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{{Short description|Afro-Brazilian martial art}} | {{Short description|Afro-Brazilian martial art}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} | ||
{{AI-generated|date=March 2026|reason=fall 2023 edits [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Capoeira&diff=1175836420&oldid=1171686259 here] and others by user; note [[WP:AISIGNS]] in undue emphasis on symbolism, didactic disclaimer (since removed), vocab distro typical of 2023-24 LLM output, etc}} | |||
{{Infobox martial art | {{Infobox martial art | ||
| aka = ''Jogo de angola''<br>''Jogo de capoeira''<br>Capoeiragem | | aka = ''Jogo de angola''<br>''Jogo de capoeira''<br>Capoeiragem | ||
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| parenthood = [[Engolo]] | | parenthood = [[Engolo]] | ||
| ancestor arts= [[Engolo]], [[Batuque (Brazil)|batuque]], possibly [[moraingy]]{{sfn|Assunção|2002|pp=55}} and [[savate]]<ref name="Chausson/Savate">[https://www.efdeportes.com/efd158/o-chausson-savate-influenciou-a-capoeira.htm O 'Chausson/Savate' influenciou a capoeira?]</ref> | | ancestor arts= [[Engolo]], [[Batuque (Brazil)|batuque]], possibly [[moraingy]]{{sfn|Assunção|2002|pp=55}} and [[savate]]<ref name="Chausson/Savate">[https://www.efdeportes.com/efd158/o-chausson-savate-influenciou-a-capoeira.htm O 'Chausson/Savate' influenciou a capoeira?]</ref> | ||
| related arts = [[Danmyé]]<br>[[knocking and kicking]]<br>[[Breakdancing]]<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=c1AGqA1S-lAC&dq=capoeira+breakdancing&pg=PA165 Capoeira: The Jogo de Angola from Luanda to Cyberspace, Volume Two, pp. 165]</ref> | | descendant arts = [[Capoeira carioca]] | ||
| related arts = [[Maculelê (stick dance)|Macuelê]]<br>[[Danmyé]]<br>[[knocking and kicking]]<br>[[Breakdancing]]<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=c1AGqA1S-lAC&dq=capoeira+breakdancing&pg=PA165 Capoeira: The Jogo de Angola from Luanda to Cyberspace, Volume Two, pp. 165]</ref> | |||
| meaning = [[Glade (geography)|Forest clearing]]{{sfn|Assunção|2002|p=97}} | | meaning = [[Glade (geography)|Forest clearing]]{{sfn|Assunção|2002|p=97}} | ||
| famous_pract = See [[#Notable_practitioners|notable practitioners]] | | famous_pract = See [[#Notable_practitioners|notable practitioners]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''Capoeira''' ({{IPA|pt|kapuˈe(j)ɾɐ}}) is an Afro-Brazilian [[martial art]] and [[game]] that includes elements of dance, [[acrobatics]], [[capoeira music|music]], and spirituality. | '''Capoeira''' ({{IPA|pt|kapuˈe(j)ɾɐ}}) is an Afro-Brazilian [[martial art]] and [[game]] that includes elements of dance, [[acrobatics]], [[capoeira music|music]], and spirituality. | ||
It | It includes acrobatic and complex manoeuvres, often involving hands on the ground and inverted kicks. It emphasizes flowing movements rather than fixed stances; the ''[[List of capoeira techniques#Ginga|ginga]]'', a rocking step, is usually the focal point of the technique. Though often said to be a martial art disguised as a dance,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Sam |last2=Pyrah |first2=Sam |date=2007-03-17 |title=All you need to know about: capoeira |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2007/mar/17/healthandwellbeing.features4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141002235540/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2007/mar/17/healthandwellbeing.features4 |archive-date=2014-10-02 |access-date= |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> capoeira also serves as a way to maintain spirituality and culture.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1525/ac.2001.12.1.19 |title=Designs of Deception: Concepts of Consciousness, Spirituality and Survival in Capoeira Angola in Salvador, Brazil |date=March 2001 |last1=Willson |first1=Margaret |journal=Anthropology of Consciousness |volume=12 |pages=19–36}}</ref> | ||
Capoeira has been practiced among Black Brazilians [[History of capoeira|for centuries]]. The date of its creation is unknown, but it was first mentioned in a judicial document under the name ''Capoeiragem'' in 1789, as "the gravest of crimes".{{sfn|Desch-Obi|2008|p=163}} In the 19th century, a street fighting style called [[capoeira carioca]] was developed. It was outlawed and its performers persecuted.{{sfn|Desch-Obi|2008|p=163}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lewis |first=J. Lowell |title=Ring of Liberation: Deceptive Discourse in Brazilian Capoeira |publisher=The University of Chicago Press |year=1992 |isbn=0-226-47682-0 |location=London |language=English}}</ref> In the early 1930s, [[Mestre Bimba]] reformed traditional capoeira and developed the [[capoeira regional]] style.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.capoeira-philadelphia.com/history-capoeira | title=Histoire de la capoeira }}</ref> The government came to see capoeira as a socially acceptable sport. In 1941, [[Mestre Pastinha]] later founded his school where he cultivated the traditional [[capoeira Angola]], distinguishing it from reformed capoeira and the "national sport" approach.{{sfn|Talmon-Chvaicer|2008|p=178}} | |||
In the late 1970s, trailblazers such as [[Mestre Acordeon]] started bringing capoeira to the US and Europe, helping the art become internationally recognized and practiced. On 26 November 2014, capoeira was granted a special protected status as [[intangible cultural heritage]] by [[UNESCO]]. It is presently practiced all over the world, has appeared in commercial [[martial arts films]], and has influenced the fighting styles of some practitioners of [[mixed martial arts]]. | |||
== Etymology == | |||
In the past, many participants used the name ''angola'' or the term ''brincar de angola'' ("playing angola") for this art.<ref name="noronha"/> In police documents, capoeira was known as ''capoeiragem'', with a practitioner being called ''capoeira''.{{sfn|Desch-Obi|2008|p=154}} Gradually, the art became known as ''capoeira'', with a practitioner being called a ''capoeirista''.<ref name=Cho>Roberto Pedreira, ''Choque: The Untold Story of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil 1856–1949''</ref> In a narrower sense, ''capoeiragem'' meant a set of fighting skills. The term ''jogo de capoeira'' (capoeira game) is used to describe the art in the performative context.{{sfn|Desch-Obi|2008|p=154}} | In the past, many participants used the name ''angola'' or the term ''brincar de angola'' ("playing angola") for this art.<ref name="noronha"/> In police documents, capoeira was known as ''capoeiragem'', with a practitioner being called ''capoeira''.{{sfn|Desch-Obi|2008|p=154}} Gradually, the art became known as ''capoeira'', with a practitioner being called a ''capoeirista''.<ref name=Cho>Roberto Pedreira, ''Choque: The Untold Story of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil 1856–1949''</ref> In a narrower sense, ''capoeiragem'' meant a set of fighting skills. The term ''jogo de capoeira'' (capoeira game) is used to describe the art in the performative context.{{sfn|Desch-Obi|2008|p=154}} | ||
Although debated, the most widely accepted origin of the word ''capoeira'' comes from the [[Tupi language|Tupi]] words ''ka'a'' ("forest") ''paũ'' ("round"),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capoeira |title=Definition of CAPOEIRA |website=merriam-webster.com |access-date=29 May 2019}}</ref> referring to | Although debated, the most widely accepted origin of the word ''capoeira'' comes from the [[Tupi language|Tupi]] words ''ka'a'' ("forest") ''paũ'' ("round"),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capoeira |title=Definition of CAPOEIRA |website=merriam-webster.com |access-date=29 May 2019}}</ref> referring to small forested areas in the Brazilian interior where fugitive slaves would hide. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
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Modern capoeira comes from [[Bahia]], and was codified by [[mestre Bimba]] and [[mestre Pastinha]], in ''[[capoeira regional|regional]]'' and ''[[capoeira angola|angola]]'' style. Despite their significant differences, both mestres introduced major innovations — they moved training and ''[[Roda (formation)|rodas]]'' away from the street, instituted the ''academia'', prescribed uniforms, started to teach [[Woman|women]] and presented capoeira to a broader audiences. | Modern capoeira comes from [[Bahia]], and was codified by [[mestre Bimba]] and [[mestre Pastinha]], in ''[[capoeira regional|regional]]'' and ''[[capoeira angola|angola]]'' style. Despite their significant differences, both mestres introduced major innovations — they moved training and ''[[Roda (formation)|rodas]]'' away from the street, instituted the ''academia'', prescribed uniforms, started to teach [[Woman|women]] and presented capoeira to a broader audiences. | ||
==Contemporary global popularity== | |||
[[Artur Emídio]] is likely the first capoeirista to perform abroad, traveling to Americas and Europe during the 1950s and early 1960s. [[Nestor Capoeira]] likely became the first to teach capoeira in Europe. After receiving his [[Red belt (martial arts)|red belt]], he ventured abroad, teaching in London in 1971 and touring European cities for three years.{{sfn|Assunção|2002|pp=186–189}} Since the 1970s, Mestre Lucídio taught capoeira in Japan. [[Jelon Vieira]] began teaching capoeira in New York City in 1975. He founded the Capoeira Foundation in the U.S. in 1976.<ref>Almeida, p. 56.</ref> Demonstrations by Vieira may have inspired the incorporation of some capoeira movements into [[breakdancing]].<ref>Almeida, p. 56-57.</ref> [[Bira Almeida]], Mestre Bimba's student, settled on the West Coast of the United States in 1979.<ref>Almeida, p. 57.</ref> Afterward, numerous Brazilian groups toured Europe, the United States, and other countries, showcasing capoeira alongside other Brazilian rhythms and dances. Almeida reported that in 1984 there were about 300 capoeira students in California, 60 in New York, and about 100 scattered elsewhere.<ref>Capoeira 2006, p. 240.</ref> | |||
In 1987 Senzala teachers Mestre Peixinho, Sorriso, Garrincha, and Toni Vargas spent six months in Europe, organizing workshops and the first European Capoeira Encounter. In 1992, [[João Grande]], a highly respected capoeira mestre, established his academy in New York.{{sfn|Assunção|2002|pp=186–189}} Since 1988, Mestre Paulo Siqueira has organized the annual summer meeting in Hamburg, which became one of Europe's largest capoeira events. In 1994, capoeira appeared in an American martial arts film, ''[[Only the Strong (film)|Only the Strong]]''.<ref>Capoeira 2006, p. 182.</ref> In 2001, Europe saw its first native mestre, Edgardo Sananiello.{{sfn|Assunção|2002|pp=186–189}} | |||
In April 2002 the First International Capoeira Championship of Asia and the Pacific took place in Sydney, featuring 60 groups. In 2002, a Brazilian capoeira group also traveled to [[Angola]] to connect with the roots of the art form.<ref>Wesolowski, p. 158.</ref> | |||
In 2004, capoeira appeared in a variety of American movies, TV shows, and video games and became a fitness trend. Anthropologist Katya Wesolowski notes that "capoeira had become an 'exotic' dance-fitness fad stripped of contextual signifiers and packaged for global consumption."<ref>Wesolowski, p. 182.</ref> As of 2006, Nestor Capoeira estimated about 7,000 capoeira students in the United States.<ref>Capoeira 2006, p. 240.</ref> | |||
Capoeira today is an active exporter of [[Afro-Brazilian culture]] all over the world. Present on every continent, every year capoeira attracts thousands of foreign students and tourists to Brazil. Foreign capoeiristas learn Portuguese to better understand and become part of the form. Capoeira ''mestres'' often teach abroad and establish their own schools. Capoeira presentations are common sights around the world.<ref name="BBC">{{Cite news |date=26 November 2014 |title=Brazil's capoeira gets Unesco status |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-30219941 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129164043/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-30219941 |archive-date=2014-11-29 |access-date=23 September 2019 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> | |||
Generally, globalized capoeira tends to be highly inclusive. The capoeira school has become a space where "class, ethnic, gender and cultural differences are played out and renegotiated".{{sfn|Assunção|2002|pp=190}} Moreover, Wesolowski suggests that it has become increasingly globalized: "Early capoeira migration from the 1970s to 1990s was predominantly to North America, Europe, Australia, and Japan--places where Brazilian instructors hoped to improve their quality of life. Starting in the early 2000s, capoeira groups were popping up in African, South American, and Caribbean locales."<ref>Wesolowski, p. 196.</ref> | |||
In 2014 the [[capoeira circle]] was added to [[UNESCO]]'s [[Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity]], the convention recognised that the "capoeira circle is a place where knowledge and skills are learned by observation and imitation" and that it "promotes social integration and the memory of resistance to historical oppression".<ref name=BBC/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/capoeira-circle-00892|title=UNESCO – Capoeira circle|date=2014|website=Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage}}</ref> | |||
==Techniques== | ==Techniques== | ||
{{See also|List of capoeira techniques}} | {{See also|List of capoeira techniques}} | ||
Capoeira is a fast and versatile [[martial art]] that is historically focused on fighting when outnumbered or at a technological disadvantage. The style emphasizes using the lower body to kick, sweep and take down their aggressors, using the upper body to assist those movements and occasionally attack as well. It features a series of complex positions and body postures that are meant to get chained in an uninterrupted flow, to strike, dodge and move without breaking motion, conferring the style with a characteristic unpredictability and versatility. | Capoeira is a fast and versatile [[martial art]] that is historically focused on fighting when outnumbered or at a technological disadvantage. The style emphasizes using the lower body to kick, sweep and take down their aggressors, using the upper body to assist those movements and occasionally attack as well. It features a series of complex positions and body postures that are meant to get chained in an uninterrupted flow, to strike, dodge and move without breaking motion, conferring the style with a characteristic unpredictability and versatility. The fluidity of the movements requires mobility and flexibility, making stretching integral to capoeira. It promotes joint health, helping with range and ease of use, as well as helps prevent injuries. | ||
[[File:Ginga de dos.gif|thumb|Simple animation depicting part of the ''ginga'']] | [[File:Ginga de dos.gif|thumb|Simple animation depicting part of the ''ginga'']] | ||
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The attacks in the capoeira should be done when opportunity arises, and though they can be preceded by feints or pokes, they must be precise and decisive, like a direct kick to the head, face or a vital body part, or a strong takedown. Most capoeira attacks are made with the legs, like direct or swirling kicks, rasteiras (leg sweeps), [[List of capoeira techniques#Tesoura|tesouras]] or knee strikes. Elbow strikes, punches and other forms of takedowns complete the main list. The head strike is a very important counter-attack move. | The attacks in the capoeira should be done when opportunity arises, and though they can be preceded by feints or pokes, they must be precise and decisive, like a direct kick to the head, face or a vital body part, or a strong takedown. Most capoeira attacks are made with the legs, like direct or swirling kicks, rasteiras (leg sweeps), [[List of capoeira techniques#Tesoura|tesouras]] or knee strikes. Elbow strikes, punches and other forms of takedowns complete the main list. The head strike is a very important counter-attack move. | ||
The defense is based on the principle of non-resistance, meaning avoiding an attack using evasive moves instead of blocking it. Avoids are called ''esquivas'', which depend on the direction of the attack and intention of the defender, and can be done standing or with a hand leaning on the floor. A block should only be | The defense is based on the principle of non-resistance, meaning avoiding an attack using evasive moves instead of blocking it.<ref name="defense">{{Cite web |title=Capoeira Defense|url=https://www.lalaue.com/moves/defense/|access-date=25 October 2025}}</ref><ref name="esquiva2">{{Cite web |title=Complete List of Capoeira Esquivas|url=https://dendearts.com/blog/esquivas-dodges/|access-date=25 October 2025}}</ref> Avoids are called ''esquivas'', which depend on the direction of the attack and intention of the defender, and can be done standing or with a hand leaning on the floor.<ref name="esquiva">{{Cite web |title=Capoeira Esquiva|url=https://www.lalaue.com/moves/esquiva/|access-date=25 October 2025}}</ref><ref name="esquiva2"/> Many esquivas also include an arm in a [[Crab Defense (boxing style)#Cross_block|cross block]] position as a second line of defense against an attack.<ref name="defense"/><ref name="esquiva2"/> A block should only be used when the ''esquiva'' is completely non-viable.<ref name="esquiva"/> This fighting strategy allows quick and unpredictable counterattacks, the ability to focus on more than one adversary and to face empty-handed an armed adversary.<ref name="esquiva2"/> | ||
[[File:Auangole.gif|thumb|left|A capoeira movement (Aú Fechado) (click for animation)]] | [[File:Auangole.gif|thumb|left|A capoeira movement (Aú Fechado) (click for animation)]] | ||
A series of rolls and acrobatics (like the [[Cartwheel (Capoeira)|cartwheels]] called [[aú]] or the transitional position called negativa) allows the capoeirista to quickly overcome a takedown or a loss of balance, and to position themselves around the aggressor to lay up for an attack. | A series of rolls and acrobatics (like the [[Cartwheel (Capoeira)|cartwheels]] called [[aú]] or the transitional position called negativa) allows the capoeirista to quickly overcome a takedown or a loss of balance, and to position themselves around the aggressor to lay up for an attack. They use their momentum to shift around their weight around, making these acrobatic movements into something that flows, called floreios. This combination of attacks, defense and mobility is what gives capoeira its perceived "fluidity" and choreography-like style. | ||
==Weapons== | ==Weapons== | ||
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Mestre Bimba included in his teachings a ''curso de especialização'' or "specialization course", in which the pupils would be taught defenses against knives and guns, as well as the usage of knife, [[straight razor]], [[scythe]], [[Club (weapon)|club]], ''chanfolo'' (double-edged [[dagger]]), ''facão'' ([[facón]] or [[machete]]) and ''tira-teima'' ([[cane sword]]).<ref name=Roots/> Upon graduating, pupils were given a red scarf, which marked their specialty. This course was scarcely used, and ceased after some time. A more common custom practised by Bimba and his students, however, was to furtively hand a weapon to a player before a ''jogo'' for them to use it to attack their opponent on Bimba's sign, with the other player's duty being to disarm them.<ref name=Roots>{{cite book |first=Nestor |last=Capoeira |title=Capoeira: Roots of the Dance-Fight-Game |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mBW0ywmtmpAC |date=2012 |publisher=North Atlantic Books |isbn=978-1-58394-637-4}}</ref> | Mestre Bimba included in his teachings a ''curso de especialização'' or "specialization course", in which the pupils would be taught defenses against knives and guns, as well as the usage of knife, [[straight razor]], [[scythe]], [[Club (weapon)|club]], ''chanfolo'' (double-edged [[dagger]]), ''facão'' ([[facón]] or [[machete]]) and ''tira-teima'' ([[cane sword]]).<ref name=Roots/> Upon graduating, pupils were given a red scarf, which marked their specialty. This course was scarcely used, and ceased after some time. A more common custom practised by Bimba and his students, however, was to furtively hand a weapon to a player before a ''jogo'' for them to use it to attack their opponent on Bimba's sign, with the other player's duty being to disarm them.<ref name=Roots>{{cite book |first=Nestor |last=Capoeira |title=Capoeira: Roots of the Dance-Fight-Game |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mBW0ywmtmpAC |date=2012 |publisher=North Atlantic Books |isbn=978-1-58394-637-4}}</ref> | ||
This weapon training is almost completely absent in current capoeira teachings, but some groups still practice the use of razors for ceremonial usage in the ''rodas'' | This weapon training is almost completely absent in current capoeira teachings, but some groups still practice the use of razors for ceremonial usage in the ''rodas.'' | ||
==As a game== | ==As a game== | ||
[[File:Capoeira Dance.jpg|thumb|Capoeiristas outside]] | [[File:Capoeira Dance.jpg|thumb|Capoeiristas outside]] | ||
In Bantu culture, the [[Nkumbi language|Nkhumbi]] term ''ochimama'' encapsulates the overlapping meanings of game, dance, and tradition. This overlap is also found in Afro-Brazilian folklore, where many similar forms of expression are called ''brincadeiras'' (games).<ref name="Assunção"/> Some scholars have interpreted capoeira as a way of concealing martial arts within dance movements. However, research from Angola suggests that the relationship between game, fight, and dance may be even deeper. These scholars propose that the ambivalence between these three elements is a fundamental aspect of the ancestral grammar shared by [[engolo]] and capoeira.<ref name="Assunção"/> | In Bantu culture, the [[Nkumbi language|Nkhumbi]] term ''ochimama'' encapsulates the overlapping meanings of game, dance, and tradition. This overlap is also found in Afro-Brazilian folklore, where many similar forms of expression are called ''brincadeiras'' (games).<ref name="Assunção" /> Some scholars have interpreted capoeira as a way of concealing martial arts within dance movements. However, research from Angola suggests that the relationship between game, fight, and dance may be even deeper. These scholars propose that the ambivalence between these three elements is a fundamental aspect of the ancestral grammar shared by [[engolo]] and capoeira.<ref name="Assunção" /> | ||
Playing capoeira is both a game and a method of practicing the application of capoeira movements in simulated combat. It can be played anywhere, but it's usually done in a ''roda''. During the game most capoeira moves are used, but capoeiristas usually avoid punches or elbow strikes unless it's a very aggressive game.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Crocitti |first1=John J. |last2=Vallance |first2=Monique M. |title=Brazil today: an encyclopedia of life in the republic |date=2012 |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=978-0-313-34672-9 |oclc=810633190}}</ref> The game does not focus on knocking down or defeating opponents, but rather on body dialogue and highlighting skills. | Playing capoeira is both a game and a method of practicing the application of capoeira movements in simulated combat. It can be played anywhere, but it's usually done in a ''roda''. During the game most capoeira moves are used, but capoeiristas usually avoid punches or elbow strikes unless it's a very aggressive game.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Crocitti |first1=John J. |last2=Vallance |first2=Monique M. |title=Brazil today: an encyclopedia of life in the republic |date=2012 |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=978-0-313-34672-9 |oclc=810633190}}</ref> The game does not focus on knocking down or defeating opponents, but rather on body dialogue and highlighting skills. | ||
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===Roda=== | ===Roda=== | ||
{{main|Roda (formation)}} | {{main|Roda (formation)}} | ||
[[File:Roda de capoeira1.jpg|thumb|Capoeiristas in a ''roda'' ([[Porto Alegre]], Brazil)]] | [[File:Roda de capoeira1.jpg|thumb|Capoeiristas in a ''roda'' ([[Porto Alegre]], Brazil)]] | ||
The ''[[Roda (formation)|roda]]'' (pronounced {{IPA|pt|ˈʁodɐ|}}) is a circle formed by capoeiristas and capoeira musical instruments, where every participant sings the typical songs and claps their hands following the music. Two ''capoeiristas'' enter the ''roda'' and play the game according to the style required by the musical rhythm. The game finishes when one of the musicians holding a [[berimbau]] determines it, when one of the ''capoeiristas'' decides to leave or call the end of the game, or when another capoeirista interrupts the game to start playing, either with one of the current players or with another ''capoeirista''.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=DOWNING|first=BEN|date=1996|title=Jôgo Bonito: A Brief Anatomy of Capoeira|journal=Southwest Review |volume=81|issue=4|pages=545–562|jstor=43471791|issn=0038-4712}}</ref> | The ''[[Roda (formation)|roda]]'' (pronounced {{IPA|pt|ˈʁodɐ|}}) is a circle formed by capoeiristas and capoeira musical instruments, where every participant sings the typical songs and claps their hands following the music. Two ''capoeiristas'' enter the ''roda'' and play the game according to the style required by the musical rhythm. The game finishes when one of the musicians holding a [[berimbau]] determines it, when one of the ''capoeiristas'' decides to leave or call the end of the game, or when another capoeirista interrupts the game to start playing, either with one of the current players or with another ''capoeirista''.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=DOWNING|first=BEN|date=1996|title=Jôgo Bonito: A Brief Anatomy of Capoeira|journal=Southwest Review |volume=81|issue=4|pages=545–562|jstor=43471791|issn=0038-4712}}</ref> | ||
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===Batizado=== | ===Batizado=== | ||
{{main|Batizado}} | {{main|Batizado}} | ||
The batizado (lit. baptism) is a ceremonial ''roda'' where new students will get recognized as capoeiristas and earn their first graduation. Also more experienced students may go up in rank, depending on their skills and capoeira culture.<ref name="Downing_1996">{{cite journal |last1=Downing |first1=Ben |date= Autumn 1996 |title=Jôgo Bonito: A Brief Anatomy of Capoeira |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43471791 |journal=Southwest Review |volume=81 |issue=4 |pages=546 |jstor=43471791 |access-date=2024-02-16}}</ref> In Mestre Bimba's Capoeira Regional, batizado was the first time a new student would play capoeira following the sound of the berimbau.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025 |title=Mestre Bimba Regional: Background, Style, History and Affiliations |url=https://www.lalaue.com/learn-capoeira/mestre-bimba/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=La Laue}}</ref> | The batizado (lit. baptism) is a ceremonial ''roda'' where new students will get recognized as capoeiristas and earn their first graduation. Also more experienced students may go up in rank, depending on their skills and capoeira culture.<ref name="Downing_1996">{{cite journal |last1=Downing |first1=Ben |date= Autumn 1996 |title=Jôgo Bonito: A Brief Anatomy of Capoeira |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43471791 |journal=Southwest Review |volume=81 |issue=4 |pages=546 |jstor=43471791 |access-date=2024-02-16}}</ref> In Mestre Bimba's Capoeira Regional, batizado was the first time a new student would play capoeira following the sound of the berimbau.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025 |title=Mestre Bimba Regional: Background, Style, History and Affiliations |url=https://www.lalaue.com/learn-capoeira/mestre-bimba/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=La Laue}}</ref> | ||
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''Chamada'' means 'call' and can happen at any time during a ''roda'' where the rhythm ''angola'' is being played. It happens when one player, usually the more advanced one, calls their opponent to a dance-like ritual. The opponent then approaches the caller and meets them to walk side by side. After it both resume normal play.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bullshido.org/Capoeira|title=Capoeira – The Martial Arts Encyclopedia|website=bullshido.org|language=en|access-date=9 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410072008/http://www.bullshido.org/Capoeira|archive-date=10 April 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> | ''Chamada'' means 'call' and can happen at any time during a ''roda'' where the rhythm ''angola'' is being played. It happens when one player, usually the more advanced one, calls their opponent to a dance-like ritual. The opponent then approaches the caller and meets them to walk side by side. After it both resume normal play.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bullshido.org/Capoeira|title=Capoeira – The Martial Arts Encyclopedia|website=bullshido.org|language=en|access-date=9 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410072008/http://www.bullshido.org/Capoeira|archive-date=10 April 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> | ||
While it may seem like a break time or a dance, the ''chamada'' is actually both a trap and a test, as the caller is just watching to see if the opponent will let his guard down so she can perform a takedown or a strike. It is a critical situation, because both players are vulnerable due to the close proximity and potential for a surprise attack. It's also a tool for experienced practitioners and masters of the art to test a student's awareness and demonstrate when the student left | While it may seem like a break time or a dance, the ''chamada'' is actually both a trap and a test, as the caller is just watching to see if the opponent will let his guard down so she can perform a takedown or a strike. It is a critical situation, because both players are vulnerable due to the close proximity and potential for a surprise attack. It's also a tool for experienced practitioners and masters of the art to test a student's awareness and demonstrate when the student left themselves open to attack.<ref name="womenfitness.net">{{Cite web |date=2016-11-10 |title=Capoeira: An Ancient Brazilian Fitness Routine |url=https://www.womenfitness.net/capoeira/ |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=Women Fitness |language=en-US}}</ref> | ||
The use of the ''chamada'' can result in a highly developed sense of awareness and helps practitioners learn the subtleties of anticipating another person's hidden intentions. The ''chamada'' can be very simple, consisting solely of the basic elements, or the ritual can be quite elaborate including a competitive dialogue of trickery, or even theatric embellishments.<ref name="womenfitness.net"/> | The use of the ''chamada'' can result in a highly developed sense of awareness and helps practitioners learn the subtleties of anticipating another person's hidden intentions. The ''chamada'' can be very simple, consisting solely of the basic elements, or the ritual can be quite elaborate including a competitive dialogue of trickery, or even theatric embellishments.<ref name="womenfitness.net" /> | ||
===Volta ao mundo=== | ===Volta ao mundo=== | ||
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==Music== | ==Music== | ||
{{Main|Capoeira music}} | {{Main|Capoeira music}} | ||
Music is integral to capoeira. It sets the tempo and style of game that is to be played within the roda. Typically the music is formed by [[Musical instruments|instruments]] and [[song|singing]]. Rhythms ([[Capoeira toques|toques]]), controlled by a typical instrument called [[berimbau]], differ from very slow to very fast, depending on the style of the roda.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.capoeirabrasil.com/the-history-of-capoeira/|title=The History of Capoeira|website=Capoeira Brasil|access-date=7 March 2018|archive-date=7 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307180247/http://www.capoeirabrasil.com/the-history-of-capoeira|url-status=dead}}</ref> | Music is integral to capoeira. It sets the tempo and style of game that is to be played within the roda. Typically the music is formed by [[Musical instruments|instruments]] and [[song|singing]]. Rhythms ([[Capoeira toques|toques]]), controlled by a typical instrument called [[berimbau]], differ from very slow to very fast, depending on the style of the roda.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.capoeirabrasil.com/the-history-of-capoeira/|title=The History of Capoeira|website=Capoeira Brasil|access-date=7 March 2018|archive-date=7 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307180247/http://www.capoeirabrasil.com/the-history-of-capoeira|url-status=dead}}</ref> | ||
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The berimbau is the leading instrument, determining the tempo and style of the music and game played. Two low-pitch berimbaus (called berra-boi and médio) form the base and a high-pitch berimbau (called viola) makes variations and improvisations. The other instruments must follow the berimbau's rhythm, free to vary and improvise a little, depending upon the capoeira group's musical style.<ref>Assunção, M. R. (2002). Workers, vagrants, and tough guys in Bahia, c. 1860-1950. In ''Capoeira: The history of an Afro-Brazilian martial art'' (pp. 93–124). Taylor & Francis Group.</ref> | The berimbau is the leading instrument, determining the tempo and style of the music and game played. Two low-pitch berimbaus (called berra-boi and médio) form the base and a high-pitch berimbau (called viola) makes variations and improvisations. The other instruments must follow the berimbau's rhythm, free to vary and improvise a little, depending upon the capoeira group's musical style.<ref>Assunção, M. R. (2002). Workers, vagrants, and tough guys in Bahia, c. 1860-1950. In ''Capoeira: The history of an Afro-Brazilian martial art'' (pp. 93–124). Taylor & Francis Group.</ref> | ||
As the capoeiristas change their playing style significantly following the [[capoeira toques|toque]] of the berimbau, which sets the game's speed, style and aggressiveness, it is | As the capoeiristas change their playing style significantly following the [[capoeira toques|toque]] of the berimbau, which sets the game's speed, style and aggressiveness, it is the music that drives a capoeira game.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-21 |title=Instruments of Capoeira: The Music That Drives Movement |url=https://lvcapoeira.com/instruments-of-capoeira-the-music-that-drives-movement/ |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=LV Capoeira |language=en-US |archive-date=25 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525024628/https://lvcapoeira.com/instruments-of-capoeira-the-music-that-drives-movement/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> | ||
=== Songs === | === Songs === | ||
Many of the songs are sung in a [[Call and response (music)|call and response]] format while others are in the form of a narrative. | Many of the songs are sung in a [[Call and response (music)|call and response]] format while others are in the form of a narrative. The lyrics that capoeiristas sing are stories about the beautiful history of capoeira, mythic legends, and other fun playful tales. The songs are sung in Portuguese and have a poetic melody to them, while showcasing the true intensity and power of the art/game.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2012-10-08 |title=The Music |url=https://colibricb.com/the-music/ |access-date=2026-03-10 |website=Chicago Capoeira Center |language=en-US}}</ref> | ||
There are four basic kinds of songs in capoeira, the ''Ladaínha'', '' | There are four basic kinds of songs in capoeira, the ''Ladaínha'', ''Louvação'', ''Corrido'' and ''Quadra''. The '''Ladaínha''' is a narrative solo sung only at the beginning of a roda, often by a ''mestre'' (master) or most respected capoeirista present. While being sung, this is what everyone has their attention on, as it is a prayer. The solo is followed by a '''Louvação''', a call and response pattern sung in unison that usually thanks God and one's master, among other things. Each call is usually repeated word-for-word by the responders. The term chula is often given to the Louvação, however it traditionally is a song where the singer part is much bigger than the chorus response, usually eight singer verses for one chorus response, but the proportion may vary. The '''Corrido''' is a song where the singer part and the chorus response are equal, normally two verses by two responses. This is when the capoeiristas start their game. Finally, the '''Quadra''' is a song where the same verse is repeated four times, either three singer verses followed by one chorus response, or one verse and one response. The Quadra are songs that were edited by Mestre Bimba, a founding capoeiristas.<ref name=":3" /> | ||
Capoeira songs can talk about virtually anything, being it about a historical fact, a famous capoeirista, trivial life facts, hidden messages for players, anything. Improvisation is very important also, while singing a song the main singer can change the music's lyrics, telling something that's happening in or outside the roda.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Harte |first=Colin |title=The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Music and Culture |date=2019 |isbn=978-1-4833-1775-5 |volume=5 |page=472|chapter=Capoeira |doi=10.4135/9781483317731.n142 |chapter-url=https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483317731.n142}}</ref> | Capoeira songs can talk about virtually anything, being it about a historical fact, a famous capoeirista, trivial life facts, hidden messages for players, anything. Improvisation is very important also, while singing a song the main singer can change the music's lyrics, telling something that's happening in or outside the roda.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Harte |first=Colin |title=The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Music and Culture |date=2019 |isbn=978-1-4833-1775-5 |volume=5 |page=472|chapter=Capoeira |doi=10.4135/9781483317731.n142 |chapter-url=https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483317731.n142}}</ref> | ||
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[[File:O Jogo da capoeira, Diário Nacional, 1927.png|thumb|''Diário Nacional'', from 1927, shows a drawing of a sailor tripping a policeman, while another figure is already on the ground.]] | [[File:O Jogo da capoeira, Diário Nacional, 1927.png|thumb|''Diário Nacional'', from 1927, shows a drawing of a sailor tripping a policeman, while another figure is already on the ground.]] | ||
The basic term of capoeira philosophy is ''malícia'' ([[Wiktionary:malice|malice]]). One aspect of ''malicia'' consists of deceiving the opponent into thinking that you are going to execute a certain move when in fact you are going to do something completely different | The basic term of capoeira philosophy is ''malícia'' ([[Wiktionary:malice|malice]]). One aspect of ''malicia'' consists of deceiving the opponent into thinking that you are going to execute a certain move when in fact you are going to do something completely different{{sfn|Capoeira|2007|p=33}},which can let a less powerful opponent get the upper hand in combat.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rashid |first=Kamau |date=2022 |title=“You’ve Got to Be the Medicine to Heal the Community”: Capoeira and the Art of Healing Mind, Body, and Spirit |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/27359514 |journal=Journal of Black Studies |volume=53 |issue=7 |pages=746–759 |issn=0021-9347}}</ref> There is an example of ''malícia'' of [[Besouro]] who once fell to the ground during a game, crying like a woman and begging for mercy.{{sfn|Talmon-Chvaicer|2008|p=167}} Mestre [[João Pequeno]] claimed that he teaches his students how to play capoeira, but they should learn ''malícia'' for themselves since it cannot be taught.{{sfn|Talmon-Chvaicer|2008|p=172}} | ||
The meaning of ''malícia'' in capoeira has expanded over time to cunning, suspicion, alertness, readiness, flexibility, and adaptation.{{sfn|Talmon-Chvaicer|2008|p=166}} Basically, it is the capacity to understand someone's intentions and making use of this understanding to misdirect someone as to your next move.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Contemporary Latin American cultural studies |date=2003 |publisher=Arnold |author1=Stephen M. Hart |author2=Richard Young |isbn=0-340-80821-7 |location=London |pages=285–286 |oclc=52946422}}</ref> In the contemporary capoeira, this is done good-naturedly, contrary to what the word may suggest.<ref name=":0" /> [[Nestor Capoeira]] explicated malícia as follows: | The meaning of ''malícia'' in capoeira has expanded over time to cunning, suspicion, alertness, readiness, flexibility, and adaptation.{{sfn|Talmon-Chvaicer|2008|p=166}} Basically, it is the capacity to understand someone's intentions and making use of this understanding to misdirect someone as to your next move.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Contemporary Latin American cultural studies |date=2003 |publisher=Arnold |author1=Stephen M. Hart |author2=Richard Young |isbn=0-340-80821-7 |location=London |pages=285–286 |oclc=52946422}}</ref> In the contemporary capoeira, this is done good-naturedly, contrary to what the word may suggest.<ref name=":0" /> [[Nestor Capoeira]] explicated malícia as follows: | ||
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A popular Brazilian saying, "''Malandro demais se atrapalha''" means that when one tries to be too clever or smart, instead of confusing his opponent, he confuses himself.{{sfn|Capoeira|2007|p=33}} | A popular Brazilian saying, "''Malandro demais se atrapalha''" means that when one tries to be too clever or smart, instead of confusing his opponent, he confuses himself.{{sfn|Capoeira|2007|p=33}} | ||
== Personal Skills Developed == | |||
=== ''Body'' === | |||
The full-body engagement used in capoeira builds muscular strength. As ''capoeiristas'' move through ''esquivas'' (avoids), kicks, acrobatics, rolls, and ''ginga'', they engage muscles throughout the body.<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last=Rashid |first=Kamau |date=2022 |title=“You’ve Got to Be the Medicine to Heal the Community”: Capoeira and the Art of Healing Mind, Body, and Spirit |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/27359514 |journal=Journal of Black Studies |volume=53 |issue=7 |pages=746–759 |issn=0021-9347}}</ref> When c''apoeiristas'' move around, they develop balance as they shift their weight.<ref name=":02" /> They also develop flexibility by bending and twisting in the acrobatic moves. <ref name=":02" /> | |||
=== Mind === | |||
Capoeiristas develop persistence when they master the martial art, as learning capoeira is difficult physically and mentally.<ref name=":02" /> They also develop the skill of adaptiveness, as they learn to respond quickly to their opponent's moves during combat.<ref name=":02" /> | |||
==Spirituality== | ==Spirituality== | ||
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=== Capoeira Angola === | === Capoeira Angola === | ||
{{main|Capoeira Angola}} | {{main|Capoeira Angola}} | ||
[[File:Roda de Capoeira Angola.jpg|thumb|Capoeira Angola roda.]] | [[File:Roda de Capoeira Angola.jpg|thumb|Capoeira Angola roda.]] | ||
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=== Capoeira Regional === | === Capoeira Regional === | ||
{{main|Capoeira Regional}} | {{main|Capoeira Regional}} | ||
Capoeira Regional began to take form in the 1920s, when [[Mestre Bimba]] met his future student, José Cisnando Lima. Both believed that capoeira was losing its martial side and concluded there was a need to re-strengthen and structure it. Bimba created his ''sequências de ensino'' (teaching combinations) and created capoeira's first teaching method. Advised by Cisnando, Bimba decided to call his style ''Luta Regional Baiana'', as capoeira was still illegal at that time.{{sfn|Taylor|2007|pp=233–235}}<ref>Matthias Röhrig Assunção, ''Capoeira: A History of a Brazilian Martial Art'' (London: Psychology/Routledge, 2005), 133–35. {{ISBN|0714650315}}, 9780714650319; Aniefre Essien, ''Capoeira Beyond Brazil: From a Slave Tradition to an International Way of Life'' (Berkeley CA: Blue Snake Books, 2008), 6–8. {{ISBN|1583942556}}, 9781583942550</ref> | Capoeira Regional began to take form in the 1920s, when [[Mestre Bimba]] met his future student, José Cisnando Lima. Both believed that capoeira was losing its martial side and concluded there was a need to re-strengthen and structure it. Bimba created his ''sequências de ensino'' (teaching combinations) and created capoeira's first teaching method. Advised by Cisnando, Bimba decided to call his style ''Luta Regional Baiana'', as capoeira was still illegal at that time.{{sfn|Taylor|2007|pp=233–235}}<ref>Matthias Röhrig Assunção, ''Capoeira: A History of a Brazilian Martial Art'' (London: Psychology/Routledge, 2005), 133–35. {{ISBN|0714650315}}, 9780714650319; Aniefre Essien, ''Capoeira Beyond Brazil: From a Slave Tradition to an International Way of Life'' (Berkeley CA: Blue Snake Books, 2008), 6–8. {{ISBN|1583942556}}, 9781583942550</ref> | ||
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Because of its origin, capoeira never had unity or a general agreement. Ranking or graduating system follows the same path, as there never existed a ranking system accepted by most of the masters. That means graduation style varies depending on the group's traditions. The most common modern system uses colored ropes, called ''corda'' or ''cordão'', tied around the waist. Some masters use different systems, or even no system at all.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.capoeira-world.com/about-capoeira/capoeira-ranking/|title=Capoeira Ranking- Capoeira Cord System |website=Capoeira-World.com |date=2015 |language=en-US|access-date=29 May 2019|archive-date=28 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528200010/http://www.capoeira-world.com/about-capoeira/capoeira-ranking/|url-status=usurped}}</ref> In a substantial number of groups (mainly of the Angola school) there is no visible ranking system. There can still be several ranks: student, treinel, professor, contra-mestre and mestre, but often no cordas (belts).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Angola High School |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/indiana/districts/m-s-d-steuben-county/angola-high-school-7422 |access-date=25 October 2022 |website=U.S. News}}</ref> | Because of its origin, capoeira never had unity or a general agreement. Ranking or graduating system follows the same path, as there never existed a ranking system accepted by most of the masters. That means graduation style varies depending on the group's traditions. The most common modern system uses colored ropes, called ''corda'' or ''cordão'', tied around the waist. Some masters use different systems, or even no system at all.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.capoeira-world.com/about-capoeira/capoeira-ranking/|title=Capoeira Ranking- Capoeira Cord System |website=Capoeira-World.com |date=2015 |language=en-US|access-date=29 May 2019|archive-date=28 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528200010/http://www.capoeira-world.com/about-capoeira/capoeira-ranking/|url-status=usurped}}</ref> In a substantial number of groups (mainly of the Angola school) there is no visible ranking system. There can still be several ranks: student, treinel, professor, contra-mestre and mestre, but often no cordas (belts).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Angola High School |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/indiana/districts/m-s-d-steuben-county/angola-high-school-7422 |access-date=25 October 2022 |website=U.S. News}}</ref> | ||
There are many entities (leagues, federations and association) with their own graduation system. The most usual is the system of the ''Confederação Brasileira de Capoeira'' (Brazilian Capoeira Confederation), which adopts ropes using the colors of the [[Brazilian flag]], green, yellow, blue and white.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=CBC - CONFEDERAÇÃO BRASILEIRA DE CAPOEIRA |url=http://www.cbcapoeira.com.br/conteudo/biblioteca/quadro-de-graduacao |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=www.cbcapoeira.com.br}}</ref> However, the ''Confederação Brasileira de Capoeira'' is not widely accepted as the capoeira's main representative.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Capoeira (General Knowledge) |url=https://getintomartialarts.com/martialarttypes/capoeira/ |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=Capoeira Mata Um |language=el-GR}}</ref> | There are many entities (leagues, federations and association) with their own graduation system. The most usual is the system of the ''Confederação Brasileira de Capoeira'' (Brazilian Capoeira Confederation), which adopts ropes using the colors of the [[Brazilian flag]], green, yellow, blue and white.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=CBC - CONFEDERAÇÃO BRASILEIRA DE CAPOEIRA |url=http://www.cbcapoeira.com.br/conteudo/biblioteca/quadro-de-graduacao |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=www.cbcapoeira.com.br |archive-date=6 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706135844/http://www.cbcapoeira.com.br/conteudo/biblioteca/quadro-de-graduacao |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, the ''Confederação Brasileira de Capoeira'' is not widely accepted as the capoeira's main representative.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Capoeira (General Knowledge) |url=https://getintomartialarts.com/martialarttypes/capoeira/ |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=Capoeira Mata Um |language=el-GR}}</ref> | ||
=== Brazilian Capoeira Confederation system === | === Brazilian Capoeira Confederation system === | ||
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* 10th stage: ''Graduado'' (Graduated) - Yellow | * 10th stage: ''Graduado'' (Graduated) - Yellow | ||
* 11th stage: ''Adaptado'' (Adept) - Blue | * 11th stage: ''Adaptado'' (Adept) - Blue | ||
* 12th stage: ''Intermediário'' (Intermediary) - Green | * 12th stage: ''Intermediário'' (Intermediary) - Green/Yellow | ||
* 13th stage: ''Avançado'' (Advanced) - Green/Blue | * 13th stage: ''Avançado'' (Advanced) - Green/Blue | ||
* 14th stage: ''Estagiário'' (Trainee) - Yellow/Blue | * 14th stage: ''Estagiário'' (Trainee) - Yellow/Blue | ||
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The "Diamond" is the hardest and most resilient mineral. It reflects all colors and all colors are united in white. | The "Diamond" is the hardest and most resilient mineral. It reflects all colors and all colors are united in white. | ||
|} | |} | ||
== Women in Capoeira == | |||
=== ''Prior to 1970s'' === | |||
There is not much written documentation of early capoeira, so it is hard to say exactly how many female capoeiristas there were at the time.<ref name=":03">{{Cite web |title=Chapter Five Women in Capoeira from The Ripple Effect: Gender and Race in Brazilian Culture and Literature on JSTOR |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/jj.5972992.9 |access-date=2026-03-07 |website=www.jstor.org |language=en}}</ref> | |||
While women did not often participate in the ''roda'', they often were present as bystanders around the ''roda'', although they would not participate. In Rio de Janeiro, capoeiristas would form ''rodas'' around q''uitandeiras'' (women who sold foods and desserts).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Carlos Eugenio Libano Soares |url=http://archive.org/details/a-negregada-instituicao-os-capoeiras-no-rio-de-janeiro-1850-1890 |title=A Negregada Instituição: Os Capoeiras No Rio De Janeiro 1850-1890 |date=1993}}</ref> | |||
When street capoeira was illegal in Brazil, ''capoeiristas'' and other outlawed groups like female prostitutes, street vendors, and Candomblé priestesses would benefit each other by setting up their ''rodas'' and stands near each other. <ref name=":03" /> The ''capoeiristas'' would bring business by buying food from the street vendors while the women would keep a lookout for raid groups, hold onto and hide the ''capoeiristas''<nowiki/>' weapons, putting them in their hair and bosom,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rego |first=Waldeloir |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cZsJAQAAIAAJ |title=Capoeira Angola: ensaio sócio-etnográfico |date=1968 |publisher=Gráf. Lux |language=pt-BR}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite book |last=Landes |first=Ruth |url=http://archive.org/details/cityofwomen0000land |title=The city of women |date=1994 |publisher=Albuquerque : University of New Mexico Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-8263-1555-7}}</ref> | |||
=== Inequality in Capoeira, pre-1970s === | |||
Capoeira was seen as a masculine sport, so female capoeiristas were seen as less feminine. Capoeira was also seen as violent and informal, so there was a stigma associating female capoeiristas with poverty and a lack of education. Often families would not support their daughters' capoeira training and wishes, thinking that they would become less feminine with practice.<ref name=":03" /> | |||
Male mestres would encourage their male capoeira students more in teachings and practice, which sometimes caused less female participation in capoeira. It was also difficult for women to practice high levels of capoeira while balancing maternal responsibilities and pregnancy, household roles, and their professions. <ref name=":03" /> | |||
Female capoeiristas were promoted to ''mestras'' less often than males because male ''mestres'' saw the male capoeiristas as more similar to themselves. Since mestres want to continue their style and teachings, they would promote males to ''mestre'' more often.<ref name=":03" /> | |||
While training in ''rodas'', men often would not treat women as equal capoeiristas. Male capoeiristas would often either become violent to establish dominance or withhold skill with the idea that women are too fragile and delicate for combat.<ref name=":03" /> | |||
=== Female Capoeiristas, early-to-mid twentieth century === | |||
Until the late twentieth century, there were not many female capoeiristas. While women in spheres that were often around capoeiristas learned capoeira moves and how to use razors<ref name=":12">{{Cite book |title=Mulheres negras no Brasil escravista e do pós-emancipação |date=2012 |publisher=Selo Negro Edições |isbn=978-85-87478-70-2 |editor-last=Xavier |editor-first=Giovana |location=São Paulo, SP |editor-last2=Farias |editor-first2=Juliana Barreto |editor-last3=Gomes |editor-first3=Flávio dos Santos}}</ref>, it is unlikely that they participated in ''rodas.''<ref name=":03" /> | |||
The following women are often said to have participated in capoeira ''rodas'' from the early-to-mid twentieth century in Bahia, Pará, Salvador, and Rio de Janeiro: | |||
* Maria Homem | |||
* Júlia Fogareira | |||
* Maria Cachoeira | |||
* Maria Pernambucana | |||
* Maria Pé no Mato | |||
* Odília e Palmeirona <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lopes Ferracini |first=Rosemberg |date=June 2019 |title=ESCOLA PASTINIANA |url=http://abpnrevista.org.br/revista/index.php/revistaabpn1/article/view/657 |journal=Revista da Associação Brasileira de Pesquisador s Negr s - ABPN |volume=11 |issue=nº29 |pages=231–236 |doi=10.31418/2177-2770.2019.v11.n.29.p231-236|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bola Sete |title=Capoeira angola: do iniciante ao mestre |date=2003 |publisher=Pallas ; EDUFBA |isbn=978-85-347-0355-0 |location=Rio de Janeiro, RJ : Salvador}}</ref> | |||
* Francisca Albino dos Santos, "“Chicão"<ref name=":12" /> | |||
* Almerinca, Menininha, e Chica, three women considered ''a malta de saia'' ("the gang that wore skirts")<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Abib |first=Pedro Rodolpho Jungers |url=https://books.scielo.org/id/pvm8g |title=Mestres e capoeiras famosos da Bahia |date=2009 |publisher=EDUFBA |isbn=978-85-232-0562-1 |doi=10.7476/9788523208745}}</ref> | |||
* Maria Doze Homens ("Maria Twelve Men")<ref name=":2" /> | |||
* Salomé<ref>{{Cite book |last=Oliveira |first=Josivaldo Pires de |title=Capoeira, identidade e gênero: ensaios sobre a história social da capoeira no Brasil |last2=Leal |first2=Luiz Augusto Pinheiro |date=2009 |publisher=EDUFBA |isbn=978-85-232-0585-0 |location=Salvador, BA}}</ref> | |||
* Angélica Endiabrada (“Devilish Angélica”)<ref name=":2" /> | |||
* Cândida Rosa de Jesus (Rosa Palmeirão)<ref name=":2" /> | |||
=== Culture Changes post-1970s === | |||
The global [[Women's liberation movement]] brought feminist thinking to Brazil, which brought acceptance to women in previously male-dominated fields like capoeira. Legal and social changes encouraged more women to practice capoeira. <ref name=":03" /> | |||
''See also [[Sexual revolution]].'' | |||
The traditional view of the Brazilian family changed. This encouraged parents to divide household roles more evenly, giving women the opportunity for pursuits like capoeira. Parents also supported their daughters' interests without fearing a loss of femininity.<ref name=":03" /> | |||
Several capoeira academies opened up in Brazil, the United States of America, and Europe as ''mestres'' travelled, bringing capoeira to the middle class. This lessened the stigma associating capoeira the lower class.<ref name=":03" /> Capoeira was also brought to private institutions and schools.<ref name=":03" /> As capoeira spread, women had more opportunities to join ''rodas''.<ref name=":03" /> | |||
Scholars from Brazil and around the world began writing about capoeira, legitimizing it and further lessening its negative associations. <ref name=":03" /> | |||
As "roots tourism" increased, especially in the Bahia region, capoeira and other pieces of African culture became popular to tourists, making Brazil value the pieces of culture more and increasing positive opinion of them.<ref name=":03" /> | |||
== Related activities == | == Related activities == | ||
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=== Maculelê === | === Maculelê === | ||
{{Main|Maculelê (dance)}} | {{Main|Maculelê (dance)}} | ||
Originally the ''Maculelê'' is believed to have been an [[Indigenous peoples in Brazil|indigenous]] armed fighting style, using two sticks or a machete. Nowadays it's a folkloric dance practiced with heavy Brazilian percussion. Many capoeira groups include ''Maculelê'' in their presentations. | Originally the ''Maculelê'' is believed to have been an [[Indigenous peoples in Brazil|indigenous]] armed fighting style, using two sticks or a machete. Nowadays it's a folkloric dance practiced with heavy Brazilian percussion. Many capoeira groups include ''Maculelê'' in their presentations. | ||
=== Puxada de rede === | === Puxada de rede === | ||
{{Main|Puxada de rede}} | {{Main|Puxada de rede}} | ||
''Puxada de Rede'' is a Brazilian [[Brazilian mythology|folkloric]] theatrical play, seen in many capoeira performances. It is based on a traditional Brazilian legend involving the loss of a fisherman in a seafaring accident. | ''Puxada de Rede'' is a Brazilian [[Brazilian mythology|folkloric]] theatrical play, seen in many capoeira performances. It is based on a traditional Brazilian legend involving the loss of a fisherman in a seafaring accident. | ||
== Combat capoeira and MMA == | == Combat capoeira and MMA == | ||
[[File:Jiu-jitsu_contra_capoeira_(detail).jpg|thumb|[[Panel (comics)|Panel]] by Alfredo Storni featuring capoeirista Ciríaco defeating jujitsu fighter Sada Miyako with a [[rabo de arraia]] kick, ''[[O Malho]]'', 1909.]] | |||
In 1909, capoeirista Ciríaco Francisco da Silva defeated Japanese jiu-jitsu fighter [[Sada Miyako]] in one of the first documented examples of [[Vale Tudo]], showing the pivotal role Capoeira played in the birth of [[mixed martial arts]] prior to [[Brazilian Jiu Jitsu]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-05-12 |title=Área de Luta: o uso da capoeira nos combates |url=http://sportv.globo.com/site/programas/ta-na-area/noticia/2011/05/area-de-luta-o-uso-da-capoeira-nos-combates.html |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=sportv.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Silva |first=Marcelo Moraes e |date=2024 |title=A construção de um improvável herói esportivo: o capoeira Cyriaco (1909-1925) |url=http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-77042024000100204&tlng=pt |journal=Tempo |volume=30 |issue=1 |doi=10.1590/tem-1980-542x2024v300104 |issn=1980-542X|doi-access=free }}</ref> | |||
Though the Vale Tudo subculture was based in [[Rio de Janeiro]], many fights took place in the highly black [[Bahia]] state, where Capoeira is prevalent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top 9 General Historical Myths and Misconceptions about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |url=http://global-training-report.com/myths6_hist.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807050228/http://global-training-report.com/myths6_hist.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=August 7, 2016 |access-date=2022-08-26 |website=global-training-report.com}}</ref> A few months before the first UFC on August 29, 1993 the event ''Capoeira vs Chute Boxe'' took place in [[Curitiba]] with c''apoeiristas'' against Thai boxers from the [[Chute Boxe Academy]]. It was the introduction of several future MMA fighters such as [[Rafael Cordeiro]], [[Jose Landi|Jose 'Pelé' Landi-Jons]] (who has defeated Chute fighter and fellow capoeirista [[Anderson Silva]]) along with Nilson de Castro, and was the first MMA event in Curitiba, a future center of the sport.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sherdog.com |title=Nilson de Castro MMA Stats, Pictures, News, Videos, Biography - Sherdog.com |url=https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Nilson-de-Castro-1423 |access-date=2022-08-26 |website=Sherdog |language=en}}</ref> | |||
{{blockquote|I think beating (''pancadaria'') is good. I learned capoeira being beaten up and I like a rough game, heavy game. Sometimes, when I receive a kick that breaks my mouth, my nose, I even like it because I am learning. Beating is important in capoeira. ''Pancadaria'' is not violence.{{sfn|Assunção|2002|p=195}}|Nanico, the boxer and capoeira teacher}} | {{blockquote|I think beating (''pancadaria'') is good. I learned capoeira being beaten up and I like a rough game, heavy game. Sometimes, when I receive a kick that breaks my mouth, my nose, I even like it because I am learning. Beating is important in capoeira. ''Pancadaria'' is not violence.{{sfn|Assunção|2002|p=195}}|Nanico, the boxer and capoeira teacher}} | ||
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Capoeira fights have, on occasion, resulted in severe injuries and even fatalities, as seen in [[Petrópolis]] in 1996.{{sfn|Assunção|2002|p=195}} The most suitable context for combat-focused capoeira appears to be the ring, where predetermined fighting rules provide clarity. In the tradition of [[Francisco da Silva Ciriaco|Ciriaco]], [[Mestre Sinhozinho|Sinhozinho]], [[Manuel dos Reis Machado|Bimba]], and [[Arthur Emídio]], contemporary capoeira fighters have expanded their training by incorporating various martial arts disciplines, including [[Jujutsu|ju-jitsu]], [[boxing]], and [[taekwondo]].{{sfn|Assunção|2002|p=195}} | Capoeira fights have, on occasion, resulted in severe injuries and even fatalities, as seen in [[Petrópolis]] in 1996.{{sfn|Assunção|2002|p=195}} The most suitable context for combat-focused capoeira appears to be the ring, where predetermined fighting rules provide clarity. In the tradition of [[Francisco da Silva Ciriaco|Ciriaco]], [[Mestre Sinhozinho|Sinhozinho]], [[Manuel dos Reis Machado|Bimba]], and [[Arthur Emídio]], contemporary capoeira fighters have expanded their training by incorporating various martial arts disciplines, including [[Jujutsu|ju-jitsu]], [[boxing]], and [[taekwondo]].{{sfn|Assunção|2002|p=195}} | ||
Even Brazilian | Even Brazilian mixed martial arts champions like [[Marco Ruas]] acknowledge the significance of capoeira in their training. The use of capoeira techniques in free-style competitions shows to what extent the art still provides essential fighting skills.{{sfn|Assunção|2002|p=195}} | ||
== Notable practitioners == | == Notable practitioners == | ||
| Line 459: | Line 541: | ||
* [[Wesley Snipes]] | * [[Wesley Snipes]] | ||
* [[Mark Dacascos]] | * [[Mark Dacascos]] | ||
* [[Tulsi Gabbard]] | |||
* [[Anderson Silva]] | * [[Anderson Silva]] | ||
* [[Lateef Crowder dos Santos]] | * [[Lateef Crowder dos Santos]] | ||
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==In popular media== | ==In popular media== | ||
Capoeira is frequently depicted in most mainstream media, due to its theatrical aspect and acrobatic techniques. Many martial arts movies and fighting games feature characters who practice capoeira, often played by real-life capoeira martial artists. | |||
{{For|popular culture|Capoeira in popular culture}} | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| Line 475: | Line 559: | ||
* [[Moraingy]] | * [[Moraingy]] | ||
== | ==References== | ||
{{Reflist}} | |||
==Bibliography== | |||
*{{cite book|title=Capoeira: The History of an Afro-Brazilian Martial Art|last=Assunção|first=Matthias Röhrig|publisher=Routledge | *{{cite book|title=Capoeira: The History of an Afro-Brazilian Martial Art|last=Assunção|first=Matthias Röhrig|publisher=Routledge | ||
|year=2002 |isbn=978-0-7146-8086-6|title-link=Capoeira: The History of an Afro-Brazilian Martial Art}} | |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-7146-8086-6|title-link=Capoeira: The History of an Afro-Brazilian Martial Art}} | ||
| Line 484: | Line 571: | ||
*{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/trent_0116405595467|url-access=registration|title=The Hidden History of Capoeira: A Collision of Cultures in the Brazilian Battle Dance|last=Talmon-Chvaicer|first=Maya|publisher=University of Texas Press|year=2008|isbn=978-0-292-71723-7}} | *{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/trent_0116405595467|url-access=registration|title=The Hidden History of Capoeira: A Collision of Cultures in the Brazilian Battle Dance|last=Talmon-Chvaicer|first=Maya|publisher=University of Texas Press|year=2008|isbn=978-0-292-71723-7}} | ||
*{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=Gerard|year=2007|title=Capoeira: The Jogo de Angola from Luanda to Cyberspace |volume=2 |place=Berkeley, CA |publisher=Blue Snake Books |isbn=9781583941836}} | *{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=Gerard|year=2007|title=Capoeira: The Jogo de Angola from Luanda to Cyberspace |volume=2 |place=Berkeley, CA |publisher=Blue Snake Books |isbn=9781583941836}} | ||
* {{cite book|last=Varela|first=Sergio González|year=2017|title=Power in Practice: The Pragmatic Anthropology of Afro-Brazilian Capoeira|publisher=Berghahn Books|isbn= | * {{cite book|last=Varela|first=Sergio González|year=2017|title=Power in Practice: The Pragmatic Anthropology of Afro-Brazilian Capoeira|publisher=Berghahn Books|isbn=978-1-785-33635-5}} | ||
*{{cite book|title=Capoeira do Brasil-Retour aux sources|last=Annon|first=Philippe-Willy|publisher=L'Harmattan|year=2020|isbn=978-2-336-53206-6}} | |||
== | * Wesolowski, Katya (2023). ''Capoeira Connections: A Memoir in Motion''. University of Florida Press. ISBN 978-1-68340-320-3. | ||
==Further reading== | ==Further reading== | ||
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{{Authority control}} | {{Authority control}} | ||
[[Category:African diaspora martial arts]] | |||
[[Category:Afro-Brazilian culture]] | |||
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]] | |||
[[Category:Brazilian martial arts]] | |||
[[Category:Capoeira| ]] | [[Category:Capoeira| ]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Culture of Brazil]] | ||
[[Category:Kongo culture]] | |||
[[Category:Theatrical combat]] | |||
[[Category:War dances]] | [[Category:War dances]] | ||