand the capoeira, it´s necessary to know a little on America slavery. African Black people had started to be brought for Brazil and other countries by Europeans, due on exploratioon of New World lands. They came to work as slaves in the plantations, precious metals mines and all type of dangerous and weight work.

Many of these captured blacks were warriors, made prisoners during conflicts between tribes and changed with whites for merchandises. Sometimes they were haunted or abducted of their villages: men, women and children. Break apart from friends and relatives who were in Africa, treated as merchandise, they were placed in overcrowded ships. They faced a long trip for a foreign land, with little water and food. Many died in the path.

Arriving in the new land, they were sold by good price. The slavery became a business that enriched many people, until practically 19th Century. When they were sold, families were separated and different tribes and languages were mixed. Due on it, became more difficult their resistance.

Despite that, many escapes happened, in the farms and later also in the cities. Started many quilombos, fugitive and free black communities. A famous community was Palmares Quilombo. It lasted decades, resisting some military dispatchings that had tried to destroy it.

Many slaves were warlike and knew to fight with body, which would be one of capoeira basis. It was hidden of slavemasters under a playing appearance, that would also serve for scape, violent fight on the quilombos and for the fight against cops on the cities. With capoeira, the blacks acquires self-confidence; they learned to defend themselves and became prepared to run away. Therefore, capoeira was forbidden and until 30 decade, strong pursued.

Capoeira today

A lot of time capoeira was taught secretely. Today it is taught in academies and schools in the whole world, respected as a path to develop the body, but on forming people character. Two great Masters, or teachers, had helped this move: Master Pastinha and Master Bimba.

Today there are capoeira groups on a lot of countries, also on handicapped children or with social problems. Matching dance, music and agreement between the people, capoeira is one of the great contributions of Brazil for the world.

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