Topic: The Capoeira Exhibitions

Raye

Date: 2011-08-20 11:43 EST
(Much of the information has been provided by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira and associated pages.)

The Mestre had chosen a section of the park near the stages. The capoeiristas, spectators and bateria formed a circle around a patch of grass that would serve as their stage. The bateria consisted of

three berimbaus
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Hn_3berimbau.jpg
two pandeiros
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1b/Pand1.jpg
one atabaque
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Atabaque.jpg
one agog?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Modern-Agogo.jpg/800px-Modern-Agogo.jpg
and one ganz?
http://www.pearleurope.com/upl/1/default/img/PGA-20.jpg

As spectators gather, they see that the primary capoeiristas are all dress in loose, flowing clothing in white with cords of varying colors. The tops were white as well, either tank tops or loose t-shirts. The pants they all wore were chose to allow free motion with the highly acrobatic presentation.

http://www.fightinghistory.com/images/capoeira/capoeira06.jpg

Off to the side was the Mestre. She was dressed as the others were, in white with white cords at her waist. Seeing the different colors on the different capoeiristas it was easy to surmise that this was how they denoted rank.

http://eclipsedancer.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/capoeira2.jpg

Raye

Date: 2011-08-20 13:06 EST
Promptly at 6pm, the music would start up with the Opening ladainha or Littany. The elder on the lead berimbaus took up the song in a the language of the Capoeira... Portuguese

I?...?
Eu j? vivo enjoado
Eu j? vivo enjoado
de viver aqui na terra
amanh? eu vou pra lua
falei com minha mulher
ela ent?o me respondeu
que nos vamos se deus quiser
Vamos fazer um ranchinho
todo feito de sap?
amanh? as sete horas
nos vamos tomar caf?
e o que eu nunca acreditei,
o que n?o posso me conformar
que a lua vem ? terra
e a terra vem ? lua
todo isso ? conversa
pra comer sem trabalhar
o senhor, amigo meu, colega velho
escute bem ao meu cantar
quem ? dono n?o ciuma
e quem n?o ? vai ciumar
camaradinho

http://www.capoeirashanghai.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/capoeira-three-berimbau-one-pandeiro.jpg

This was the call to Roda and the beginning of the exhibition. The capoeiristas gathered in the circle as the berimbau lead into the louva??o, the call and response of the Roda. The louva??o invokes God, Mestres, capoeira, and gives thanks.

I?, Viva meu Deus
I?, Viva meu Deus, camar?
I?, Viva meu meu Mestre
I?, Viva meu Mestre, camar?
I?, quem me ensinou
I?, quem me ensinou, camar?
I?, a capoeira
I?, a capoeira, camar?
? ?gua de beber
I?, ?gua de beber, camar?
? ferro de bater
I?, ferro de bater, camar?
? ngoma de ngoma etc...

At the end of the louva??o, The Mestre and her Contra-mestre enter the Roda to begin the game. Both capoeiristas drop into a flowing movement known as a ginga. The ginga has two main objectives. One is to keep the capoeirista in a state of constant motion, preventing him from being a still and easy target. The other, using also fakes and feints, is to mislead, fool, trick the opponent, letting her open for an attack or a counter-attack.

During this ginga, the bateria set the flow of the game with Corridos.

Ai, ai, aid?
oi? Joga bonito que eu quero ver
Ai, ai, aid?
oi? Joga bonito que eu quero aprender
Ai, ai, aid?
oi? nossa senhora quem vai me protejer

(Again, much thanks to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira_music)

Raye

Date: 2011-08-20 13:30 EST
The game itself was just as much a demonstration as well as entertainment. Moves were pulled, demonstrating the skill of the capoeiristas. Each hit was stopped at the last second or pulled to show the opening, yet no one was hurt or took a hard hit during the game. It was all about the skill and the performance.

http://www.ayushveda.com/dietfitness/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/capoeira1.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bhDSlVs6_zo/Te8KKwNXomI/AAAAAAAACs0/O4xqH8hEMd0/s1600/capoeira+martial+art.jpg

Many of the moves were acrobatic leaps and tumbles or Floreios. The techniques were neither offensive or defensive in nature. Again, all to entertain...

http://eclipsedancer.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/capoeira3.jpg

The game ended with the takedown of the contra-mestre. It was down gently enough that the contra-mestre was not hurt in the process. The Mestre herself came to a stop and helped her opponent to his feet in a show of sportsmanship and grace. There was that smile on both as the berimbau called for the next game and pair to take to the roda.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2190/2529012513_c7e90eb20f.jpg

Young and old circled the capoeiristas and participated in the music and games. It demonstrated the spirit of community at it finest, even when times were tough. Capoeira was created to give a person a way to survive when alone and unarmed. Now it was about hope...

http://theavirams.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/img_3385.jpg