Greetings,
I’m not sure if this is the right name for this blog entry, but I’m keeping it. So, let’s proceed.
While I’m typing this, I’m watching this video.
Now, what I see here is capoeira as a vibrant living tradition, and a amazing aspect of afro brazilian culture.
As I wrote on this PAGE, capoeira has gone through many changes in it’s history, and in some cases, almost died out.
During it’s history, some aspects of this tradition has survived, some were added, some were lost. To me, that’s the “spirit” of capoeira, the part that keeps this art ALIVE, changing itself to keep it relevant for new generations, to keep it VIBRANT.
Any aspect of capoeira that has been “lost to time”, in my opinion hasn’t really been lost. It’s just been put in the backburner, to come back into the forefront when capoeira needs it again.
For example, the video below was created by O Movimento Novo, which was an annual gathering to debate Capoeira and health related issues.
To quote Mestre Ferradura:
Movimento novo is a recreation of the old. It’s what was always done before in the Roda, where different masters, with different styles used to get together in a neutral environment to play with lots of respect, to maintain their friendship. Today, what we are doing with Movimento Novo is exactly the same as it used to be, but this tradition got lost with the passage of years and the developing borders of different capoeira groups. We are making a big group of friends to play together regardless of the t-shirt, group, or lineage… with respect… Respect for each others physical and moral integrity. It’s a roda that has lots of Axe, and especially, lots of respect.
Now, I’m going to end with this video of Mestre Bola Sete and his students sharing with us various types of games played in capoeira.
This spirit is what I believe keeps capoeira a living tradition that is practiced and celebrated all over the world, and it’s what I believe will ensure that it will never really die out.
Jogo Corpo Fechado 