Capoeira Articles

This video shows an art form today known as the Ladja or Danmye (previously entitled the Ag'Ya) of Martinique. Two combatants engage each other in a game of trickery, skill and acrobatic agility. At the head of the circle musicians control the tempo of the contest singing, playing drums and possibly other instruments of African origin (it's hard to see). Could this far-away Caribbean lookalike be a long-lost capoeira cousin? Does this offer us clues as to Capoeira's African origins? The similarity is nothing but striking!

Within the art form of capoeira it is widely believed that capoeira was first performed in Brazil by African slaves within their slave quarters (senzalas) and during the times allotted for leisurely diversion. African slaves were grouped according to their disparity of origins. That is, Africans of the same origins were kept apart to inhibit mutual understanding and limit the chance of revolt. The one area of mutual intelligibility would be that of - music, religion and dance - which in the African context are inseparable.

For the second phase in Capoeira history we take a jump to the nineteenth century urban scenario. All Afro-Brazilian cultural manifestations were to be crushed as they were perceived to reinforce a counter-ideology of resistance and belonging - to a group other than the dominant one.

The musical instruments of capoeira

Music is essential to capoeira, the mastering of several percussion instruments all of african origin must be undertaken in order to truly define oneself as a capoeirista.
berimbau

THE BERIMBAU