THE GAME OF CAPOEIRA ANGOLA

The movements of Capoeira Angola are commanded by the music and singing. It is a submission of force to rhythm, of violence to melody, a marriage of antagonisms. In Capoeira, the contenders are not adversaries, they are camaradas or comrades; they don’t fight, they pretend to fight. They expertly seek to convey an artistic portrayal of the combat; and more importantly than their spirit of competition, is their surrender to the spirit of beauty within them.

A capoeirista is an artist and an athlete, a player and a poet. It is however necessary to recognise the true Capoeira, as it is practised today in Bahia; and the game that made 'malandros' (good scoundrels) and desordeiros (hoodlums or bandits) notable in the middle of the last century in Rio and Recife.

Capoeria was a street- fight that included knives and razors together with the traditional kicks. It caused panic during popular gatherings and led to the intervention of police forces. Even in Bahia, during those times, the Capoeristas were causing disorders along the streets of the cities with their fights. To get rid of them, the local government sent them to fight in the Paraguai war and for the first time rasteira, au, meia lua and rabo de arraia were used as war weapons with incredible success.

Today, Bahian players say that capoeira is only a “game and it is still practiced during the main traditional festivities where the Mestres show their skills, continuing the tradition of Manganga and Samuel Querido de Deus