Jogo de Corpo: Capoeira e Ancestralidade Film Review

35-1, 2016

Aim: To investigate one version of the history of capoeira in the southern region of the State of Rio de Janeiro, using the perspectives of those responsible for the consolidation of the current stabilized capoeira groups. Method: The research was structured around oral history methodologies and theories about memory. Specifically, the research is based on the narratives of eight capoeira masters, who are active in this region. Results and Conclusion: The testimonials clarified the relevance of one master who is even remembered by the collective memory of those younger practitioners. We also concluded that the masters that have chosen to limit their practices to the root identity, and to resist to the globalization of culture, nowadays have less power in the capoeira market. Objetivo: investigar una versión de la historia de capoeira en la región sur del Estado de Río de Janeiro, desde la perspectiva de los responsables de la consolidación de los actuales grupos establecidos. Método: se realizó una encuesta estructurada a partir de la metodología de la historia oral y las teorías acerca de la memoria. Las fuentes consultadas tienen como base los informes de ocho maestros de capoeira que trabajan en la región investigada. Resultados y conclusión: los informes permiten observar la importancia de un maestro que es poco recordado por la memoria colectiva de los practicantes más nuevos. También es posible inferir que los maestros que optaron por una raíz que demarca identidad resisten las influencias culturales globalizadas, actualmente tienen menos cuotas de poder en el mercado de capoeira en la región. Objetivo: pesquisar uma versão da história de capoeira na região sul do Estado de Rio de Janeiro, desde a perspectiva dos responsáveis pela consolidação dos atuais grupos estabelecidos. Método: realizou-se uma encuesta estruturada a partir da metodologia da história oral e as teorias a respeito da memória. As fontes consultadas têm como base os relatórios de oito maestros de capoeira que trabalham na região pesquisada. Resultados e conclusão: os relatórios permitem observar a importância de um maestro que é pouco recordado pela memória coletiva dos praticantes mais novos. Também é possível inferir que os maestros que optaram por uma raiz que demarca identidade resistem às influências culturais globalizadas, atualmente têm menos quotas de poder no mercado de capoeira na região.

2015

This thesis is about Brazilian martial art capoeira and its influences on depression, aggression and violence. Capoeira is considered as important social institution among Afro-Brazilian population in Salvador and its rituals are effective means of social relationships harmonization. One of capoeiras particularity that was of great importance for my analysis is the concept of malandragem which represents the art of fraud, survival, mind reading, hiding of intentions etc. In some aspects malandro (the one performing malandragem) can be compared with trickster, however he is human and doesn't have the same metaphysical role as trickster does. Malandragem is perceived as an individual characteristic of each practitioner, however, it exists also on the institutional level of capoeira and enabled the art to survive several persecutions. There are two major paradigms regarding development of capoeira; one proposing that the art was developed in Africa and the other that it was developed in Brazil. In my thesis I am defending the theory that capoeira was developed among enslaved African population brought to Brazil as leisure activity, whose principal role was reestablishment of social hierarchy. Yet Capoeira's role has changed through history and I claim that there are six important developmental phases of capoeira institution. First phase represents the development of the art on senzalas (slaves habitations), where it was one of the leisure activities and means for reestablishment of hierarchy among enslaved populationprimarily among men. In second phase martial art features of capoeira were developed. The art was used by slaves to enable the flights from senzalas, and served as military martial art in quilombos (escaped slaves' enclaves). Through third phase in 18th and 19th century capoeira was practiced on the streets of main Brazilian harbour cities as amusement activity of sailors and half free slaves (caboclos), who were selling the products on the markets and in harbours. It was also used as martial art of city gangs and so called vagabundos (the ones living on the street from day to day). After the Brazilian war with Paraguay in the 1860's, in the fourth phase of development, capoeira turned into political and cultural institution of Afro-Brazilian population. The most important fifth phase, through which today's social role of capoeira and its institutional characteristics were constituted, began after the proclamation of first Brazilian republic in 1889, when the art was forbidden and persecuted. The sixth phase started in 1937 with foundation of first capoeira school and institutionalization of the art. According to what I capoeira. And finally as I argue, capoeira was developed as leisure activity (Talmon-Chvaicer, 2007), so as such it represents the means to cope with stress, opportunity to release frustrations, a chance to meet new friends or even arrange a job as capoeira teacher, which are all beneficial factors in coping of mental disorders including depression.

Conceição | Conception, Campinas, SP, 2020

The space where the capoeira angola ritual takes place is called roda. Capoeiristas play and sing in a circle, while a pair plays in the center of the roda. For capoeiristas, the roda goes beyond physical and aesthetic aspects. It makes happen and teaches life. Based on this hypotheses, a reflection is presented on the contributions that studies of performance, ritual and oral poetics can offer to the understanding of capoeira as a multidimensional environment. La Capoeira Angola bajo la óptica de los estudios de la performance y del ritual Resumen | El espacio donde acontece la capoeira angola es llamado roda. Los capoeiristas tocan y cantan en círculo, mientras un par juega en el centro de la roda. Para los capoeiristas, la roda ultrapasa los aspectos físicos y estéticos. Hace acontecer y enseña la vida. A partir de ese presupuesto, se hace una reflexión sobre las contribuciones que los estudios de la performance, del ritual y de las poéticas orales pueden of recer al entendimiento de la roda de capoeira como ambiente multidimensional.

Sociologia & Antropologia, 2016

Etnografica

Thesis theme: The Embodiment of an Afro-Brazilian identity through the practice of Capoeira in Lisbon (Portugal) Key words: Embodiment, performance, language, Afro-Brazilianness, recognition of difference Main Research Question: How do the bodily and linguistic practices of capoeira contribute to the embodiment of an Afro-Brazilian identity among capoeiristas and Brazilian mestres/instructors in Lisbon, Portugal? A finding during the fieldwork, which was a cornerstone for this research, lead the main object, to distinguish the Brazilians who were mainly teaching capoeira, and their students, capoeiristas from different countries, who were learning it in Portugal. Therefore, the object of this research is the capoeira groups in Lisbon who are part of the embodiment of an Afro-Brazilian identity in the city through different aspects Aim: The main aim of this research is understanding the dimensions of the embodiment of an Afro-Brazilian identity through the body, performance, language and representations with a connection to the practice of capoeira. In addition to that, the contribution of this embodiment for a better understanding of the self and other has been argued. In order to reach to this general aim, main arguments are structured around the bodily and linguistic dimensions. Objectives: In order to reach the general aim of this research, I set my objectives as;  Understanding how capoeira becomes part of a body both individually and collectively to embody an Afro-Brazilian identity through the practice of this dance/martial art.  Exploring the ways capoeristas and Mestres index "Afro-Brazilianness" through their use of Brazilian Portuguese in Lisbon.  Analysing the representation of Afro-Brazilianness through the shared experience of capoeira in Lisbon (Portugal) and partly in Belo Horizonte (Brazil), as well as its contribution to the group identity.  Understanding the ‘us (self) / them (other)’ dichotomy through recognition of difference which raises awareness and contributes to a better understanding of the Afro-Brazilianness embedded into capoeira. Methodology: The main part of the fieldwork was conducted in Lisbon, Portugal for two months after the four months of a pilot fieldwork in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Empirical data has been collected through participation to capoeira trainings and rodas in both countries as well as ten semistructured interviews which were conducted with mainly Brazilian capoeiristas. Daily spontaneous conversations and the field notes were part of the ethnographic data collected in the field. In addition to the visits to two civil society and five Capoeira organisations, participation in two seminars and a conference in Lisbon about Brazilians and discrimination against migrants are part of the empirical approach I reflected. Conclusion: Analysis on the contribution of bodily and linguistic aspects of capoeira, through the concept of embodiment (Csordas 1994), language (Bakhtin 1986) (Hymes 2003) and the recognition of difference (Meijl 2008) allowed me to structure my arguments theoretically. Briefly, the body memory supports the embodiment of an Afro-Brazilian identity as the capoeirista remembers, imagines and participates in the practice as a whole body; both individually and collectively with the group. On the other hand, the language, Brazilian Portuguese, which is deeply anchored into capoeira contributes to this embodiment by the motivation of its practitioners to learn, adapt or even identify themselves with it. The us/them dichotomy formed by the concept of belonging to a group finalizes the theoretical approach as the recognition of difference I argue, creates a strong background for a better understanding of the other, in this case Afro-Brazilianness, which also allows a possibility on a future research. The ethnographic data collected, supports these arguments not only by the problems Brazilians encounter or the dialect capoeiristas interact with, but also through the representation of the Afro-Brazilian identity through the practitioners and Brazilian mestres/instructors in Lisbon.

Bulletin of Latin American Research, 2010

A cross between a dance, a martial art and a game, the Brazilian tradition known as capoeira has fascinated observers since its emergence in the early nineteenth century

Latin American Perspectives, 2012

The global expansion of capoeira has radically transformed the practice and reach of the Afro-Brazilian fight/dance/game known as capoeira. Once a weapon of the weak, informally learned by male slaves on the streets and outlawed by Brazilian authorities, capoeira today is taught to men, women, and children in schools, health clubs, dance studios, and community centers throughout Brazil and around the world. Accompanying the global commodification and consumption of capoeira as an exotic, hip, multicultural activity is a trend within Brazil to professionalize its teaching. Recent debates around the institutionalization of capoeira offer a revealing window onto the contradictions of nationalism, citizenship, and democracy in Brazil. While the increased emphasis on pedagogy and professionalism is transforming the actual “play” of capoeira, the practice remains, albeit in new ways, a mobilizing agent in the struggle against social inequalities and uneven citizenship in Brazil. A expansão mundial da capoeira transformou de uma maneira radical a prática e o alcance dessa luta/dança/jogo afro-brasileiro. Antigamente uma arma dos fracos, aprendida pelos escravos nas ruas e banida pelas autoridades, a capoeira de hoje é ensinada a homens, mulheres e crianças em escolas, academia de ginática, estúdios de dança e centros comunitários em todo o país e no mundo inteiro. Junto com a comercialização e consumo da capoeira em escala global como uma atividade exótica, estilosa e multicultural, verifica-se no Brasil uma tendència de profissionizalão do seu ensino. Os debates recentes sobre a institucionalização da capoeira nos oferecem uma perspectiva reveladora das contradições do nacionalismo, da cidadania e da democracia no Brasil. Enquanto a ênfase cada vez maior na pedagogia e na profissionização vem transformando o “jogo” real da capoeira, sua prática continua sendo, ainda que revestida de novas formas, um agente mobilizador na luta contra as desigualdades sociais e os desniveis de cidadania no Brasil.

University Press of Florida, 2023

A portrait of the game of capoeira and its practice across borders Originating in the Black Atlantic world as a fusion of dance and martial art, capoeira was a marginalized practice for much of its history. Today it is globally popular. This ethnographic memoir weaves together the history of capoeira, recent transformations in the practice,and personal insights from author Katya Wesolowski's thirty years of experience as a capoeirista. Capoeira Connections follows Wesolowski's journey from novice to instructor while drawing on her decades of research as an anthropologist in Brazil, Angola, Europe, and the United States. In a story of local practice and global flow, Wesolowski offers an intimate portrait of the game and what it means in people's lives. She reveals camaraderie and convivialityin the capoeira ring as well as tensions and ruptures involving race, gender, and competing claims over how this artful play should be practiced. Capoeira brings people together and yet is never free of histories of struggle, and these too play out in the game's encounters. In her at once clear-sighted and hopeful analysis, Wesolowski ultimately argues that capoeira offers opportunities for connection, dialogue, and collaboration in a world that is increasingly fractured. In doing so, capoeira can transform lives, create social spheres, and shape mobile futures.

The American Historical Review, 2009

... Thanks to the professional efforts and skills of Hanita rosenbluth, who translated this work; rena Minkoff, who edited it; and yael slomovic, who edited all the illustrations, so that capoeiras, scholars and people all over the world now have access to a better book. ...

Martial Arts Studies

Winning essay of the 2009 Graduate-level Baptista Essay Prize - CERLAC, York University, 2010

Vibrant, 2015

In this thorough and thoughtful book, Mauricio Acuña addresses how Bahian capoeira, which is simultaneously a martial art, dance, and folklorized manifestation, became the exemplar of the form and a metonym of Brazilian national identity. Acuña's framework draws from cultural historian Carl Schorske (1990) and sociologist Norbert Elias (1995) in order to contextually situate capoeira as part of a generational artistic and cultural movement that emerged and evolved from the 1930s to the 1960s. In particular, Acuña demonstrates how the 1930 Revolution impacted a generation of Bahians, especially elites who sought to defend their local power and identity against Getúlio Vargas' centralizing and frequently repressive Estado Novo dictatorship. In Salvador, a cohort of intellectuals, in particular the anthropologist, Edison Carneiro, and the famous novelist, Jorge Amado, responded to these changes by attempting to "discover the folk [descobrer o povo]." This discovery focused in large part on capoeira which, in turn, became a focal point for a broad community of practice that included capoeira practitioners (capoeiristas), domestic and international intellectuals, such a Arthur Ramos and the American anthropologist, Ruth Landes, and artists such as the Argentinian painter, Carybé.

2014

The thesis is an inquiry into the social and cultural implications of the Bahian Capoeira teachers' transnational mobilities and consequent immobilities. Following the trajectories of young male teachers-in different instances and places-their transactions and encounters with various 'others', the study analyzes how the meanings given to their practices and the particularities of their socialities, are constantly transformed. Capoeira becomes the lenses to understand a fluctuating society with its historical and social particularities as Bahians, foreigners, researchers, Capoeira apprentices, young teachers and older mestres evaluate the possible outcomes of their actions, interests and identifications. Mobility and movement are examined both inside and outside Capoeira's ring (roda). They include Capoeira's game (jogo), tourist and migratory practices and everyday economies. From crossing national boundaries, the focus shifts on how people in the field define, affirm and challenge boundaries in different social and geographic scales that eventually implicate the boundaries of the self and its definition. The study illuminates processes of boundary negotiation, of opening up and at the same time, of closure as mobility brings into forth questions of relatedness and processes of becoming. The challenges and conflicts that both older mestres and younger teachers face are connected to deeper issues of belonging and affective relationships; of how gender, ethnicity, desires, human value and worth are experienced in today's changing world. Finally, the thesis is a reflection on methodological and theoretical uncertainties regarding the anthropological study of the 'Other'.

International Journal of the History of Sport, 2002

Throughout the twentieth century, Brazilians have attempted to transform the Afro-Brazilian practice of capoeira, a game combining elements of dance, martial art, and self-defense with music, song, and ritual, into a national sport. These projects have followed four ideal-typical models: combat sport, national calisthenic, tournament competition, and cultural game. Because each of these framings of capoeira as sport necessarily reduces the complexity and ambiguity of capoeira play – decisiveness is essential for a satisfactory sport – practitioners invariably lose interest in the activities that result. The art resists co-optation due to its incompatibility with predominant definitions of sport.