Capoeira history »

From Furthest Brazil to Suburban Sydney

Aug 092010

Capoeira is a fusion of martial arts, dance, acrobatics, music & pure energy; blended together in the cultural melting pot that is Brazil. Records are few and at times discordant about exactly how Capoeira came to being in Brazil. However the generosity and spirit of Capoeira still resonates today in Sydney, half a world away from its beginnings.

The widely accepted story is that capoeira was born in the 16th Century, when the Portuguese arrived in Brazil bringing with them slaves from all corners of Africa. Those African people were forced into a life of slavery. With no other means of self defence & expression they combined together their techniques of martial arts and defence to form a very early version of Capoeira; their symbol of freedom. Music, dance and rituals were incorporated, helping disguise the practice of a deadly and forbidden art to appear to be a folk dance.

In 1888 when slavery was abolished, capoeira remained prohibited. Capoeira was practiced by the poor and by those living on the streets and was not accepted by wider society. In 1920, thanks to the dedicated work of Mestre Bimba the ban was lifted and Capoeira walked into the modern world. Mestre Bimba modernised capoeira and opened the first Capoeira academy; making it more accepted by Brazilian society and receiving recognition from the Brazilian Government. Another famed capoeirista is Mestre Pastinha; who worked to keep the traditions and roots of capoeira alive, through the music, poetry, theatre and artistry of his capoeira style.

Presently in Brazil capoeira is practiced as a national sport through all levels of society. Capoeira is constantly evolving with many variations in style and traditions within different groups; but remains always an expression of freedom and self.

Capoeira began as means of self defence for the poor and enslaved, even after the ban on Capoeira was lifted it has remained a vehicle to freedom to many lower-class people who would otherwise not have many life opportunities open to them. It is a tradition in Capoeira schools in Brazil to teach children from poor families for free to help keep them off the street and away from crime. This tradition along with the rich culture that is capoeira has made its way around the globe to Chippendale, Sydney.

Contra Mestre Borracha of the group Capoeira Aruanda has recently opened a new Capoeira Academy in Chippendale. With this personal achievement he has taken the opportunity to give back to the community through Capoeira; which has given him so much. His own story begins in Brazil, in the remote city of Rio Branco – Acre, close to the Amazon in North West Brazil. Coming from a large and poor family; his parents initially discouraged his participation in Capoeira due to its historical links to crime and the lower-class. However Borracha loved acrobatics and the challenge of capoeira, he persisted and was taught for free by local capoeiristas. In the coming years he began to teach others, and was eventually able to earn a living from Capoeira with which he helped to support his parents and family. His talent in Capoeira opened up many opportunities for Borracha to be able to travel around Brazil and eventually to Australia where he now lives.

Borracha has been teaching Capoeira in and around Sydney for 12 years, in various community centres and schools. This year, the opening of his own academy represents a landmark for him in his journey in capoeira and with it the opportunity to give pass on the goodwill that was given to him in his youth.

Partnering with Youth off the Streets Borracha is teaching free workshops this term to students from Key College, a school for homeless young people in Redfern. He will continue these workshops next term with two other Youth off the Streets Schools. The gift of capoeira has come full circle. It gave Borracha the ability to shape his own life and to reach for goals he would never have dreamed of. It is his hope that he can pass that on to all students of Capoeira Aruanda. A capoeira group can be more than a sports group. Borracha is working to make Capoeira Aruanda a family; a place with positive energy for everyone who walks through the door.

Share/Bookmark

Music

Music is of vital importance to the practice of capoeira. Without it there is no energy & no roda. To begin training capoeira you may just study the movements of capoeira, but as you progress through the levels of training you will learn to play the instruments and to sing the songs of capoeira.

The orchestra (Bateria) of capoeira is defined differently by each capoeira group. Traditionally in Capoeira Regional, one berimbau and two pandeiros were used, and Capoeira Angola still uses all the musical instruments – three Berimbaus, an Atabaque, two pandeiros, an Agogo and Reco-reco to make up the Bateria of Capoeira Angola.

For a complete roda Capoeira Aruanda uses three Berimbaus, an Atabaque, two Pandeiros, and the use of Agogo is optional.

music

Berimbau

The berimbau is the primary instrument in Capoeira. Its leads the other instruments and dictates the rhythm and pace of the roda.

The origins of the Berimbau are not clear, though there is little doubt that it has African origins as there are no Indigenous Brazilian or European instruments like it; and similar instruments can be found in southern parts of Africa.

The berimbau consists of a wooden bow (verga – traditionally made from biribá wood, which grows in Brazil), strung tightly with a steel wire (arame – usually pulled from the inside of a car tire) secured from one end of the verga to the other. A gourd (cabaça), dried, opened and hollowed-out, attached to the lower portion of the Verga by a loop of tough string, acts as a resonator.To play this instrument one strikes the wire with a thin stick (baqueta – usually wooden) whilst pressing against the wire a small stone or coin (pedra or dobrão). Pressing the stone; hard, loosely or not at all you will create a different sound. a shaker (caxixi) may also be held in the same hand as the baqueta.

Berimbaus must be tuned for their sound to work harmoniously and there are 3 specific ways to tune a Berimbau.

Gunga (or Berra-boi): lowest tone.
Médio (others say viola): medium tone.
Viola (violinha if the medium tone is viola): highest tone

Share/Bookmark

Mestre Bimba

Manuel dos Reis Machado, known as “Mestre Bimba” was born November 23rd, 1899, at the “bairro do Engenho Velho” in Salvador-BA, Brazil.

Mestre Bimba began Capoeira at the age of 12 at Estrada das Boiadas, today known as ” bairro da Liberdade,” in Salvador and was taught by “Bentinho”, an African who was the captain of a shipping company called the Companhia de Navegação Bahiana.

Capoeira was officially prohibited during and even after slavery. Nevertheless, it was practiced by the poorer population on public holidays, during work-free hours and similar occasions In spite of the official ban, Mestre Bimba created a new style. He incorporated new moves and techniques. He became extremely proficient in “Batuque” a type of fighting brought by Africans during their enslavement in Brazil, which he learned from his father. He later mastered Capoeira Angola, combining these two art forms to produce an exclusive Bahian Capoeira called Capoeira Regional or “Luta Regional Baiana” was then a more martial art oriented, effective, efficient and athletic style of Capoeira. The central component to teaching Capoeira Regional is the “Sequencia,” a learning process that was non-existent in Capoeira until it’s introduction by Mestre Bimba.

.
A performance at the palace of Bahia’s Governor, Juracy Magalhães, was the stepping stone needed for Mestre Bimba to finally convince the authorities of the cultural value of Capoeira, thus ending its official ban in the 1930′s and opening doors for Mestre Bimba.

Mestre Bimba founded the first Capoeira school in 1932, the “Academia-escola de Capoeira Regional”, in Salvador-Bahia. As Capoeira was still heavily discriminated by upper class Brazilian society Bimba attempted to change the slyness and malicious reputation associated with Capoeira practitioners by setting new standards to the art. His students had to wear a clean, white uniform, show proof of grade proficiency from school, show good posture and many other standards. As a result, doctors, lawyers, politicians, upper middle class people, and women (until then excluded) started to join his school.

The main characteristics of Mestre Bimba’s Capoeira were: The training of the art in enclosed school facilities; the implementation of a course curriculum; the introduction of a systematic training method; a defined musical ensemble of one berimbau and two pandeiros, and an emphasis placed on the rhythms of São Bento Grande, Benguela and Iuna, which mandated specific jogos.

For these reasons Mestre Bimba was and still is so important to Capoeira because he changed its destiny. In 1942, Mestre Bimba opened his second school at the “Terreiro de Jesus – rua das Laranjeiras”; today rua Francisco Muniz Barreto, #1. He also taught Capoeira to the army and at the police academy. He was considered “the father of modern Capoeira”.

Mestre Bimba was a coalman, carpenter, warehouse man, longshoreman, horse coach conductor, but mainly capoeirista; a giant with strong personality! In 1973, Bimba was unhappy with a number of false promises and a lack of support from local authorities in Bahia. By invitation from an ex-student, he moved to Goiânia-GO in order to continue teaching Capoeira Regional, but unfortunately only a year later, on February 15th, 1974 Bimba died due to a stroke.

Four years later, at the request of his former students, his body was brought back to Salvador, where he lies in a tomb built especially for him in a public square.

(From “Bimba: Perfil do Mestre” by Raimundo Cesar Alves de Almeida, (Mestre Itapoan), 1982.)

Share/Bookmark

Mestre Pastinha

Vicente Ferreira Pastinha, son of José Señor Pastinha, a Spaniard and Eugênia Maria de Carvalho a Brazilian woman of African descent was born on April 5th, 1889 in Salvador-BA, Brazil. Mestre Pastinha was exposed to Capoeira at the tender age of 8 by an African named Benedito.

Mestre Pastinha had a happy and modest childhood. During the mornings he would take art classes at the Liceu de Artes e Ofício school where he learned to paint, during the afternoons he would play with kites and practice Capoeira. He continued his training with Benedito for three more years. He later joined a sailor school by his fathers wish, which would not support the Capoeira practice. At the school, he used to teach Capoeira to his friends. At the age of 21, he left the sailor school to become a professional painter. Since it was still illegal at that time, he would secretly practice Capoeira during his spare time.

Mestre Pastinha was an extraordinary character. He was innovative, wise and open-minded. In 1942, Pastinha founded the first Angola school, the “Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola”(The Sport Centre of Capoeira Angola), located at the Pelourinho. His students would wear black pants and yellow t-shirts, the same colour as the “Ypiranga Futebol Clube”, his favourite soccer team.

In 1964 Pastinha published his own book, Capoeira Angola. Capoeira Angola was characterized by: a high degree of combat simulation in which the mere suggestion of an attack should be acknowledged; a focus on rituals, strategy and tactics of the game; and an emphasis on playfulness and theatrics of the movement.

Pastinha worked as shoe shiner, tailor, gold prospector, security guard (leão de chácara) at a gambling house (casa de jogo) and construction worker at the “Porto de Salvador” to maintain him financially so he could do what he loved the most, be an Angoleiro.

He dedicated his entire life to Capoeira Angola, but in the end felt betrayed by local authorities and their endless false promises and with no support, Pastinha was left abandoned in a city shelter. By 1973, the aged Pastinha had lost his sight but according to his friend, the well known Brazilian writer, Jorge Amado, he remained lucid until his final days. On April 12th, 1981, he played his last Capoeira game. On November 13th, 1981, blind and very sick, at the age of 92, Mestre Pastinha, the father and protector of Capoeira Angola, died.

Share/Bookmark

About Capoeira

In the 16th Century, Africans were carried away in ships by the Portuguese to new found lands in the Americas. These Africans were forced onto the sugar cane fields and into a life of slavery. Housed in crowded, filthy slave quarters called Senzalas, they began to run away. These runaways then formed communities known as Quilombos. The most famous of these communities was called Quilombo dos Palmares, with more than 20,000 inhabitants, including Africans and some native Brazilian Indians.

One of their great leaders was Zumbi, who became famous because of his defensive skills and numerous victories against the dominating Portuguese. In the Quilombos, self freed slaves shared and learned their differing dances, rituals, religions and games from each other.

They developed a system of ambushes and together with fast tricky movements the slaves caused considerable damages. It is believed that one of the earliest forms of Capoeira was born* in the Quilombos. Capoeira became their weapon, their symbol of freedom. Princess Isabel signed the abolition of slavery on May 13, 1888 but the practice of Capoeira remained prohibited until 1920. Music, dance and rituals were incorporated, helping disguise the practice of a deadly and forbidden art. Capoeiristas (practitioner of Capoeira) always did their best to keep the tradition alive by presenting it as a folk dance which in turn made it more acceptable to society. Nicknames were used to hide from authority during the time of prohibition. Capoeira’s progress was aided by two of its faithful disciples. Mestre Bimba & Mestre Pastinha walked Capoeira into the modern world.

Presently in Brazil it is practiced as a national sport through all levels of society, at schools, universities, clubs and in military academies.

“Jogar Capoeira – Danse de la guerre” 1835
Painting by Johann Moritz Rugendas

EarlyCapoeira “Negroes fighting, Brazil” c. 1824. Painting by Augustus Earle

.
The rest of the world too has taken to Capoeira. From very different countries, backgrounds and religions, the practitioners of the world today play Capoeira to express themselves through this very animated, vibrant, exciting and rich art form. Capoeira has come of age from expression of freedom to expression of self.

* Many historians and Capoeira enthusiasts debate the origins of Capoeira. The present theory in Brazil indicates that Capoeira is of African origin but was created and evolved on Brazilian soil.

Share/Bookmark

Capoeira Aruanda

Grupo Capoeira Aruanda is a new name for the capoeira group Capoeiracre, who’s history extends back more then 20 years. Forming as Capoeira Brasil, under Mestre Olho De Peixe, they began training as group of young students that would become the foundation and influence of the group.

After pioneering Capoeira in the state of Acre for 15 years under the title of Grupo Capoeira Brasil, a conscious movement was made by the students and teachers to form a new contemporary group. Capoeiracre was founded in the city of Rio Branco (in the state of Acre, Brazil) on the 29th January 2005.

Capoeiracre was founded as an international group, with academies in Brazil, Australia and Germany. The students and teachers recognised Olho de Peixe for his contribution to Capoeira in Acre and awarded him his masters cord, acknowledging him as the headmaster of Capoeiracre. The graduation of Mestre Olho de Peixe was overseen by Mestre Pintor, Mestre Hulk, Mestre Igor and Mestre Pequinês. In addition, Capoeiracre representatives from each country were present at the foundation ceremony.

In 1997, Contra Mestre Borracha brought the group from Acre, Brazil to Sydney Australia and quickly established students in Western Sydney, the Inner city Pyrmont and the Eastern Beaches.

Today, Capoeira Aruanda, headed by godfather Mestre Boa Gente and Contra Mestre Borracha, has branches in Australia, Germany lead by Professor Soldado, and Acre Brazil lead by Contra-Mestre Geben. The change in name for the group reflects the strength of the group and the strong presence within the Australian capoeira community.