Comments on: Mestre Waldemar da Paixão

By: 4CapoeiraThoughts

4CapoeiraThoughts — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:22:00 +0000

Vovô,
I believe every approach of Capoeira is worthwhile. The problem lies, I think, when people and institutions try to become rules. Capoeira is made by everyone’s participation, but it doesn’t actually belong to no one. As for the big egos, I believe our best shot is to better prepare the next generations so that they can recognise oppressive behaviours and fight them since from the beginning. Paulo Freire warns about this… The oppressor must be freed by the oppressed. In their fight for freedom, the oppressed, turns out to free everyone; including their oppressors.
Axé Vovô!
Até breve!

By: Sandro Lionello aka Vovo'

Sandro Lionello aka Vovo' — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:44:33 +0000

but I’ m sure you should ( allow your students and yourself free to express practise similar to that of M.Valdemar).What I mean is that M.Valdemar was playing rodas with his poor people living in slums. He was celebrating Capoeira every day as well as all the ancestors ,killed or survivors, There was not the problem of the modern capoeira conceived as sport “to show up”. Of course he thought that Capoeira was good for both the phisical and the spiritual aspects, of his “students”.
We cannot pick up on our shoulders the mission to convert everybody in the world to a more conscious approach and to stop him/herself to practise capoeira just on the skin,without thinking where it comes from , why it exists etc..
What should we do with all these exhibitionists, more over dangerous superego-mankind” representatives?
Vovo’

By: 4CapoeiraThoughts

4CapoeiraThoughts — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:13:33 +0000

Oi Vovô,

It’s difficult to follow the real radicals… Most people goes to churches, but rarely they live their lives like Jesus lived his (poor, with unconditional love, going against all dogmatic institutions in his time, etc.)

It’s not that different in Capoeira. Most groups uses the ‘Old Mestres’ names and lives to build their twisted (mostly money-driven) view of Capoeira, but do not want their students to express their practice like these wise people once did…

Axé Vovô!
Eurico

By: Sandro Lionello aka Vovo'

Sandro Lionello aka Vovo' — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:10:08 +0000

C.M Eurico,
I’m wandering why we don’t follow Mestre Valdemar then:it is simple ,effective , consistent and it has the potential to keep us on the railway, but , like the train does, we could pick up other people.
As you know I like Mestre Valdemar : I’m a fundamentalist organic.
Axe’
Vovo’

By: 4capoeirathoughts

4capoeirathoughts — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:06:51 +0000

Oi Ganga,

I’m interested in learning to what extent capoeira groups can provide a sense of belonging (“group/family” as you say) but still keep its culture open to new contacts, interactions, and new procedures.

If the majority of the groups only open their doors to interactions aiming to draw the “us and them” limits, then a broader sense of social inclusion will be compromised.

Would you like to share your experience as a travelling capoeira around the world? You seem to have good contributions to share. If you would like to share them, just go to “Capoeira Narratives” at the blog’s pages menu and post your experience. Others might like to learn and/or comment over it. That would be nice.

Axé!
Eurico

By: Ganga

Ganga — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:11:40 +0000

Eurico,
I believe that that some groups operate in a closed fashion in order to maintain what they believe to be the groups existence. Once a group has established a reliable following, they may decide to teach in a manner that would keep the members of the group from, “straying”. More like a business than a place of learning or cultural exchange.
I think capoeira appeals to our basic need to belong or be a part of a group/family, so when someone or something comes a long that may seem to upset the balance of that need then it could be view initially as a bad thing. Especially, if the group functions as a close minded corporation. In my brief experience in traveling with capoeira, I have found that most groups are open to some form of exchange. Even if only to,”test their style of capoeira and to disprove mine.”

By: 4capoeirathoughts

4capoeirathoughts — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:31:55 +0000

Ganga,

Indeed, Capoeira has been finding its way throughout time and different societies still delivering most of its inner principles (otherness, interactivity, playfulness, etc).
However, the process of westernisation that the Art is going through is serious and causes a lot inversions in its values and cultural concepts.

So, I believe we cannot simply rely on the fact that so far Capoeira have found its way. We must have more people visiting each other, ‘enlightening’ those closed groups, as much as we need to talk about the reasons why most groups insist in teaching a ‘closed’ version of Capoeira.

Why do you think the increasing trend is to base teachings in group mannerisms rather than in a broader concept of culture?

Which one do you think it happens more often, visitors behaving like you, or groups operatoing like ‘closed versions of culture’? Why?

Axé Ganga!

Eurico

By: Ganga Zumba

Ganga Zumba — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:10:37 +0000

Eurico,
I also believe that capoeira will take care of its self. My job has give me the ability to travel around the world and because of my love for capoeira I make an effort to visit any group that will let me stop in to train while I am in there in their city. You can tell from the vibe of some schools that they are not use to having visitors from other groups. I complete the class for that evening and play in the roda. Sometimes people fell threated when an “outsider” comes to visit and the games can be a bit aggressive, but a afterwards I am well received. It is almost like a feeling of enlightenment for those who trapped inside of their group. “oh, capoeira does exist outside of these walls.” My point is that a visitor can spark curiousity. If a group keeps its doors closed, one day a ray of light will shine in and some of those people inside might want to see where that light came from.

Ganga

By: Eurico Vianna

Eurico Vianna — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:16 +0000

Fantasma,
Thaks for your comment. I agree with you, but I believe we do are fighting against the flow of corporation-like groups influencing the way the majority of practitioners are behaving and understanding the art worldwide.
The work and life of Mestre Waldemar is a great example. He taught for 40 years only through his Roda (without formal classes) and always privileging his poor neighbourhood. Great lesson in times which globalization affects all cultures.
Axé!
Eurico

By: Fantasma

Fantasma — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:48:51 +0000

Eurico
Great article about Waldemar – I like the linking to westernization of Capoeira which I will have to read later. I always felt that capoeira was run by people not groups. The groups have flourished recently and many people practice almost like a sport – I believe this will change with time because capoeira is capoeira and those that protect there students by not letting them visit etc will loose those that are curious and artistic. I hope this makes sense – I’m a little pressed for time.