CAPOEIRA

Hello everyone! Today we're gonna talk about this interesting Brazilian game called capoeira. Yes, I said game because in contrast to what many people believe, capoeira is not a fight. Mestre Nenéu from Salvador explains that "the capoeiras never play against each other, but with one another".

by diglips on flickr 

The origin of capoeira is still in discussion, but is believed that capoeira was invented in Brazil by African slaves coming from Angola.

by henrique sfeir on flickr

There are two types of capoeira, the Regional and Angola, there are some differences between them, but both have the same principles such as greeting one another before de game starts lowering the body close to the berimbau, being clean and wearing the correct outfit.

by garrynight

Berimbau is the main instrument that gives rhythm to the game. The origin is also unknown, in Cuba this very instrument is called sambi, pandigurao, or burumbumba. Berimbau is made with a curved piece of wood, a steal wire, and a dry cabaça. The instrument you see on his right hand is a rattle made of straw called caxixi, on the inside there are dry seeds to make noise. The other instruments used at capoeira are: reco-reco, pandeiro, agogô and atabaque.

Actors such as Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes and Eddie Murphy use capoeira techniques to train their fight scenes.  Watch now a scene from the movie Only The Strong from 1993 where the main character plays capoeira with the Brazilians.

While in Brazil you will end up spotting a group of people playing capoeira. In Salvador on weekends evenings at Terreiro de Jesus, and on Saturdays night there are presentations at Santo Antônio Além do Carmo. You can always consult your traveler agents for more locations in other cities. Ask also about capoeira workshops.