Capoeira: From Slavery to Freedom in Movement
By Rosalva Silva

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art created by African slaves in Brazil when they were brought there by the Portuguese in the 16th century. The Portuguese arrived in Brazil in 1500, led by explorer Pedro Alves Cabral. They first used the native Indians as slaves, but soon started importing Africans from diverse areas of the African continent, including Mozambique, Congo, Cabo Verde and Angola. It is believed by most historians that the first shipment of slaves came to Bahia in 1538, and that the majority of them were from Angola. The Africans quickly became the force of labor in colony Brazil, working on plantations, agronomy, mining and urban jobs.

Being the slaves from different regions in Africa, they spoke different dialects, and each group had their own traditions and rituals. Many times verbal communication was impossible. Between this rich mixture of peoples and cultures -- the native Indians, the Portuguese and this intermixture of Africans -- a whole new community was born. Those people connected themselves by passing on to one another their own knowledge and beliefs. And Capoeira is the most popular and strongest manifestation of this fusion.

Capoeira was developed as a way of self defense, but needed to be disguised as a dance in order to deceive their owners. It involves elements of history, fight, dance, music, acrobatics and culture -- yes, Capoeira is all this blended together as one! (To read the entire article, please see the May/June 2008 issue of Dance San Diego!)

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