Getting to Know Mestre Bigodinho, Part 1

Hi Everyone,

A few posts ago, I posted this flyer.

Now, I’m VERY EXCITED to show you my 1st guest blog, written by my friend, and fellow capoeirista LIZA BERNSTEIN. This is first of a 2-part series, where she writes about a couple of things we’re learning in Mestre Roxinho’s online class.

Getting to Know Mestre Bigodinho, Part 1

by Liza Bernstein

Since the workshops Mestre Roxinho led here in Los Angeles earlier this year, some of us have been meeting with him for online classes. Recently he gave us the assignment to learn, reflect on, and discuss one of Mestre Bigodinho’s ladainhas.

But wait, who is or was Mestre Bigodinho?

We’ve been getting to know Mestre Roxinho, and my take is that answering that question was likely one of his tricky reasons for giving us the assignment in the first place. 

Out here in LA, many in our Capoeira Angola community know the lineage that connects us to Mestre Pastinha, through Mestre João Grande (that’s my direct lineage, and John’s too). And many of us learned that Mestre João Grande and Mestre João Pequeno were the two students to whom Mestre Pastinha entrusted his legacy. But what about other leading Angoleiro Elders, whether peers or students of Mestre Pastinha or not? Some whose names and impact are familiar to most of us include Mestres Waldemar da Paixão, Canjiquinha, Curió, and Boca Rica.

Well, Mestre Bigodinho belongs on that list! To learn more about him, if you read Portuguese, check out this post which looks like it was translated into English here. And, watch Mestre Lua Rasta’s documentary, Tributo a Mestre Bigodinho which includes them in conversation, as well as scenes from the tribute to Mestre Bigodinho, plus footage and discussion of Capoeira Angola and related art forms of Samba de Roda, Maculelê, Burrinha, and Nego Fugido. 

Known for his musical talent, both in Capoeira and Samba de Roda, Mestre Bigodinho imparted his wisdom through the oral tradition, and in particular the ladainhas he composed. In Part 2 of this series, we’ll talk about the one we studied with Mestre Roxinho. 

Until then, enjoy Mestre Bigodinho singing while Mestre Boca Rica and a camarada play a magnificent example of what some might call the “Old Man’s Game” of Capoeira Angola.