Legends and Spirits from Brazil!

Legends and Spirits from Brazil! Cap-o-e-ira [kap-oo-air-uh] is a dance form joined martial arts elements, originating in Brazil as a system of physical disciple, movements, energetic, often acrobatic, dance - like style. (“Capoeira”, Dictionary.com, 2009) Originally comes from Tupi, referring to areas of low vegetation in the Brazilian spirit. Primarily based around kicking, many movements are carried out while in a handstand position, often resembling to modern break-dance moves. Highly acrobatic, energetic and difficult to master. Afro Brazilian martial arts elements, originated in Brazil by African slaves as a system of physical discipline and movements. This creative martial art shows the apprentice more about strength, creativity, and courage. Capoeirista is another term for Capoeira that has three main styles that are clearly different. Angola is characterized by slow, low play with a particular attention to the rituals and capoeira tradition. Regional is also known for its fluid acrobatic play, where the techniques and strategy are the main key points. Usually more accelerated pace, than Angola. Contemporaneous is generally faster – paced but further apart in a short period. All three different styles are marked by defensive action towards the point under assault, and to escape, using groundwork, as well as sweeps, kicks, and head butts. Play fight with each other, inside a circle formed by spectators while others of the group play instruments and sing, which dedicates to speed or tempo of the movements. The main history about Brazilian Dance - Art Form happened during the 1500’s; Portugal shipped slaves into South America from Western Africa. The slaves were put to work in the plantation where sugar and tobacco were the main crops and demanded for slave labor. Brazil was the largest contributor to slave migration with forty two percent of all slaves shipped across the Atlantic. The following slaves were most commonly sold into Brazil: The Sudanese group, composed by largely of Yoruba and Dahomean people, the Islamized Guinea-Sudanese group of Malaysians and Hausa people and the Bantu group among the Kongos, Kimbundas and Kasanjes from Angola, Congo and Mozambique. There are engravings and writings that describe a now – lost fighting dance in Cuba that reminds us of two professional martial artist combines fighting elements to the sound of the instruments. It is called the Baile Del Mani. Bataque and Maculele are other fight – dances closely to Brazilian Capoeira. The blend of the African people under the oppression of slavery was the method. It was developed by the slaves of Brazil as a way to resist their intimidator, behind somebody's back carries out their art, broadcast their culture, and lift their spirits. After slavery was abolish, the slaves of Brazil and with no employment to be found, many joined or formed criminal gangs to survive. They continued practicing Capoeira, and it became associated with anti – government or criminal activities. Capoeira was relinquished in Brazil from 1892. The punishment for practicing it was extreme professionals would have tendons on the back of their feet cut, and the police were vicious in their attempt to abandon the art. Rodas were often held in area with plenty of escape routes, and a special rhythm called cavalaria were added to the music to warm players that the police were coming. From avoiding being prosecuted, Capoeirista professionals also gave themselves an apelido or nicknames, often more than one to make it harder for the police to discover their true real identities. When a person is baptized, at the batizado ceremony, they may be given their apelido. Prosecution of the art petered out and was entirely gone by 1918. Manuel dos Reis Machado, commonly known as Mestre Bimba was born on November 23rd, 1899 – February 5th, 1974. In 1937, he was invited to demonstrate his art in front of the president. After his performance, he was given permission to open the first Capoeira School in Brazil. Since then, the game has been officially recognized as a national martial arts sport, and has spread around the world. His systematization and teaching of Capoeira made an exciting contribution to the community. (“Manuel dos Reis Machado”, Wikipedia, 2012) Vicente Joaquim Ferreira Pastinha, commonly known as Mestre Pastinha was born on April 5, 1889 – November 13, 1981. In 1942, he opened the first Angola school, the Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola, located in Bahia, Brazil. Pastinha was blind and very sick, left abandoned in a shelter by the betrayal of local authorities. He had students wear black pants and yellow shirts, the same color of the Ypiranga Futebol Clube, which it’s his favorite soccer team. Most of Angola schools since then follow in the tradition, having his students to wear yellow Capoeira shirts. (“Vicente Ferreira Pastinha”, Wikipedia, 2011) Both Mestre’s Bimba and Pastinha are generally seen as the fathers of modern Capoeira Regional and Angola respectively. Music of the Brazilian Martial Arts is integral and sets the rhythm, the style of play, and the energy of a game or performance. It includes three main styles of songs that weave together the structure of the Angola roda. The Angola roda represents the strict and traditional formats for capoeira and is suited for an introduction and discussion of the music. Its Brazilian heritage plays a heavy role in the way it is perceived by its practitioners and understands at a subconscious level. (Capoeira music, Martial Arts Database, 2005-2010) Common features of many Brazilians ethnic groups, as well as others throughout the world, the music is not so much a form of personal entertainment as it is a medium to bring about group cohesion and dynamic. Is used to create a sacred space through both the physical act of forming a circle and an aural space that is believed to connect to the spirit world. The deeper religious significance exists more as social memory to most capoeira groups, but generally understood as evidence in use of ngoma drums, the berimbau whose earlier forms were used in rituals in Africa and speaking with ancestors, ever present term “axe” which signifies life force, the invocation of both afro Brazilian and catholic spirituality, and certain semi ritual movements used in Angola that brings “spiritual protection”. Instruments includes: Berimbau [most important instrument], Verga [birba wood], Arame [wire taken from a tire and struck with a Vaqueta], and Cabaca [hollowed out gourd] which has three different types. Gunga, Medio, Viola, Atabaque [Brazilian drum], Pandeiro [Brazilian tambourine], Agogo, Reco – Reco, Caxixi. The Roda is a circle of people within Capoeirista is being played. They make up the roda’s circular shape clap and sing along to the music being played for the two partners tempting in a capoeira match or another word to describe is a game. Depending on some schools an individual in audience can jump in to keep one of the two fighters and begin another game. The best players find themselves but not using the basic techniques of ginga because they are constantly attacking, defending, and avoiding in constant motion. The two players take a short small break, walking counter – clockwise in a large circle, loosely holding left hands and walking in the same direction. Volta do mundo is also commonly used by a player when they need a break, but more generally used to force the other player to cool down after a heated substitute. The Angola rodas features a ritual called the chamada. One player assumes a ritual pose, with one hand in the air. The other entertainer should approach the circle and join the pose, then walk back and forth until the first player separates and offers a slow aggression. The whole chamada is fraught with tension, since it’s acceptable for either player to strike out in a sudden attack, at any speed. The main goal of the chamada is to test the abilities’ to cooperate, to appear friendly, without exposing their self to a sneaky attack. Many ritual chamadas exist, including one resembling the Volta do mundo, but experienced players will make up their own. Its serves to show how well a player can handle the tricks of the world. The Brazilian martial arts game primarily attacks with kicks and sweeps, some schools teach more but maybe less punches and hand strikes in any case. Also uses acrobatic and athletic movements to maneuver around the opponent using cartwheels, handstands, head – and – hand spins, sitting movements, turns, jumps, flips, and large dodges are very common in the sport. Largest type of Capoeira is Angola and Regional. Angola is the root style, characterize by slower, sneakier movements played closer to ground. Mestre Pastinha is the father of the modern dance. Regional was developed by Mestre Bimba to make the dance more ordinary and easily reached to the public, and less associated with criminal elements of Brazil. Is composed of fist, acrobatic, and athletic play. Type of game is characterize by high jumps, acrobatics, and spinning kicks, while maintain trickiness, and ground – work of the Angola style. While performing the Angola or Regional traditional style of wildly different movements. Another type of game is the Contemporaneous, a term for groups that train multiple styles. Trains elements of Regional and Angola as newer movements would not fall under either styles. By others players is known as ruining or misunderstanding. Often have a greater highlighting on traditions, while newer groups concentrate on different but entertaining sports – like techniques.

References

Categorized in Capoeira Martial Arts, Country of Origin Tags: Brazil, 2005 – 2010 Capoeira Music, “Martial Arts Database”, All about Martial Arts Styles http://www.mardb.com/capoeira-music

Manuel dos Reis Machado, Mestre Bimba: A Capoeira Illuminada, 2006
“Documentary of Mestre Bimba”, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_dos_Reis_Machado

Vicente Joaquim Ferreira Pastinha, Mestre Pastinha, Origen’s do Brasil, 2005
“What are Capoeira”, Detailed History, and Wikipedia: Capoeira Information? http://www.whatiscapoeira.co.uk/about.html