Community & Ancestor Acknowledgement Pt. 1

By Taganyahu Gazaheng Swao

It has come to my overstanding through the last 10 years of my practicing Capoeira Angola this art form has a connection with our ancestry. We connect to our ancestry through Capoeira Angola because when one enters a space where Capoeira Angola is happening, especially a roda, everything that is modern ceases to have any relevance in this environment. What the participants are doing in this ritual could have taken place 100 to 1000 years ago, if not longer. The instruments themselves could have been made from any time period so naturally our ancestors could have participated in such a ritual.  Many mestres talk of this connection to our ancestors that we cultivate when we practice/play Capoeira Angola. Some even say that by calling on disincarnated capoeira masters that they are able to enter into our bodies and play through us. 

However what is the purpose of connecting to our ancestors in Capoeira Angola if not to develop spiritually? To develop spiritually means many different things to people depending on their background and religion. Although Capoeira Angola is not a religion for the serious capoeiristas it is treated as one. It is known that we have a lot to learn through Capoeira Angola and are always learning. Many eventually come to the awareness that Capoeira Angola is a medium to interact with our ancestors through playing in the roda or just sitting in the bateria. Through it we are able to leave our worries at the door. And enter into a space that helps us transcend from our egos and stresses that modern living brings about in the age we are in.  Any practitioner of Capoeira Angola can attest to its healing qualities.  However there is a certain amount of darkness within the art that I feel has been brought on by the politics of it.  Many would say that this is a natural thing. And that this always occurs within communities. I disagree. I think that this is a result of opening the circle to outsiders who haven’t been indoctrinated into a ritual of their own. So naturally these people have no idea of what true community is. They instead want to impose a model that is not afrocentric but one based on domination. This has created a digression from how the art had developed in Central/West Africa. There were ancient technologies that had a certain code that ones had to be initiated into before they could practice the art. These initiation rites have been lost or maybe not passed onto as many “capoeiristas” that are out there.  

 

We call spirits into the roda in order to help achieve goals that cannot be achieved in any other way. This calling needs to remain in a safe containment, the way a baby remains hidden prior to being born. Safe containment means keeping the space away from impurities, any unwanted intrusions. I like the description of how Mestre Moraes once described the roda, "The capoeira ring, whose geometric form facilitates the propagation of energy, is one of the symbolic representations of the 'macro' world. The movements we make inside this ring symbolise the adversities we encounter in life, which we often don't know how to deal with. In the game of life, our opponents, in most cases, know nothing of capoeira, but have movements peculiar to their own game, which we should be able to interpret and understand in their context, taking the capoeira ring as a point of reference.“ Basically, anything that you find in the world/yourself will also be reflected in the roda and vice versa. I pondered over this interpretation of the roda for years and identified with it. As in my brief study of this art I’ve found my own and others personalities to have a direct representation in the roda. If that is the case then the roda is clearly affected by the people that are in it. And when I speak of Capoeira Angola I clearly am speaking about the community of practitioners. My idea of community is summed up as followed:

            Without a community you cannot be yourself. The community  is where we draw the strength needed to effect changes inside of us.   Community is formed each time more than one person meets for a purpose. Development of community depends on what the people involved consent to. What one acknowledges in the formation of the community is the possibility of doing together what is impossible to do alone. This acknowledgement is also an objection against the isolation of individuals and individualism by a society in service of the machine. What we want is to create community that meets the intrinsic need of every individual. The individual can finally discover within the community something to relate to, because deep down inside each of us is a craving for an honouring of our individualism.

            

                                                                                                 - Malidoma Patrice Some

Questions for Clara: An African Woman in Capoeira

 

1) What is your name? Where are you from?
My name is Clara Ekeke. I was born and raised in Cameroon, in Central West Africa.

2) How long have you been training capoeira?
I have picked up an interest in Capoeira many years ago. I finally decided to train Capoeira Angola about two years ago.

3) How do you think your background influences your approach to capoeira, if at all? 
I believe that Capoeira Angola has allowed me to reconnect with my ancestry . Being born in Africa, there is a certain respect for the way of the Ancestors. This translates in my training of Capoeira as a profound respect for the “rituals” that are part of the game.

4) What has your experience been as an African woman in capoeira? 
It has been very beauty full so far. The playfulness, respect for oneself as an Angolera really resonate with me.

5) What do you think of the concept of Capoieira Africana?
I believe the vision of Capoeira Africana is one I can align with. I believe that there is an African view of the world and this provides a platform for that voice to be heard, as long as it (the platform) remains neutral and true to its mission of promoting dialogue.

6) What role would you like to play in the capoeira culture 10 years from now?
Well…I’d like to have improved my skills for sure! Besides that, I’d like to learn as much as possible about the history of Capoeira - minus the politics - and be able to share the true essence of those lessons with the younger generations. I believe that we all have a responsibility to pass what we know along in order to preserve the beautiful art that is Capoeira in general.

7) What else do you do outside of capoeira?
I am very active in my Faith organization (I have been practicing Buddhism with the Soka Gakkai International for the pas t 14 years). I am currently enrolled in school pursuing a degree as a Holistic Helath Practitioner. I am a Certified Life Coach and Hypnotherapist as well as Yoga teacher. I enjoy the Arts greatly (reading, writing, music, perfomances…).

Thank you Clara for sharing your time and perspective with us.

Dig Deep

"You hit me and I curl up, so you think you've won,

Not knowing that when I am at my lowest I am strongest."

                                                                 - filosofia africana

CELEBRATING THE DIASPORA / CELEBRANDO A DIASPORA

CELEBRATING THE DIASPORA

Oberlin Ohio, December 2011

DANCE AND MAGIC

Four Angoleiros (practitioners of Capoeira Angola) departed from New York City, to Oberlin, Ohio for a Capoeira Conference. During the trip, we talked about Capoeira, and reflected on Mestre Joao Pequeno’s life and passing away, which happened a day before. The voyage was quite pleasant, the moon was full and the atmosphere was filled with positive vibrations.

Upon arrival, we greeted the other angoleiros, and immediately went to rest. The following morning, we played and practiced for a couple of hours. Then, Justin Emeka, lead us into a “bate-papo” (informal conversation). Each participant shared a little insight of his or her Capoeira journey. The conversation was taken to a higher level when one of the angoleiros broke into tears while sharing how his life had changed through Capoeira. I cried with him. I felt that those tears were of gratitude, “saudade” (longing), and happiness. The thought that Capoeira was born in him and he was reborn in Capoeira instantly came to me. He stated that through Capoeira he had gone to Aruanda (a magical place), which was very profound. People talked about their frustrations, motivations, aspirations, and accomplishments in Capoeira and how it has impacted their lives. After the “bate-papo” we enjoyed a delicious meal at the Oberlin College Campus Cafeteria, which was followed by the children’s class and the roda (Circle).

To the sound of the berimbaus, the atabaque (drum), pandeiros, reco-reco, e agogo, beautiful singing voices were heard, and challenging games of Capoeira were enjoyed. Angoleiros came from Philadelphia, Boston, Canada, and New York City to celebrate the Diaspora - Mestre Chicago, his wife Kiameshia and their three beautiful children (Nailah, Geronimo, and Freedom-also great angoleiros), Contra Meste Chorao, Roque Bomfim, Chike, Tagen, Nina, Mtambusi, Martin, and Lucia. The roda was filled with much dance, “floreio”, “mandinga”, acrobatics, and several “jogos bonitos” (beautiful games). People from different places and backgrounds, including Brazil, Angola, Jamaica, Nigeria, the USA, Ghana, Eritrea, etc. joined in the name of Capoeira Angola to celebrate the Diaspora and life. The roda ended nicely, and some of the visitors left that same evening of Sunday.

On Monday morning, some of the visitors had the honor to be part of another great roda. This time, the college students had more time to play. I was happy to “dance”/play/jogo with them - I just wanted to dance… and felt very positive vibrations in the air. So much inspiration came from the moment when I was singing a “ladainha” and one of the players, who was about to start playing, shed tears of joy and appreciation.

On the way back to NYC we talked about how eager and inspired we were. Capoeira can inspire beyond what one can imagine. Capoeira can give tools to help you accomplish your dreams and goals in life. It will allow you to create and fly. Capoeira is BEAUTIFUL and TRANCENDENTAL!  

Lúcia Kudielela Fernandes

Co-Founder of Capoeira Africana Movement

PORTUGUÊS

CELEBRANDO A DIASPORA

Oberlin Ohio, Dezembro 2011

DANÇA E MAGIA

Quatro Angoleiros partiram da cidade de Nova Iorque à Oberlin, Ohio, para uma conferêcia de Capoeira. Durante a viagem, falamos sobre Capoeira e reflectimos na morte de Mestre João Pequeno, que havia acontecido um dia antes. A viagem foi agradável, a lua estava cheia e a atmosfera estava preenchida de vibrações positivas.

Na chegada, cumprimentamos os outros angoleiros, e logo depois fomos descansar. Na manhã seguinte, jogamos e treinamos por algumas horas. Depois do treino, Justin Emeka, nos guiou para um “bate-papo”. Cada participante compartilhou um pouco sobre a sua jornada na Capoeira. A conversa foi levada à um nível mais alto, quando um dos angoleiros começa a chorar enquanto falava sobre como a sua vida tivera mudado através da Capoeira Angola. Eu chorei com ele. Senti que aquelas lágrimas eram de gratidão, saudade, e felicidade. O pensamente que Capoeira nasceu nele, e ele foi renascido na Capoeira me veio espontaneamente. Ele disse que através da Capoeira, ele foi a Aruanda (lugar mágico), o que foi muito profundo. Os presentes falaram sobre suas frustações, motivações, aspirações, e realizações dentro da Capoeira, e como ela tem impactado as vidas deles. Depois do bate-papo, comemos uma refeição deliciosa na Cafetaria do Campus da Faculdade de Oberlin, que foi seguida pela aula das crianças e a roda.

Ao som do berimbau, do atabaque, pandeiros, reco-reco e agogo, belas vozes cantantes foram escutadas, e jogos desafiantes de capoiera foram desfrutados. Angoleiros vieram de Filadelfia, Boston, Canada, e Nova Iorque para celebrar a Diaspora; Mestre Chicago, sua esposa Kiameshia, e os seus três lindos filhos (Nailah, Geronimo, and Freedom – também bons angoleiros), Contra Mestre Chorão, Roque Bomfim, Chike, Tagen, Nina, Mtambuzi, Martin, and Lucia. A roda estava cheia de dança, floreio, mandinga, acrobacías, e vários jogos bonitos. Pessoas de diferentes lugares e experiências, tais como Brazil, Angola, Jamaica, Nigeria, Estados Unidos, Gana, Eritreia, etc. juntaram-se em nome de Capoeira Angola para celebrar a Diaspora e a vida. A roda acabou agradavelmente, e alguns dos visitantes partiram naquela mesma noite de domingo.

Na segunda-feira de manhã, alguns dos visitantes tiveram a honra de participar numa outra roda formidável. Desta vez, os estudantes universitários tiveram mais tempo para jogar. Eu estava contente por dançar e jogar com eles - Eu só queria dançar... e senti vibrações muito positivas no ar. Grande inspiração veio do momento em que eu estava cantando uma ladainha, e um dos jogadores, que estava prestes a iniciar um jogo, deitou lágrimas de alegria e apreciação.

No caminho de volta a Nova Iorque, falamos sobre o quanto ansiosos e inspirados todos nós estavamos. Capoeira é capaz de inspirar uma pessoas além do que ela pode imaginar. Capoeira dá ferramentas que podem ajudar na realização de seus sonhos e metas na vida. Ela te permite criar e voar. Capoeira é BONITA e TRANSCENDENTE!

Lúcia Kudielela Fernandes

Co-Fundadora do Movimento Capoeira Africana

Reflections on Capoeira Africana

"The roots don't depend on the tree. The tree depends on the roots."

In several African traditions, people believe that some trees are sacred symbols that store ancestral and spiritual information. I always felt a strong connection with trees, even before knowing about this. I remember having a mango tree in the backyard of our house in Luanda, Angola. I loved to climb up there, sit on the strong branches, savor delicious mangoes, and enjoy the tranquility. Trees are still very special to me. Their perfect structure is so fascinating as every part is perfectly connected and designed to function harmoniously. While I think about the meaning of Capoeira Africana, the representation of a tree comes to mind. Capoeira Africana is the “African” spirit of Capoeira. Ideally, it represents the roots of Capoeira.

When I first started practicing Capoeira, I didn't know exactly why I was doing it. However, the music and movements activated something deep within, which I could not explain. After taking a few classes, I realized that I was falling in love with this enchanting art form. Seeing others playing and singing, and allowing myself to be part of the circle gave me a sense of harmony. My subconscious began to send fuzzy messages to my consciousness. Since I could not decipher the messages I became more curious and thirsty. I felt the urgency to move deeper and to dive into this ocean of divine and physical messages, which were forming in my consciousness.  Eventually, Capoeira Africana blessed me with answers to questions I had during my beginning days of Capoeira. 

Being aware of what Capoeira Africana represents allows me to have access to ancestral and spiritual information. It also helps me to stay connected to the roots of Capoeira - a transcendental experience, which comes alive only through awareness of this innate spirit of Capoeira. Capoeira Africana brings a “holistic” way of seeing, learning, and practicing Capoeira. It has several components such as physical, mental and spiritual, and the practitioner should be familiar with all of them in order to master the art form. Before I began to develop a Capoeira Africana mentality, and started to understand what it really meant to me and to Capoeira as a whole, in my view, "my" Capoeira was rootless. I experienced all parts of the "tree" except the roots, thinking that it was simply a historical statement. But as I gained a better understanding of this philosophy/spirit, it became part my Capoeira, my “jogo” (game), my training/practice, and even became a way of life.  

Coming to the U.S. opened up a new world in my life, in addition to the “African” world in me. I was born in Africa and Africa was born in me. Deep inside I know that I am in the U.S. to fulfill a higher purpose. Capoeira is a way I find that helps me understand and fulfill this yet unrealized purpose. Capoeira Africana helps me stay connected with my African roots.  It helps me realize why I was sent to the U.S. by my ancestors. Sometimes, I sense that I have been trapped between two worlds, but it helps me untangle myself and freely express who I really am. It also helps me see clearly the path back to the roots, and lets me encourage others to do the same. It connects me to other practitioners in a real way. 

To complete the cycle of the existence of Capoeira, we are expanding the art form back to its origin. Capoeira Africana, as a movement, signifies a mark of a new age in the world of Capoeira, and in the African world. Yes, we need to keep in mind that there were various influences that shaped Capoeira to be what it is today. The trans-Atlantic slave trade, the Native Americans in Brazil, various African cultures in Brazil, the slaves’ struggle for liberation, etc. contributed to the expansion of the "Ngolo Dance", today, Capoeira . Remembering its roots and origins is a crucial factor as without roots the tree does not exist. To experience and celebrate the spirit of its origins (Capoeira Africana) one should be aware of it. It is also important to trace a historic line from where it started, where it is, to see where it might go.

Capoeira Africana is a way of life, and a new identity/contribution for the “new Africa” and for a “new world”, and we love to share this philosophy with others. It is also a new way of seeing and practicing Capoeira. The latent spirit of Capoeira Africana resides in Capoeira.  

We published our blog about a year ago, and it has been a beautiful journey since then. We continue to invite those interested in joining the Capoeira Africana movement, and sharing their ideas. 

Viva Capoeira Africana!

Lucia Kudielela Fernades

Co-Founder of Capoeira Africana

O Mestre e a sua Palestra

Em Berlin, a estrela da reconciliação entre mãe e filho -África e Diáspora- brilhou mais forte que nunca. Mestre Cobra mansa,  um Angoleiro respeitado da linhagem do glorioso Mestre Pastinha, palestrou sobre a sua viajem de pesquisa pela a República de Angola.

Cerca de 10.000 escravos chegavam em média anualmente ao Brasil, com a grande maioria vindos de Angola e do Reino do Congo.

O evento realizado pela Academia Jangada de Mestre Rosalvo e Contra mestre Susy, a escola mais velha de Capoeira Angola na Europa, contou com cerca de cem representantes e admiradores da arte.

Em tempos em que a desigualdade social e cultural ainda prevalecem, o Mestre apresentou desteminadamente uma palestra comprovando varias raízes da capoeira.

A palestra trouxe conforto e orgulho aos coraçoes dos bem intencionados e guerreiros da herança africana, como os Mestres João Grande, Paulo Siqueira e Cyro. Na mesma mão, provavelmente trouxe desdém para os demais que ainda hoje oram desacreditar as contribuições de Africanos e seus descendentes em Brasil e outras Diasporas.

De Benguela ao Cunene, desde a kabetula ao N’golo, o mestre alcançou o objectivo de reunir diversos mestres locais e seus discípulos. De acordo com o Mestre Cobra Mansa, os mesmos não se reuniam a mais de vinte anos.
As rodas realizadas em vários kimbos e sanzalas (aldeias) foram gravadas e fotografadas pelo próprio filho da Diáspora e sua equipe, que juntos  pretendem realizar um documentario sobre as raízes da capoeira.

Obrigado mestre, pela firmeza, claridade de expressão e contribuição pela reconciliação entre filhos e filhas de uma mãe única.
A capoeira veio da África! E Hoje podemos gritar mais alto.

Twapandula!

Professor Totti Angola
Capoeira Angola Center, Amsterdam
The Netherlands

ENGLISH (Translation) 

In Berlin, the star of reconciliation between mother and son-Africa and the diaspora-shone brighter than ever. Mestre Cobra mansa, a respected Angoleiro from the glorious lineage of Master Pastinha, spoke about his journey of research to the Republic of Angola.

The event held by the Academia Jangada of  Mestre Rosalvo  and Contra mestra Susy, the oldest school of Capoeira Angola in Europe,  counted with about one hundred representatives and admirers of the art.

At a time when social and cultural inequality still prevail, the Master presented a lecture fearlessly demonstrating several roots of capoeira.

Hundreds of slaves went taken to Brazil in an annually bases and the vast majority from Angola and the Kingdom of the Congo.

From Benguela to Cunene, from the Kabetula  to N'gola, the master was able to achieve the objective of bringing together several local masters and their disciples. According to Mestre Cobra Mansa, they had not met in more than twenty years.

The Rodas held in various Kimbos and sanzalas (villages) were recorded and photographed by  the diaspora’s own son and his team who intend to make a documentary about the roots of capoeira.

The lecture comforted and brought pride to the hearts of well-intentioned and warriors of the African heritage like Masters Joao Grande, Paul Siqueira and Ciro. On the same hand, probably brought contempt to others who still  discredit the contributions of Africans and their descendants in Brazil and other Diasporas.

Thank you master for the firmness and clarity of expression and contribution for the reconciliation between the sons and daughters of the same parents.

Capoeira came from Africa! And now we can shout it louder.

Twapandula!

Professor Totti Angola
Capoeira Angola Center, Amsterdam
The Netherlands

África Não é Uma Teoria

" A coisa mais escura de Africa tem sido sempre a nossa ignorância sobre ela" - George Kimble

  

Das belas paisagens naturais, as ásperas estradas asfaltadas. Das reuniões a volta da fogueira, aos momentos familiares, e entre amigos, em frente a tela da TV. Dos baldes de água do rio transportados a cabeça, aos camiões que transportam água para fábricas e estabelecimentos urbanos. Dos toques de batuque, tambor e marimba, as noites de dança e música já influenciadas pela globalização.  Dos trajes mais simples feitos de pele de animal, as modas urbanas que fazem parte do dia a dia dos Africanos. Das línguas tradicionais africanas, aos idiomas adquiridos pela colonização. Tudo isso faz parte de uma África de hoje, uma África contemporânea, da qual, orgulhosamente, faço parte, embora morando fora dela há mais de uma década. Ela é VIVA, e está presente na minha consciência, e de mais africanos, desta forma vibrante.

Quando converso com a minha família e amigos que lá residem, falamos de problemas sociais, culturais, morais, e outros mais. Falamos de coisas que fazem parte do quotidiano africano. Em contra-partida, maior parte das conversas que tenho tido com pessoas que nunca estiveram em África, ou pessoas que fazem turismo “com preconceito”, são geralmente baseadas numa África imaginária, não uma África real e viva. Tentando impor seus preconceitos, muitas vezes descartando a minha própria experiência como Africana nascida e criada no continente, essas conversas são, em parte, muito desgastantes para mim. Por exemplo, quando eu digo o meu nome, que é de origem da língua portuguesa, muitas pessoas ficam chocadas. Pre-determinam que uma pessoa Africana deve automaticamente ter um nome de origem Africana, o que não deixa de ter lógica., mas não é a realidade que se vive lá. Entretanto, feliz ou infelizmente, nomes com origem em línguas europeias, são hoje usados em África. Isto sim, é real. 

 

África tem sido fonte de renda para países do mundo inteiro. De igual modo, tem sido uma fonte de conhecimentos culturais, informações históricas, cientificas, etc. Um continente tão rico como aquele,  merece não só o seu lugar de direito na história mundial, mas como também um lugar apropriado em dias modernos, baseado na realidade em que as mais diversas sociedades daquela porção de terra se encontram. África, o segundo continente com maior número de habitantes, com 54 países, incontáveis grupos étnicos, com a sua enorme Diáspora espalhada pelo mundo, não deve ser tratado como um lugar onde só se encontram leões, onde só existe pobreza, e miséria. Um lugar onde muitos vão em expedições missionárias, de caridades, e exploração de recursos naturais, e que é muitas vezes marginalizado por muitos internacionalmente.  

Não se trata simplesmente das pirâmides do Egipto, do reino Ashanti, de youruba, lugar proveniente de escravos, da magia negra, das selvas, rainhas, reis, da miséria, dos governos corruptos, do lugar que está desesperado por ajuda de povos estrangeiros. África hoje é muito mais que isto. Habitada por pessoas intelectuais, devidamente instruídas, no continente, no Ocidente, pessoas ricas financeiramente, que desfrutam de uma vida de luxos. Uma variedade de culturas, hábitos e costumes, fazem parte da África moderna, onde, até hoje, respeitam-se certas tradições, e a voz dos mais idosos.  

O mundo tem testemunhado certas transformações no continente, e uma nova face africana, a África Urbana. Esta África é caracterizada por uma fusão de culturas africanas, do ocidente, e até mesmo do oriente. Musicas com novos ritmos, modas com um novo sabor, e outros estilos de vida que muitos africanos decidem aderir, ou simplesmente se enquadram naturalmente. Isto se manifesta, em parte, devido a globalização, e ao factor imigração. Muitos africanos vão para o exterior, por razões várias, e adquirem, de uma forma natural, um novo estilo de vida, que serve a realidade de cada um destes. Por outro lado, a media e os órgãos de difusão massiva, também influenciam esta nova “cultura” (sendo cultura uma forma de viver).

É também nessa África urbana, onde nós pretendemos inserir Capoeira Africana, como estilo de vida, e como um veiculo de expressão artística, intelectual, social, e espiritual. Desta África onde muitos de nós Africanos, e não Africanos vivemos, queremos usufruir os mais óbvios benefícios.

VIVA AFRICA!

Lúcia Kudielela Fernandes

Capoeira Africana
 

Engaging Black Communities in Capoeira Angola (Part 2)

True love is unconditional, cleansing fire is impartial. Burn that weak heart from out of your chest! 
       
                              - Low Country Capoeira Angola Society

Now is the perfect time to plant the seed of Capoeira Angola in the Black communities of the United States. Desire, commitment, development, and wisdom are the attributes which will root Capoeira Angola within these communities.  However, I believe there are four things we should keep in mind and adhere to:

1. When teaching in Black communities, our skills must be impeccable.

In order for the roots of Capoeira Angola to grow strong in the Black communities of the United States, it must be respected by the communities in which it is taught.  If we tell the communities we are working in that Capoeira Angola is a danced fight done to music, many community members will expect our Capoeira Angola to demonstrate grace and power, intelligence and strength, fearlessness and funk.  As such, if one is interested in bringing Capoeira Angola to the Black communities of the United States he or she has to train hard every day!  Black communities deserve the absolute best that Capoeira Angola has to offer.

2. Students must be required to attend at least two classes and one roda every week.

By establishing an order in which at least four hours of class time and two hours of roda are required each week, we will ensure the steady growth of group cohesiveness and individual development within the communities we work.  It also sends a clear message to our communities that Capoeira Angola is serious business, and only serious people need apply.

Within some groups treinels in their late 20’s and early 30’s are so overweight and out of shape that they cannot demonstrate the movements they are supposed to teach.  In other groups, elder students only attend rodas.  Refusing or unable to take training seriously, these elder students and treinels display an empty, lax type of Capoeira Angola that bears witness to their laziness and arrogance, while undermining the overall quality of Capoeira Angola in the United States. However, if we are to successfully root Capoeira Angola in the Black communities of the United States, we can be neither lazy nor arrogant. 

As for the roda, we must not fall into the traps of having it once a month or becoming discouraged when there are five people or less attending.  The roda is the group’s paycheck, party, and spa all rolled into one.  The roda is where lessons learned during the week are reinforced.  It is also the place that the community should be invited to see the work you are doing.  Bring food to your roda, acknowledge births, graduations, sons getting out of jail, new jobs, marriages, and transitions at your roda.  Every roda should be a celebration, and your group should feel that the most important roda in the world is the one they are at.

3. Do not hire teachers from outside of your community to teach in your community.

Hiring outside mestres or teachers to teach will not in any way help maintain the health of your group, let alone help Capoeira Angola become rooted within the Black communities of the United States.  By outside mestres or teachers I mean those who are not involved in the day to day struggles of the group with which you work.  In other words, if your group sees a mestre or teacher only three to five times a year, then he or she is an outside mestre or teacher as far as your community is concerned.  This applies even if your group wears the same t-shirt as the mestre or teacher you are hiring to teach, or if the outside mestre or teacher you hire is the one who taught you Capoeira Angola.

On its face this may seem counterintuitive.  Many of those interested in bringing Capoeira Angola to the Black communities of the United States have through the years looked upon this or that mestre with awe and admiration.  Often, these mestres and teachers are affable, charismatic, and extremely knowledgeable about Capoeira Angola.  However, at some point those interested in doing the serious work of planting the roots of Capoeira Angola in the Black communities of the United States have to put emotions to the side, and do the knowledge.   The question is, in what direct way has hiring outside mestres or teachers helped to root Capoeira Angola in Black communities?

As a case in point we can look at the ICAF group in Atlanta.  Over several years ICAF Atlanta hired Cobrinha, Mestre Valmir, Mestre Jurandir, Contra Mestre Alcione, Treinel Beto, and others to teach classes or workshops.  However, even with all of the in and out of these various teachers, today the ICAF group in Atlanta is defunct.  The LA branch of ICAF, which has also closed down, has a similar story.  In both cases hiring mestres to come “support” these groups could not make up for either of these two groups’ lack of vision and weak leadership.  I would argue that in some ways both groups had their growth stunted by looking to mestres and teachers from outside of their communities for leadership, instead of developing strong leadership from within.

It is important to note that hiring these outside mestres and teachers is not the root of the problem, but symptomatic of the lack of self-confidence that plagues many Black communities in the United States. As stated earlier, in most cases these outside mestres and teachers are incredible sources of Capoeira Angola knowledge.  I recommend that serious angoleiros go visit these mestres and teachers in their own academies as much as possible, and bring the knowledge they gain back to the community in which they work.  Likewise, these mestres and teachers should be welcome to visit your weekly open roda whenever they desire.

Those interested in rooting  Capoeira Angola in the Black communities of the United States need to do more than teach their communities to do the movements of our art, play the berimbau, and sing in Portuguese.  The Black communities of the United States need Capoeira Angola to be used as a tool to foster self confidence and promote community healing.

Any group that consistently hires outside mestres or teachers models a lack of self-confidence to the community at large.  It subtly conveys the message that Black communities must look outside of themselves for energy.  It also diverts precious internal resources that should be utilized for skill development, towards event planning and fund raising.  Allowing Black communities in the United States to become part of the Capoeira Angola teachers’ workshop/conference circuit that has developed over the past several years is dishonorable and unsustainable.  If we are committed to helping Capoeira Angola take root in the Black communities of the United States, our investment must be towards a daily passion and long term commitment that builds our communities’ Capoeira Angola from the inside out.  We should avoid attending showy events and hiring name brands unless we can justify how doing so will serve our communities’ needs.

4.  Teach For Free!

Besides the cost needed to maintain or rent a space, we should not charge Black communities in the United States money to practice Capoeira Angola.  To engage in this type of pioneering work one must have a sense of urgency and a spirit of sacrifice.  Capoeira Angola is magic, money is mundane.  At this early stage of helping to root Capoeira Angola in the Black communities of the United States, the only currency we should trade in is mutual love and respect.

Written by Chicago.  Chicago is a member of the Low Country Capoeira Angola Society, located in Philadelphia, PA, USA.  He can be reached at Lccapoeira@yahoo.com or (912)596-2142.

Engaging Black Communities in Capoeira Angola (Pt. 1)

If you have no confidence in self you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence you have won even before you have started. - Marcus Garvey

The lack of serious Black participation in Capoeira Angola in the United States is both striking and sad.  Striking because Capoeira Angola groups in the United states are for the most part located in urban centers with large African Diasporic or Black   (i.e. Dominican, Puerto Rican, Continental Africans, African Americans, French speaking and English speaking Caribbian) populations, and sad because Black communities in the United States would benefit from the serious practice of Capoeira Angola because of its ability to promote physical, mental, and emotional well being.

Certainly many Black people in the United States have had the opportunity to see Capoeira Angola, or even experience it in a class or two.  It would seem like a natural fit.  Martial arts, music, acrobatics and group ritual are all part of the traditional and modern day Black experience.  However, because of a historical lack of strong leadership among angoleiros interested in bringing Capoeira Angola to Black communities, it has yet to take root.  To successfully take root within a community an art form must move from being a novelty, to community members learning the basics, and finally to the community expressing it’s experiences and yearnings through the art.  

We have an example of this concept of artistic root taking in the growth of hip-hop throughout the African Diaspora.  Hip-hop, a manifestation of Africa in the United States, hit the scene in the late 70’s and early eighties.  With the help of television it was broadcast around the world.  The art of the descendents of Africans enslaved in the United States speaking their truths touched the souls of Africans whose ancestors had been enslaved in Cuba, Brazil, and Columbia. Even beyond touching the souls of Africans outside of Africa, hip hop music, dance, and dress is being practiced by continental Africans from Algiers to Zimbabwe, and from Seirra Leone to Ethiopia. In all of these cases the desires, the joys, the pains, and the visions of the communities engaged in hip-hop are expressed through the art form in an organic and genuine manner.  Often the hip-hop coming from Black people outside of the United States sounds more beautiful and is more meaningful than the hip-hop being done by the Black communities that created it in the United States.    

Those interested in helping Capoeira Angola take root in the Black communities of the United States must be clear on two points.  First of all, we cannot look to the more established, well known Capoeira Angola groups, academies, or centers in the United States to provide viable models for bringing Capoeira Angola to Black communities.  In many cases these organizations have no cultural relevance what so ever in the Black communities we wish to reach because the level of play in these organizations is low, the creativity is stagnant, and the environments are unwelcoming.  An angoleiro I know who learned Capoeira Angola in New York during the early nineties used to joke that the best way to ensure a “sister” would lose interest in Capoeira Angola was to bring her to a Sunday roda. 

Second, we must be willing to work in the wilderness.  By this I mean that the Black communities we are endeavoring to work in will most likely not have an immediate appreciation for Capoeira Angola.   This lack of appreciation for an art so beautiful by those to whom it should seem natural is one of the legacies of poor educational institutions, both formal and informal, within many Black communities.  My dear friend, fellow angoleiro, and professor at Oberlin College, Justin Emeka, recently pointed out that African people in the Diaspora are often systematically denied access to their own classical cultures.  He gave the example of a child whose parent was interested in her learning classical European piano.  This child’s parent had no trouble finding 10 teachers to choose from, even though her family lived in a relatively small city.  However, it is difficult to find someone to teach you the Lindy Hop even if you live in Harlem. Further, it is not uncommon for some Black people to have an aversion to learning because of the poor schools they attended.  These schools, with cultures of violence and conformity, often punished learning and experimentation rather than encouraging it. Therefore, expect some Black people to laugh when you sing in Portuguese because they don’t understand it, refuse to bend low because they think doing so compromises their manhood, be frightened by the ritualistic nature of the roda because they are Christian, or quit training because they don’t want to sweat their perms out. 

In spite of the difficulties associated with helping Capoeira Angola to take root in the Black communities of the United States, there are also strong indicators that at this moment in time Capoeira Angola can successfully begin to take root in these communities.  One indicator is the growing number of angoleiros in the United States who are committed to creating organic communities of capoeiristas born and raised within Black communities.  An example of one such angoleiro is Dorian Layssard of Austin, Texas.  Dorian began Capoeira Angola with the International Capoeira Angola Foundation (ICAF) in 1998.  He was subsequently kicked out of ICAF in 1999.  However, Dorian kept the fire inside burning, founding the Free Angola Society in 2003.  In 2009 Dorian opened one of the first Capoeira Angola academies in Texas.  There he serves his community as a Capoeira Angola instructor, neighborhood organizer, and barber.  Dorian has also brought Capoeira Angola to communities in Belize, showing a hunger for Capoeira Angola and dedication to his community that we should all emulate. 

A second indicator that now is the time that Capoeira Angola can begin to take root within the Black communities of the United States is the significant level of expertise within Capoeira Angola reached by several senior African American students.  One example is Dale Marcelin.  Raised in New Orleans,   Dale is currently located in Washington, DC.  He is the founder and lead instructor of the Universal Capoeira Angola Center, and Cobrinha’s (Student of Mestre Moraes) most beautiful student. Dale has one of the more formidable and refined games I’ve seen.  A second example is Skher Brown from Altamonte Springs, Florida.  Skhere now lives in Baltimore, Maryland and is the lead instructor of ICAF’s Baltimore branch. Skher, like Dale, is a student of Cobrinha, and the living, breathing embodiment of class and grace. Whether in the roda playing, leading the bateria, or simply sitting outside of the roda observing, Skher brings a sense of balance to whatever environment he is in.  Finally, I must also mention Umara Naves .  Umara, whose father was Brazilian and mother was Cuban, was born and raised in Harlem, NY.  Umara is an angoleiro who was key in establishing Capoeira Angola in New York City during the late 80’s and early 90’s.  One of my favorite angoleiros when I began to learn Capoeira Angola because of his profound musicality and ability to bring dance to the forefront of the game, Umara remains one of my favorite angoleiros today because he is able to verbalize subtleties in the game most angoleiros don’t even notice. These three men exemplify how far people raised within the Black communities of the United State can take Capoeira Angola artistically.  In many ways their artistic excellence can set a standard for how Capoeira Angola should be played by Black communities throughout the United States.  I personally have sat at the feet of each of these angoleiros to learn, and hope to do so again.

      Finally, there are elders within the Black communities of the United States that have worked over the past two decades to bring Capoeira Angola to Black communities.  Mestre Themba Mashama in Oakland, Mestre Terry Baruti in San Francisco and Mestre Jaimy Brown in Atlanta.   All of these men have committed their time, their homes, and families to Capoeira Angola.  They have had successes and made mistakes.  Most importantly, they are willing to share their experiences with younger angoleiros that are hoping to stand on their shoulders. Now is the perfect time to plant the seed of Capoeira Angola in the Black communities of the United States. Desire, commitment, development, and wisdom are the attributes which will root Capoeira Angola within these communities.  However, I believe there are four things we should keep in mind and adhere to.... 

    --- Written by Chicago of the Low Country Capoeira Angola   
         Society   

Wisdom of the Ages

 

Capoeira Africana was honored to have the opportunity to interview Mestre Bob Cooper, a long time martial artist and community member in New York City. We comprised 10 questions that related to capoeira, Mestre’s Cooper perspective of it, and how they relate to our mission. Below is some of what he had to say. You can request the entire interview by sending an email to capoeiraafricana@gmail.com.

Capoeira Africana: In your view, what are the origins of capoeira?

  

Mestre Bob Cooper: The word capoeira is not proven to be an African term. One researcher thinks it is the combination of two terms. Others have found different rationales, but none has offered proof that it is African in it entirety.

There is absolutely no evidence of anything resembling capoeira prior to the advent of the enslaved Africans into Brazil. All of the instruments - the berimbau, the agogo, the atabaque, the pandeiro,the reco-reco have been found and can be found in Africa as we speak. Mestre Cobra Mansa has done extensive research in this vein, and has made presentations documenting this. Mestre Moraes has also been to Africa, to investigate the evidence of the precursors to what we know as Capoeira. He, and others have discovered a version called the Zebra Dance..or Ngolo.

When I was first introduced to capoeira, and was told it was Brazilian, the claim did not clarify for me an apparent contradiction in survival and travel. My position has always been that a person leaves his home with information that he carries with him. It makes absolutely no sense to me that a person would leave Africa knowing nothing, and then, miraculously become a fully formed cultural fighting machine, complete with movements, dance and music as soon as his foot hit the Brazilian shore.

As the kidnappers of Africans deliberately separated men, women and children and put together, on purpose, different people from different tribes, various skills and purposes coalesced into unit, over time, to assist in the resistance to enslavement. As historian/lecturer C.Daniel Dawson has said, the enslaved Africans came to the new circumstances with several important skills in several areas - not the least of which was the ability to defend one's self.

So, in my view, the origins of Capoeira are totally African, and they alone - when in Brazil - created what we now know as capoeira. And, after a turbulent period of confrontation with the slavers, repression, punishment by imprisonment and death, the art is now claimed to be Brazilian and is a popular and loved activity worldwide. Those who first persecuted the practitioners now proudly claim it as a Brazilian cultural entity. In its present form, it is yet another gift Africa has given to the world, and the current Brazilians (and others) are doing an excellent job of preserving it.

Even now, in Brazil and out of it, the preponderance of images representing Brazil are white personnel, not black - even though Brazil is reputed to have the largest population of Africans and their descendants outside of Africa. What that means is that, when someone says an activity is Brazilian, you automatically think white. This, by omission gives no authorship or agency to the African origin of same. This is why some people, to correct this perception, hark back to the Africanity of capoeira.

So, I think it can be truthfully said that it is Brazilian in the sense that as it is presently practiced, it cannot be found originating in that form in Africa. And it is Brazilian because the Africans created it in Brazil, adapting what they knew form different 'tribes' into this amazingly effective art. So, to say it is Brazilian, to me does not mean it is not African. It means they have preserved it for us. And  some, including Mestre Jurandir of FICA, have brought it back to Mozambique and other areas, to return it in its present form, to the land from which it obtained all its components, save the Portuguese language. 

Capoeira Africana: When did you start doing capoeira? Why did you start doing capoeira?

Mestre Bob Cooper: When? In the mid seventies. Prior to that, I had been practicing and teaching two arts since the 1960s:  Chung do kwan taekwondo (black belt in 1970) and Veejitsu Jiu Jitsu (black belt in 1970),..the same year I started teaching for the NYC Board of Ed in the Junior High School division. To retain my license, I took several courses at NYU, which included a course in Black Music taught by lecturer Bill Moore. There I saw movies he had taken while in Brazil that included people that looked like they were doing the martial arts movements I was teaching - but to music, and dance-like. I was sure I was mistaken when I drew the 'erroneous' conclusion that these movements by the magnificently built, smiling young black men looked suspiciously like the deadly strikes and evasions taught in the arts I was familiar with. My education up to that point did not include the seminal, primary and current contributions of Africa to the martial art world. My knowledge base only included Asian contributions.

Why did I start doing capoeira? Since grade school days, and as a bookworm child who was bullied and chased from school, I have always had an interest in self defense. I remember reading about how to defend against being grabbed from behind by bending down and pulling the attackers leg in between mine, causing a fall, and having it actually work. When in the Air Force, I boxed middle and light heavyweight, and took lessons in the barracks from a traveling oriental practitioner. Years later, in the college classroom, I was floored by the spectacular information revealed before my eyes in home movies of this beautiful yet deadly system, and immediately chased down this life changing African contribution. About 1975, Bill Moore introduced me to an amazing touring show called 'Viva Bahia', (which, I believe, also appeared at New York City Community College), and three of its stars (Amendoin, Gatoinho, and Saci) came to the Vernon Community Center in Brooklyn where I was teaching the martial arts, and put on an impromptu demonstration.

I believe that there was an absolute hunger, an unrecognized yearning for this unheralded,never before revealed demonstration of African martial arts prowess in me that I was unaware of, and I asked Mr. Moore to please get me somebody who would teach myself and my students this wonderful body of knowledge. I had been raised on an intellectual diet of contributions of Columbus, George Washington, Tarzan, Marco Polo, and so on - nothing that ever included the seminal scientific, medicinal, civility, mathematical, and so on contributions of Africa. Mr. Moore sent down the man who I believe was the earliest, most important figure in establishing capoeira here on the east coast - Mestre Jelon Vieira, and his talent co-practitioner Josevaldo 'Loremil' Machado. We struck it off immediately, and he also took classes from me in my areas of expertise. As I was also going to NYCCC at the time and was the President of the Evening Student Government, we presented two well received shows. I took out ads in the Amsterdam News - which happened to be seen by Henry 'Carvao' Young, (promoted to brown cord)  and Warrington Hudlin (movie producer) - and was the sole reason they saw capoeira, according to them. But then, to go back to the question - how could I not do capoeira? It was- and is - exciting, nurturing, fun, rich, ennobling, beautiful, ever creative, proven, - and much more. Its beautiful moves, sweet and deadly, reminded me of Sugar Ray Robinson,reputed to be the greatest pound for pound boxer in history; its genesis emerged from the core of black consciousness, from the core of African power, from the richness of ancestral legacy. How can it be resisted, and one be fulfilled? As much of African history was - and is - not revealed, was distorted, was hidden - this was magnificent proof that unimagined, life-affirming riches was available and ready for those who discovered and were willing to learn. And it was the equal to and better than some of the more popular martial arts. And its only source were the enslaved Africans kidnapped and brought to Brazil. 

 
Capoeira Africana: In your opinion, what would the spread of capoeira on The Continent do for the capoeira world? For the African world?

Mestre Bob Cooper: The spread of capoeira on the continent of Africa for the capoeira world? If that was to happen, I can only see positive results, because it is, in effect, the child of African thinking. But, as I have said before, Africa has proven time and again to be a mother lode of riches in many areas, which, in my opinion, is why its ideas, land, traditions, etc. are so often adopted, co-opted, taken, borrowed, renamed, even up to the present. What that means in my opinion, is that all benefit when African positives are popularized. Easy or not, it is worth doing. Capoeiristas all over would get the sense of their art being appreciated and promulgated.

The effect of the spread of capoeira on the African world? "Welcome Back!!! If due credit is given, it would be yet another great instance of Africans reclaiming their past and present glory. We just have to remember that the robber is usually indisposed to return that which he has stolen, particularly if benefits are being reaped. Even now stolen property in Africa remains in many cases in the hands of the invading crooks (see South Africa)  Remember we are even now, as Dr. Jacob Carruthers of ASCAC said, we are in intellectual warfare. Even though Egypt is in Africa, it is taught as if it is a separate entity. Here in New York, the museum on 80th and fifth has two separate exhibits - one for Africa, and another for Egypt. Even though there is concrete evidence that math began in Africa, it is taught as if it did not. Even though the Greeks say they learned 'civilization' from the Africans, (see Dr. Theophile Obenga's books), we are taught that THEY are the origin of same. Remember that the Moors educated and ruled Spain for centuries - but in school, in many cases. we are never taught the debt Spain owes to them. And on and on. 

    
Capoeira Africana: [Now that you are a Mestre] What responsibilities, if any, do you feel you have to the capoeira community? To the African American community?

Mestre Bob Cooper: Where do I start? I have always felt big responsibility to capoeira as a part of my discovery of African/African American (True) History...as is noted in Carter G. Woodson's "Miseducation of the Negro" the educational system construct is totally at variance with the important contributions in the U.S. and worldwide, and needs perception and correction almost all the time. Even now most of the ads I have seen (in Brazil and Egypt) predominantly promote non-black images for beauty, importance, power and creativity.  The first time I took a plane to Brazil, after being introduced to capoeira by Jelon Vieira, the airplane movie show depicting it showed two totally unskilled non black practitioners, and gave no credit to anything African. It was bad. They could have at least shown someone with skill.....Another point is that the preponderance of martial art skills in the past, and even now highlight, for the most part, Asians and whites (Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, Jackie Chan, etc., with an occasional Wesley Snipes thrown in), and almost 95% of then showcasing Japanese and Chinese, etc. Arts. Why not the incredibly beautiful and deadly (proven in combat) capoeira art? It has all the elements and is powerful and beautiful and deceptive at the same time. I believe it is the obligation of all those who are fortunate enough to experience this art to promote it ceaselessly because of its' many benefits to all. Almost everybody I know who really loves capoeira is a wonderful person. And, to me, Mestre Grande is a wonderful example of that. No one is perfect, but this is a perfecting activity. To show the effect of dominant publicity of other arts, I remember that when we had Capoeira Angola in Manhattan on 135th street in a center on the second floor, many people would go right by and attend the karate class on the third floor. They seemed to be totally unaware of the gold mine they were passing up, and seemed to succumb to the brainwashing that indicates that Africa had minimal, if any contributions in areas. So those of us who know, and are "conscious" must take the lead in - as ASCAC (the Association for the Study of  Classical African Civilization) reclaiming African History with documented proof of martial arts (Beni Hasan area in Egypt), medicine, science, architecture..(Imhotep - not Hippocrates) in telling the truth. We need to follow the lead of Dr. Maulana Karenga, creator of Kwanzaa; the lead of Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, creator of the first PH.D program in the world in African studies at Temple University; the lead of Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop and Dr. Theophile Obenga who demolished all nay-sayers in 1974 at UNESCO with eleven different proof for various sciences that the original Egyptians were black Africans...and so on. I have no problem with those who say that capoeira is Brazilian, because it is - in my opinion - as of now; but the authors, creators were only the enslaved Africans - not the Indians, not the Portuguese, not anyone else. There is ample proof of that. But the misinformation of who did what has long been dominated by the skewed white supremacy doctrine so that, unless you specifically say something is African, it is automatically assumed that the author must have been white. So, if you simply say "it is Brazilian", based on all the ads I saw, you naturally assume - not African. Now if you say that Brazilians - and others - of all colors are brilliantly preserving the legacy of the African Creators of Capoeira - you then get it right!!!!  There are some working now in the trenches to unearth the African contributions - Chike of Capoeira Africana; Patrick Gorham lanfia Toure of Africa Writes; Dr. TJ Desch, author of Fighting For Honor; Dr. Edward L. Powe, author of  African Martial Arts; and others, to them we are grateful for this yeoman work, and with them unlimited success in Letting the Light Shine so that the  World May See It. 

 For further information about Mestre Bob Cooper please visit his 
site at www.ROBERTJCOOPER.com.