Author: jhnashtongmailcom

TODAY IN “RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL”

Hi Guys,

I found a gem of a video here from the professor. I’ll let you guys watch it and see what it’s about. They say Black people are treated differently than white people in our criminal “justice” system… Well, here’s proof of that right here.

I hope you enjoy the video. Oh, and remember to have your “power tools” ready at all times. You never know when you may have to put in some work.

TODAY IS JUNETEENTH!

Hello,

Yes, it’s that time of year again, Juneteenth.

I’m feelig a bit lazy today, so I’m not gonna type a whole page explaining the holiday, when I can find and post a YouTube video that explains all of that and more in great detail.

So, here it is.

Yesterday, we of Capoeiristas for change had a talk about the significance of Juneteenth in 2023, and what if any connections could there be between Juneteenth and Capoeira Angola, among other topics.

You can watch this talk by ckicking HERE.

I admit I was nervous during the whole talk, because it was my very first time speaking in a public forum like this. But I said what I needed to say for the most part, and everything went well. Will I be doing somethig like that again?

Well, maybe. MAYBE.

Okay, I’ll say one more thing. Neither Juneteenth, or the 13th amendment, was the end of slavery in america.

Don’t believe me? well, check this out:

Or, click HERE.

The importance of keeping traditions alive

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.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!

Greetings!

Today is Memorial day in the United States.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. From 1868 to 1970, it was observed on May 30. Since 1970, it is observed on the last Monday of May.

Many people visit cemeteries and memorials on Memorial Day to honor and mourn those who died while serving in the U.S. military. Many volunteers place American flags on the graves of military personnel in national cemeteries. Memorial Day is also considered the unofficial beginning of summer in the United States.

Usually on this day and veteran’s day in november, I just post this video, or one like it to show my feelings about how so many of the brave men and women of the armed forces are used up and discarded by the powers that be in our country.

However, a friend of mine found this article from the Washigto Post about some of the history of this holiday.

Below is the first part of this article. Click on the link at the bottom of this post to read the full article.

On May 1, 1865, thousands of newly freed Black people gathered in Charleston, S.C., for what may have been the nation’s first Memorial Day celebration. Attendees held a parade and put flowers on the graves of Union soldiers who had helped liberate them from slavery.

The event took place three weeks after the Civil War surrender of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and two weeks after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. It was a remarkable moment in U.S. history — at the nexus of war and peace, destruction and reconstruction, servitude and emancipation.

But the day would not be remembered as the first Memorial Day. In fact, White Southerners made sure that for more than a century, the day wasn’t remembered at all.

Source: The first Memorial Day may have been this Black event in Charleston – The Washington Post