Capoeira

Capoeira is an afro-brasilian fight-dance. It is played following a certain ritual. The game takes place inside a circle formed by musicians and players. Two players squat under the berimbau (a one-string instrument), exchange greetings and move to the center of the circle. Then they start the game with its harmonized, flowing movements, acrobatics, feints and kicks. To the spectator it appears as if an improvised choreography exists, prompting the players to follow, attack and escape each other

Capoeira is a Brazilian Art Form, which combines elements of dance, play and ritualistic fighting. It evolved from the struggle of African slaves against their oppressors and its history is deep with Warrior rituals from Central Africa.
Capoeira is a celebration of life in the face of everyday struggle. It develops confidence, combined with a strong feeling of centre and balance. Capoeira's circular and evasive movements, combined with its rich tradition of music and song, place it in a unique position as an art, and always poses the question "is Capoeira a game, a fight or a dance"?

Capoeira games require the grace and agility of a dancer, with the strength and skill of a warrior. Always central to the message of Capoeira is unity and bringing people together to keep continual flow regardless of the game and to find peace, joy and fulfillment in the game and in life.

History

The origin of Capoeira remains to the times of slavery in Brazil. The slaves were put to work in the plantations where sugar and tobacco were the main crops and the demand for slave labour was great. During the history of the slave trade, it is estimated that more than two million slaves were brought to Brazil from Africa.
These slaves came from different regions of Africa and thus had different cultures. They were distributed in three main ports: Bahia, Recife, and Rio de Janeiro.

In Rio and Recife, the slaves were from different ethnic groups and sometimes from enemy tribes as well, which made it difficult for these slaves to organise a revolt. More slaves in Rio were from Bantu peoples, while in other areas, such as Bahia, slaves came primarily from West Africa. As the slaves became aware that their condition was irreversible, that they were intended to be an involuntary work force forever, they began to run away.

In Recife, a group of 40 slaves rebelled against their master, killed all the white employees, and burned the plantation house. They then set themselves free and decided to find a place where they could be hidden from the slave hunters. They headed to the mountains, a trip that took many months to complete. Had it not been for the help they received from the Indians, this journey would have been practically impossible to accomplish. Eventually they reached what they thought was a safe place, which because of its abundance of palm trees they named Palmares. In this place an African community was born; a community which lasted nearly a century. In this community the first forms of Capoeira were developed.

While no one would deny the tremendous African influence on Capoeira, nothing is really known about a form of Capoeira originating in Africa. All that is written on this subject is based on speculation. The earliest known historical record of Capoeira as a martial art is approximately 1770, long after early years of slavery. No further accounts of Capoeira are found until the early 1800's in the form of various police records from Rio de Janeiro.

Palmares

Over the course of years, scattered settlements were established in the mountains. The largest of these was Palmares with more than 20,000 inhabitants, including some Indians and whites.
Here tribes that were strangers or enemies in Africa united to fight for a common goal.
A new community was formed with a very rich cultural mixture. In this new environment they shared and learned from each other their dance, rituals, religion, and games. One result of this rich cultural fusion was Capoeira in its earliest form.

Palmares was growing rapidly as more refugees arrived in this little African nation. It started to worry the Portuguese colonizers. People from Palmares would come down from the mountains to trade produce, fruit, and animal skins and would often raid plantations to free more slaves.
Palmares began to effect the life of the plantations as more and more of the slaves escaped. The colonists suffered economically because of the diminishing labour force.

To make things worse for the Portuguese, Holland invaded Brazil in 1630. The slaves took advantage of this situation and with assistance from Palmares left the plantations and fought the Portuguese Army. The army at this point was fighting two enemies. The Dutch won the war, but the Africans never stopped fighting. In 1644 the Dutch organised an expedition to go to Palmares, but nothing was accomplished. In the following years a second expedition was sent to the mountains which also failed.
It is important to point out that these expeditions were formed by very experienced and well-armed soldiers. But the Africans developed a system of fighting called "jungle war" or ambush.

Capoeira was the key element in the unexpected attacks. With fast and tricky movements the slaves caused considerable damage to the white men. Capoeira became their weapon, their symbol of freedom. When an expedition was successful, the slaves who were returned to the plantations taught Capoeira to others there. Sunday was their one-day of rest and that was when they practised Capoeira. But there, in the quarters, the practice soon was altered. Music, singing, dance and ritual were added to Capoeira, disguising the fact that the slaves were practising a deadly martial art.
In twenty-five years the colonies suffered eleven rebellions that culminated with the abolition of slavery on May 13, 1888.

After the abolition, some ex-slaves returned to Africa, but the majority stayed in Brazil. The planters being no longer interested in them as a work force, most headed to the cities to form slums and shantytowns. There was no employment in the cities either, and many organised into criminal gangs. Others, more fortunate because of their knowledge of capoeira, were hired by politicians as bodyguards. All were seen by the government as a "plague".

The main activities of these "Capoeiristas" (anyone who practices the art) was to disrupt the political life of the country. In the 1890's some very influential people in high levels of society, were practitioners of capoeira. This was a threat to the government, and the president created a special police force to control the situation. When this effort was ineffective, a rigid penal code was initiated. A tougher law was later added stating that any person who was a known capoeirista would be expatriated...

Modern Times

The law that prohibited the practice of capoeira was still effect until 1920, and its practice disguised as a "folk dance." In their hidden places, capoeiristas did their best to keep the tradition alive, and by presenting it as a folk art, they made the practice of capoeira more acceptable to the society.
In those years it was very common for a capoeirista to have two or three nicknames. The police knew all the capoeiristas by these names and not by their real identity, so it made it much more difficult to arrest them. (This tradition is continued today. When a person is "baptised" into the practice of capoeira, they are given a nickname.)

In 1937, Mestre Bimba, one of the most important masters of capoeira, received an invitation from the president to demonstrate his art in the capital. After a successful performance he went back to his home state and with the government's permission, opened the first capoeira school in Brazil. It was the first step towards a more open development, and years later the senate passed a bill establishing capoeira as a national sport.

Today capoeira is all over the world. In Brazil, as part of the culture, there is capoeira everywhere - in elementary schools, universities, clubs, and in military academies.

Angola style

Information based on that found in 'Capoeira ~ Martial Art of Brazil' by Lloyd Howell.

Some beginners to Capoeira believe that Capoeira Angola is a slower version of Capoeira Regional, this is in no way correct, in fact Angolan Capoeira is much older than its Regional counterpart and is actually a seperate form of Capoeira.

Capoeira Angola is typically played slowly, although it can be played fast. Angola is played to the Toque de Angola, slowly and smoothly. It is filled with strikes, dodges and breaks. Anyone who plays Angola should play with great cunning, never forget that your opponent may be, at the same time, tricking you!.

The main methods of attack in Capoeira Angola are kicks and cabeçadas' (headbutts). The legs are the principal of the two with the Rabo de Arraia being the most common offensive weapon. In Capoeira Angola kicks are usually no higher than the mid-section, where as in Regional the kicks are usually aimed at the head. The Rasteira is probably the most common form of defense, usually used when the opponent kick is too high. One of the main elements of Capoeira is the continual flow in the roda.

A good Angoleiro (player of Capoeira Angola) is aware of his opponents movement. Blocking attacks is not a fundamental part of Capoeira, body evasion is the form of defense most admired, if you are not there you can't be hit. Blocking is only used when all other options have failed.

In Capoeira, maintaining the flow is extremely important. Within Capoeira there is a noticeable inbalance. The capoeiristas' know that the flow of the game will eventually be broken. The flow is broken by the players themselves when they know they can make an attack without compromising themselves.

The most important master of Capoeira Angola is undoubtably Master Pastinha. He opened his first school of Capoeira Angola in 1941 at the Largo do Pelourinho in Salvador, Bahia. Master Pastinha was determined to keep Capoeira Angola alive.

Regional style

Information based on that found in 'Capoeira ~ Martial Art of Brazil' by Lloyd Howell.

Mestre Bimba, founder of Capoeira Regional, was born in Sao Salvador, Bahia on 23rd November 1899. Throughout his childhood he trained with his father in a form of fighting called Batuque.

At the age of twelve, Mestre Bimba was introduced to Capoeira, and it became a part of his life. His master was a captain of a ship which worked the coastal areas of Salvador. Bimba was taught the Angolan version of Capoeira and began teaching Capoeira de Angola in 1918.

After years of dedicated training and research he began to teach a mixture of Capoeira Angola and Batuque. This new form of Capoeira involved systematic training methods through the invention of attack and defense sequences.

These sequences became known as Sequence de Bimba and the Cintura Desprezada. Mestre Bimba also introduced a graduation system into Capoeira. Bimba's original grading system involved the wearing of coloured scarves around the neck instead of cords around the waist as it is today.

Mestre Bimba's form of Capoeira received it's name from his own academy, 'The Regional Physical and Cultural Centre', Capoeira Regional for short. In 1932, Mestre Bimba open his first Capoeira Regional Academy. Official recognition was given to Bimba's academy in July of 1937. From this point on the practise was restricted to registered clubs, gyms and academies but only with a special police license.

In 1936 Mestre Bimba issued a series of challenges in order to promote his new form of Capoeira. He agreed to accept challenges from any opponent in any style of fight. Master Gato has said "Mestre Bimba was a warrior with a warrior's mentality". Mestre Bimba was still undefeated at the time of his death.

Due to the publicity created for Capoeira, his Regional form began to spread throughout Brazil. In July of 1953 Mestre Bimba was invited to attend the Presidential Palace, where President Gertuho Vargas declared Capoeira as the National sport and fighting system of Brazil. Capoeira Regional is technically an adapted version of Capoeira Angola. Mestre Bimba adapted this style by introducing new techniques such as the galopante (a cupped hand strike). Mestre Bimba also added his own version of the kicks, such as the martelo (roundhouse kick).

Some of the Angolan techniques were adapted to the Regional form and the names of these techniques were also changed. For example the Rabo de Arrata of the Angolan school became the Meia Lua de Compasso of the Regional school. As well changing the names, Mestre Bimba also added spinning and jumping variations.

Without the structured training methods introduced by Mestre Bimba, Capoeira may have died out just like the the art of Batuque. Capoeira is now being taught and studied all over the world. The creation of Capoeira Regional would have earned Mestre Bimba a place among the legendary figures of Capoeira.

Mestre Bimba was not only the creator of Capoeira Regional, he was also an excellent singer and percussionist. He was the creator of a number of toques (rhythms) of the berimbau, such as Sao Bento de Regional, Amazonas and Iuna.

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