In the begining, Capoeira broke barriers of discrimination, manifesting as a tool for freedom. Now, it is passing borders, spreading throughout the world and showing a flavorful piece of brazilian culture mixing music, rhythm and movement.

 

    Through its development, Capoeira passed through various transformations, from the old style to the modern or “contemporary”. The most important historic name in Capoeira is Manoel dos Reis Machado also known as Mestre Bimba and his enlightened Capoeira. In 1928, after practicing the old style of Capoeira for 4 years and teaching for 10, Mestre Bimba developed his own understand of Capoeira and named it Regional.  With a strong personality as a great fighter, he combined his previous understanding of Capoeira with the african rhythm "Ijexa", and the legacy of his ancestors.

 

    Trying to avoid the attention of the authority, because in that time Capoeira was prohibited, along with most cultural manifestations of african influence, he named his creation Luta Regional Baiana (Bahia Regional Fight), excluding the word Capoeira by an advice of one of his students.

    Mestre Bimba in his excellence, branded the life of his students, passing the message on to Brazil and the world that it doesn't matter the color of the skin.  What realy matters is the ethical image of a person. It is what survives through the storms. Mestre Bimba's Capoeira is a method. A way to learn how to learn. A way to use your own characteristics to develop your physical and mental aspects. Based in a matrix, the student improves their qualities executing specific sequences of training. Of course, the student doesn't learn Capoeira by only executing the sequences, because this would be a poor imitation lacking sense. It is important that the student be in contact with a master with this knowledge to understand the language, a fundamental part of the Capoeira. Mestre Bimba had students from all social classes and eventualy was presented to the President of Brazil in 1937. This resulted in the legalization of Capoeira and Mestre Bimba then became considered as a father of the genuine brazilian martial art.

 

With the legitimization of Capoeira, other masters came out to shine in the historic pages of Brazil. Vicente Ferreira Pastinha, the Mestre Pastinha, was named by a decision of all the old masters of the Capoeira as the one who was going to be responsible for the first  Capoeira school called Capoeira Angola. Mestre Pastinha received this responsibility with excellence, and made of Capoeira Angola a school of grace and kindness, without loosing its philosophy, which an established school expects from a teacher.

 

        Capoeira is a rich way to the physical, moral and ethical development. It connects people with the objective of practice.  Everyone is able to learn. Age, sex or color does not matter. Each person expresses Capoeira in a individual way, which is an important characteristic of Capoeira.  It promotes the human essence of freedom through music, rituals and dynamic body conversations.

 

         We can see that Capoeira birthed, grew and developed always holding the characteristic of freedom.  It is important that this fundamental characteristic continues being studied by the students and that the value of the old masters and their knowledge and legacy is held. They are the connection to Capoeira and once we respect this, we are giving value to Capoeira as a popular oral tradition art culture. Today, we can find good information about Capoeira in schools, academies and universities around the whole world.

    

          “Knowledge, legacy and experience will always be beyond of any physical demonstration. Capoeira is a tool of freedom.”