Facts about Capoeira

Here's about Capoeira.

Capoeira is a complex movement art that began during colonial era Brazil. The beginnings of Capoeira were in the time of slavery (1500-1888). People from all over central Africa were brought as captives of the Portuguese. This meant that people with knowledge of many different African combative styles were meeting and interacting. Since any form of rebellion against their captors would meet with severe punishments, any fight training would have to be hidden or disguised. Thus techniques were incorporated into ritual celebration and dance, which was tolerated by the oppressors. The real development of Capoeira is said to have happened in the Quilombos, which were encampments of escaped slaves. The largest of these settlement was called Palmares(1600-1694) which had a population upwards of 20,000 people. Capoeira warriors defended the Quilombos, and the military strategies used were based on Capoeira philosophies. There are few records of what the Capoeira of this time was like stylistically, although some accounts do exist that lend clues. Thinking about it logically however, one may assume that since it was used for actual combat and defense, that it was fast paced and violent.

The gang era (1885-1920’s) came around the time slavery was abolished. During this time Capoeira was the preferred weapon of power for the poor and for criminals. Large gangs formed that controlled Rio and battled the Police on a regular basis. You could often recognize the Capoeiristas by the silk scarves they would wear around their necks. This was to protect them from the straight razors that would come into play when fights got out of hand. It was obviously another brutal era for Capoeira. Some amount of ritual surely was integrated—especially since Capoeira had brushed a lot of elbows with Candomble, a popular Afro-Brazilian religion, and magical protection was believed to be a skill that Capoeiristas had to master. However, there are accounts of widespread bloodshed in this time, thus the Capoeira was definitely aggressive.

In the 1920’s Mestre Bimba reworked Capoeira techniques (adding moves from the African art of “Batuque”) and teaching methods into the style known as “Regional” which led to the academy era. Bimba brought notoriety to his new school by challenging anyone of any style to defeat him; the longest fight lasted one minute and ten seconds. He was undefeated in his lifetime. Taking Capoeira off the street and into schools changed the image of it attracting more affluent students. Capoeira was finally legalized in 1937 due largely to this work. Regional is fast paced and uses takedowns as well as powerful kicks.

Mestre Pastinha’s Capoeira “Angola” was based on the more ritualized Capoeira of the Bahia region of Brazil. While not very popular in its day, a revival of interest in Angola occurred in the 1970’s, which rescued it from extinction. Angola played at a much slower pace that Regional, thus lending itself to more developed strategizing. It is generally played lower to the ground, and closer to the opponent as well. There are more theatrics in the game such as the “Chimadas”.

Contrary to whatever you may run across on internet chat rooms, books, or other propaganda, neither Angola or Regional are more “authentic” than the other. They both contain elements of styles that went before them, and they both were added to as well. Both are part of an ongoing evolution.

The term “Contemporânea” is a relatively modern one that refers to any Capoeira style incorporating ideas from both Regional and Angola, and other sources such as work of the Senzala Group, and the Chicago African martial arts revival during the 1960’s. The specific techniques you might run across from one Contemporânea school to another may vary wildly. Again, Contemporânea styles are not less authentic because they are non-traditional. Capoeira constantly changes by its very nature and they are a reflection of that fact.