History Lesson: CAPOEIRA

 

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines acrobatics, dance, folklore, and music. Two opponents play inside a circle (called a “Roda”) formed by other participants, who clap, sing, and play traditional instruments. It is one of the most popular sports in Brazil and is practiced worldwide. Its origin is tied to migration.

Conceived in Africa and born in Brazil. During Portuguese colonization, millions of Africans were brought and sold in Brazil, where they shared their cultural traditions that evolved into capoeira.

Angolans were prominent among the enslaved who practiced capoeira on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and other port cities in the early 19th century. With revolts against slavery, they formed quilombos (communities of escaped slaves) to preserve African culture. They used capoeira for defense and resistance, disguising it with music and dance.

Capoeira was illegal after the abolition of slavery in 1888. Practitioners were marginalized for over 40 years until Mestre Bimba opened the first capoeira school in Bahia in 1932. Since then, capoeira has spread worldwide. It represents the blend of African and Indigenous Brazilian cultures, symbolizing resistance and resilience.

~ Photos by Pierre Verger