Capoeira

Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art developed in the 1500s by slaves. It is marked by deft, tricky movements often played on the ground or completely inverted. It also has a strong acrobatic component in some versions and is always played with music. The word Capoeira has a few meanings, one of which is the forest or jungle areas of Brazil's interior. It has been suggested that Capoeira took its name from the places in which runaway slaves would try to hide. Breakdancing, developed in the 1970s, has many analogous moves; thus, many believe that Capoeira is its root. There are two main styles of Capoeira that are markedly different. One is called Angola, which is characterized by slow, low play with particular attention to the rituals and tradition of Capoeira. The other style is Regional, known for its fluid acrobatic play, where technique and strategy are the key points. Both styles are marked by the use of feints and subterfuge, and use groundwork extensively, as well as sweeps, kicks, and takedowns.

History

During the 1500s, Portugal shipped slaves into South America from Western Africa. Brazil was the largest contributor to slave migration with 42% of all slaves shipped across the Atlantic. The following peoples were the most commonly sold into Brazil: The Sudanese group, composed largely of Yorubaa and Dahomean people, the Muhammadanised Guinea-Sudanese group of Malesian and Hausa people and the Bantu group (among them 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 Capoeira with two Bantu men moving to the yuka drums. It is called the baile del maní. Batuque and Maculele are other fight-dances closely connected to Capoeira.

These people brought their cultural traditions and religion with them to the New World. The homogenization of the African people under the oppression of slavery was the catalyst for Capoeira. Capoeira was developed by the slaves of Brazil as a way to resist their oppressors, secretly practice their art, transmit their culture, and lift their spirits. Some historians believe that the indigenous indians of Brazil also played an important role in the development of Capoeira.

After slavery was abolished, the slaves moved to the cities of Brazil, and with no employment to be found, many joined or formed criminal gangs. They continued to practice Capoeira, and it became associated with anti-government or criminal activities. As a result, Capoeira was outlawed in Brazil in 1892. The punishment for practicing Capoeira was extreme, and the police were vicious in their attempt to stamp out the art. Capoeira continued to be practiced, but it moved further underground. Rodas were often held in areas with plenty of escape routes, and a special rhythm called cavalaria were added to the music to warn players that the police were coming. To avoid being persecuted, Capoeira practitioners (Capoeiristas) also gave themselves nicknames, often more than one. This made it much harder for the police to discover their true identities. This tradition continues to this day. When a person is baptized into Capoeira at the batizado ceremony, they are given a nickname.

In 1937, Mestre Bimba, one of the most revered names in Capoeira, was invited to demonstrate his art in front of the president. After this performance, he was given permission to open the first Capoeira school in Brazil. Since that time, Capoeira has been officially recognized as a national sport, and has spread around the world.

Music

Music is integral to Capoeira. It sets the tempo and style of game that is to be played within the Roda (pronounced Ho'da). The music is comprised of instruments and song. The tempos differ from very slow (Angola) to very fast (Sao Bento Regional). Many of the songs are sung in a call and response format while others are in the form of a narrative. Capoeiristas sing about a wide variety of subjects. Some songs are about history or stories of famous capoeiristas. Other songs attempt to inspire players to play better. Some songs are about what is going on within the roda. Sometimes the songs are about life, or love lost. Others are lighthearted or even silly things, sung just for fun. Capoeiristas change their playing style significantly as the songs or rhythm from the berimbau (below) commands. In this manner, it is truly the music that drives capoeira.

The instruments are played in a row called the bateria. The first three instruments are berimbaus, which look like an archer's bow using a steel string and a gourd for resonation. These three bows are the Berraboi / bass / Gunga, Medio, & Viola, and lead the rhythm. Other instruments in the bateria are: two Pandeiros (tambourines), a Reco-Reco (rasp), and an Agogo (double gong bell). The Atabaque (conga-like drum), a common feature in most Capoeira baterias, is considered an optional instrument, and is not required for a full bateria in some groups.

Roda & Philosophy

The Roda is the circle of people within which Capoeira is played. People who make up the roda's circular shape clap and sing along to the music being played for the two partners engaged in a capoeira match or rather a "game" ("jogo"). Depending on some capoeira schools an individual in the audience can jump in to engage one of the two players and begin another game. The minimum roda size is usually a circle where the radius is the length of a berimbau, or about 3 metres (10 feet) in diameter. They are often larger, up to 10 metres in diameter (30 feet). The rhythm being played on the berimbau sets the pace of the game being played in the roda. Slow music limits the game to slow yet complex ground moves and handstands. Hits usually aren't made but feigned or just shown. The players often turn away from each other's hits just to throw their own. Slow games are often seen as finesse games, less impressive for the casual viewer. Faster music allows for more circular momentum which is key to gaining "big air" in the roda. Capoeiristas can take up a lot of space while playing, so the roda is rarely small, especially if the players are playing quickly. In the fast game, acrobatics and big, circular kicks abound to the delight of the crowd. Sometimes actual hits are registered, but only between higher-level competing Capoeiristras. The roda is a microcosm which reflects the macrocosm of life and the world around us. Truly, your opponent most often in the roda is yourself. Philosophy plays a large part in Capoeira and the best teachers strive to teach Respeito (Respect), Responsabilidade (Responsibility), Seguranca (Safety/Security), Malicia (Cleverness/Street-smarts), and Liberdade (Liberty/Freedom).

The Game

Although Capoeira doesn't focus on destroying the person you play against, it is not rare to see a roda organized that allows sweeping or takedowns. Although a person can technically trip their partner, capoeiristas often prefer to show the movement without completing it, enforcing their superiority in the roda. If your opponent cannot dodge your slowest attack, there is no reason to use your fastest. Each attack that comes in gives you a chance to practice an avoidance technique. The best players of capoeira find themselves not using the basic techniques of "ginga" (the vacillating base stance) because they are constantly attacking, defending, and avoiding in constant motion. When mastery has been shown the two players take a short break, walking counter-clockwise in large circle, loosely holding left hands and walking in the same direction. This is called volta do mundo, or trip around the world. Two or three gentle laps is all the rest you get, then it's time to play again. Volta do mundo is also commonly used by a player when he/she needs a break, but is more commonly used to force the other player to cool down after a heated exchange. It is important to note that volta do mundo is practiced differently by different schools – some hold hands, some do not, some walk, some run. In some schools, volta do mundo is done when the music is over and the players are waiting for the new one to start. If you ever visit a roda, make sure you respect that school's behaviours in this respect as failure to do so is looked upon as quite rude.

Capoeira primarily attacks with kicks and sweeps. Some schools teach more or less punches and hand strikes, but in any case, they are not as common. Capoeira also uses acrobatic and athletic movements to maneuver around the opponent. Cartwheels, handstands, head- and hand-spins, sitting movements, turns, jumps, flips, and large dodges are all very common in capoeira.

If the leader of the roda finds it is time to stop the players, he will shout or strike his berimbau string repeatedly on the same note. The players should quickly squat before the leader while he explains what he needs to explain.

Styles & Groups of Capoeira

There are many different kinds of capoeira. The two largest types are Angola and Regional (pronounced 'hey-zhow-nao'). Although groups of one style do exist, most groups tend to mix the two styles to some degree.

Angola is the true root style of Capoeira, characterized by slower, sneakier movements played closer to the ground. The father of modern Capoeira Angola is considered Mestre Pastinha (Paas-cheen-yah) who lived in Salvador, Bahia. Its emphasis is on the traditions of Capoeira and the music is slow and there is almost always a full bateria of instruments.

Regional is a newer and more martially-oriented game. Regional was invented by Mestre Bimba to make capoeira more mainstream and accessible to the public, and less associated with the criminal elements of Brazil. While Capoeristas can sometimes play Angola-like, slow games, the Regional style is most often composed of fast, acrobatic, and athletic play. This type of game is characterized by high jumps, acrobatics, and spinning kicks, while maintaining the trickiness and ground-work characteristic of Capoeira Angola. Today, there are many fusion styles, which mix the Angola and Regional traditions. Some refer to this as Capoeira atual, or Capoeira contemporanea. Whether playing Angola or Regional, groups often have different styles of wildly different movements. In general, older groups/styles often have a greater emphasis on the traditions of Capoeira, while newer groups concentrate chiefly on sports-like technique.

Finding a Place to Play

If you are interested in playing Capoeira, most major cities throughout the world have at least one club/group to join. Make sure you find out about your group's style and watch a class. Different groups have many differing advantages, so do the research yourself. Some styles are heavily geared towards being clever in the roda whereas others focus more on the physical capabilities of the players. Some groups practice exclusively Angola, while others practice exclusively Regional, so if the style you see isn't what you hoped for, keep looking.

Once you join a group, you will eventually have a chance to take place in a batizado, a baptism into the art of Capoeira. At this point, you will normally be given a corda, a cord belt, as well as a Capoeira nickname. Batizados are great celebrations of Capoeira, and normally a number of groups and masters from nearby or far away areas are invited to the celebration. These ceremonies are a great chance to see a variety of different Capoeira styles, to watch mestres play, and to see some of the best of the game. Sometimes they are open to the public, and they are a great chance for outsiders to learn about the art.