| Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art created | | | | Persecution of the art faded eventually, and |
| by enslaved Africans during the 16th Century. | | | | was entirely gone by 1918. |
| It originated by Nigerian or Angolan ethnic | | | | |
| groups where members fought with music and | | | | Mestre Bimba made a major contribution to the |
| the winner won a partner, usually female. | | | | preservation of the art by opening the first |
| Participants form a roda (circle) and take | | | | academy for instruction in capoeira. This was |
| turns playing instruments, singing, and | | | | a significant development because it |
| sparring in pairs in the centre of the | | | | eventually led to the legalization of the art |
| circle. The game is marked by fluid acrobatic | | | | in Brazil, and allowed capoeira to gain |
| play, feints, subterfuge, and extensive use | | | | popularity at a time when the art could |
| of groundwork, as well as sweeps, kicks, and | | | | possibly have died out. A notable example of |
| headbutts. Technique and strategy are the key | | | | the influence of Meste Bimba's system of |
| elements to playing a good game. Capoeira has | | | | formal instruction took place in 1937, when |
| two main styles, known as "regional" and | | | | he was invited to perform with his students |
| "Angola | | | | at an event at which Getulio Vargas, the |
| | | | president of Brazil at that time, was |
| From the 16th to the 19th centuries, Portugal | | | | present. Vargas was so impressed with the |
| shipped slaves into South America from | | | | discipline and devotion of Mestre Bimba's |
| western Africa. Brazil was the most common | | | | students he declared capoeira the national |
| destination for African captives with 42% of | | | | sport of Brazil. Mestre Bimba also had a |
| all enslaved peoples shipped across the | | | | major impact on the practice and method of |
| Atlantic. Most commonly sold into Brazil were | | | | instruction of the art, and introduced |
| Yoruba, Dahomean, Islamised Guineans, Hausa, | | | | changes that effect the practice of the art |
| and Bantu (among them Kongos, Kimbundas and | | | | to this day. Because of these changes Mestre |
| Kasanjes) from Angola, Congo and Mozambique. | | | | Bimba remains a controversial figure. Prior |
| These Africans brought their cultural | | | | to the legalization of the art, the public |
| traditions and religions with them to the New | | | | associated the art of capoeira with the poor |
| World. The homogenization of the African | | | | underclass, criminal activity, and negative |
| people under the oppression of slavery was | | | | stereotypical elements of the afro-Brazilian |
| the catalyst for capoeira. Capoeira was | | | | population. In order to alter the image of |
| developed as a way to resist oppression, | | | | the art in the eye of the public, Mestre |
| secretly practice art, transmit culture, and | | | | Bimba removed many of the rituals and |
| lift spirits. Some historians believe that | | | | traditions of the art of capoeira for |
| the indigenous peoples of Brazil also played | | | | practice in his academy. Mestre Bimba's |
| an important role in the development of | | | | capoeira is now called Capoeira Regional, or |
| capoeira. This form of Capoeira is best | | | | simply Regional. Mestre Bimba's capoeira |
| represented in Capoeira Angola (which | | | | continued to gain popularity, but eventually |
| continues to uphold the roots of capoeira) | | | | an effort was made to prevent the art from |
| today. | | | | losing its traditions and rituals. |
| | | | |
| Batuque and Maculele are other fight-dances | | | | In 1942, Mestre Pastinha opened the first |
| also developed by slave populations that are | | | | formal academy for instruction in the |
| closely connected to capoeira. There are also | | | | traditional form of the art, known as |
| engravings and writings that describe a | | | | Capoeira Angola. Mestre Pastinha's efforts |
| now-lost fighting dance in Cuba, the baile | | | | prevented Capoeira Angola from being lost as |
| del manÃ, with two Bantu men moving to the | | | | newer, modernized forms of the art gained |
| yuka drums. | | | | popularity. |
| | | | |
| After slavery was abolished in 1888, the | | | | This era was a milestone of a dramatic change |
| freed people moved to the cities of Brazil | | | | in the mode of instruction of the art of |
| and with no employment to be found, many | | | | Capoeira. Previously, Capoeira was passed on |
| joined or formed criminal gangs. They | | | | in secret, usually from a relative such as |
| continued to practice capoeira, and it became | | | | one's father or uncle, or in a small group |
| associated with anti-government or criminal | | | | setting where several young people in a |
| activities. As a result, capoeira was | | | | particular community would receive guidance |
| outlawed in Brazil in 1890. The punishment | | | | from elder practitioners from that community. |
| for practicing it was extreme (practitioners | | | | During this era, the academy system became |
| would have the tendons on the backs of their | | | | the predominant form of participation in the |
| feet cut), and the police were vicious in | | | | art. Presently, there are capoeira academies |
| their attempt to stamp out the art. Capoeira | | | | on almost every continent of the world. |
| continued to be practiced, but it moved | | | | |
| further underground. Rodas were often held in | | | | Another significant change that occurred due |
| areas with plenty of escape routes, and a | | | | to the proliferation of capoeira 'schools' is |
| special rhythm called cavalaria was added to | | | | the participation of middle and upper class |
| the music to warn players that the police | | | | members of the population. Presently, some |
| were coming. Capoeira practitioners | | | | Mestres participate in seminars where they |
| (capoeiristas) also adopted apelidos or | | | | discuss the need to make the art available to |
| nicknames to make it more difficult for | | | | poor blacks who can not afford the cost of |
| police to discover their true identities. To | | | | training in an academy. This is an issue of |
| this day, when a person is baptized into | | | | concern to practitioners who recognize the |
| capoeira at the batizado ceremony, they may | | | | importance of making the art available to |
| be given an apelido. | | | | people who come from the culture that |
| | | | invented the art in the first place. |