Capoeira is a cultural expression and Afro-Brazilian struggle created by black Africans who were enslaved in Brazilian territory.
This practice was developed by enslaved peoples as a form of defense against the brutal violence practiced by their masters.
It is believed that the name capoeira comes from the Tupi-Guarani language and refers to an area of sparse or cut vegetation.
Besides being a fight, capoeira is art, music and popular culture. In 2014, UNESCO recognized the capoeira circle as Cultural and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
History and origin of capoeira
During the period of slavery
From the 16th century onwards, Portuguese colonizers brought millions of Africans on slave ships to be enslaved in Brazil.
These blacks worked as slaves on the sugarcane plantations and on the plantation of crops such as tobacco, cotton and coffee.
They were subjected to inhumane and degrading conditions of forced labor and were subjected to cruel violence such as mutilations and lashes.
To face their masters and, who knows, to be able to flee in search of liberation, this population began to train blows and develop body agility and thus began to create what would be the capoeira.
After the end of slavery
With the end of slavery, blacks stopped being slaves, but were kept on the margins of society, without access to education, work and housing.
The lack of opportunity led this population, in many cases, to marginality, which reinforced racism and the ideas of segregation in society.
Capoeira continued to be present in the life of the black population and was also seen as a marginal act. Soon after Brazil's independence, its practice was prohibited.
Decree No. 847 of 1890 considered a crime:
Art. 402. Make exercise in the streets and public squares of agility and bodily dexterity known by the name of Capoeiragem: walking in careers, with weapons or instruments capable of producing bodily injury, causing riot or disorder, threatening the right or uncertain person, or instilling fear of some bad.
The penalty for this crime was 2 to 6 months in prison.
The vision of capoeira only began to change decades later, when Manoel dos Reis Machado, known as Mestre Bimba, opened the doors of the first capoeira academy in Brazil.
Mestre Bimba and the decriminalization of capoeira
Mestre Bimba is one of the most important capoeiristas in Brazil, responsible for decriminalizing capoeira and starting the spread of the practice as a sport.
He created some rules of conduct and developed a teaching method, so that capoeira was ceasing to be seen as a practice of strays or rogues and became a practice of gyms.
In 1932 Mestre Bimba founded the Center for Physical Culture and Regional Struggle, the same year as the president Getúlio Vargas released several cultural manifestations that were prohibited, especially the Afro-Brazilians.
Capoeira ceased to be a crime in 1936, when Vargas extinguished the Decree that criminalized the fight, classifying capoeira as an instrument of Physical Education.
Over the years following decriminalization, capoeira spread, thousands of schools were opened and the practice gained many followers in Brazil and in dozens of other countries.
See also what is Krav Maga.
Types of capoeira
Despite being only one, capoeira can be divided into two main types: capoeira angola and regional capoeira.
Angola
Capoeira Angola is closer to primitive capoeira, the movements are slower and more cadenced and are performed close to the ground. Capoeira Angola has as exponent the Master Pastinha.
Regional
Regional capoeira originates with the Master Bimba, who, to avoid the term capoeira when it was still prohibited, called it “Luta Regional Baiana”.
Mestre Bimba was an Angolan capoeira practitioner and developed the regional style, with new strikes and faster, louder movements. These strikes are believed to have been inspired by other martial arts, such as Batuque.
Capoeira characteristics
Instruments
The main instrument of capoeira is the berimbau, made with a wooden rod, a wire and a gourd. In addition to the berimbau, the most common instruments in capoeira are: the tambourine, the atabaque, the reco-reco and the agogô.
clothing
The clothes used in capoeira vary a lot according to the group or style of capoeira, but it can be said that most capoeiristas wear pants and a shirt. Some groups favor the white color during the wheels.
Blows and moves
The basic movement of capoeira is the ginga and from it the other blows are delivered. There are a multitude of moves and they can vary by capoeira group, but some examples of common moves are:
- Tail stingray;
- Halter;
- Armada;
- Hammer;
- Half Moon;
- Crawling;
- Au.
the capoeira roda
The capoeira circle is formed by a circle of people and a battery. The drums are composed of one or more berimbaus and other instruments such as the tambourine, agogô, tambourine and reco-reco.
The berimbau is the instrument that commands the wheel and rhythm of the game. A roda only starts at the touch of the berimbau and capoeiristas can only start a game with the authorization of the person who has this instrument.
When there are three berimbaus on the roda, they have different tunings and are called gunga, medio and viola. In this case, the gunga, the most serious berimbau, is what commands the wheel.
Capoeira games take place between two people while the drums play and someone sings. Capoeira songs are sung by one person and answered by the "choir", formed by all the others present in the roda.
Musicality in capoeira
Music is an essential part of capoeira, the roda begin with the music, which gives rhythm to the game.
Musicality is part of capoeira, as are movements and strokes. Therefore, to be a complete capoeira, it is necessary to know how to sing and play the instruments.
Due to its musicality and cadenced movements, capoeira is sometimes understood as a dance. Capoeira is, above all, a struggle, but it is still a cultural expression with elements of dance, popular culture and folklore.
In addition to the songs, there are capoeira litanies, which are chants sung by the master (or by whoever is in the main berimbau), usually at the beginning of the roda.
The capoeira songs and litanies usually portray themes related to slavery and the suffering experienced by blacks in the slave quarters.
Litany Strength of a Capoeira by Mestre Ramos
Learn more about others Afro-Brazilian cultures.