Paulo Freire’s Philosophy of Education and the ‘Politics of Capoeira’. 1/2
“I have had enough of Capoeira politics!” In 20 years of practising Capoeira, I have lost count of how many nice, talented and devoted-to-the-art friends I have seen leave Capoeira for this reason. In my view they gave up because of politicking not politics; an important distinction.
Sometimes the background explanation for these withdrawals is, indeed, the cultural shock; the clash of philosophies and ideologies forged under opposite socio-cultural contexts; the tension between westernisation and those opposing it. However, frequently the underlying story attempts to justify various forms of oppression (exploitation, authoritarianism, sexual harassment, diversity intolerance, etc.) through these cultural shocks; the so called ‘politics’; and even through distorted and/or invented traditions.
Such situations, ironically, cause oppression within a cultural practice forged as a libertarian and revolutionary art-form; this is the reason why I believe the discussion and promotion of Paulo Freire’s pedagogy and educational philosophy within Capoeira suits our current context.
The efficacy of Paulo Freire’s libertarian pedagogy led him into 16 years of exile after the 1964 military coup in Brazil. During this period he wrote Education as the Practice of Freedom and Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Both books carry the core of his revolutionary educational practice and were later developed into several other books and articles. The cornerstone of his educational philosophy is that:
“There is no neutral process of education. Education either works as an instrument fostering the generations’ integration in the actual ruling system’s logic assimilating conformism, or transform itself in the practice of freedom, the way to men and women critically deal with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.” (Paulo Freire; 1921-1997)
Some of the main principles of his work that I will discuss in relation to Capoeira are: a) the human beings’ capacity to educate themselves as subjects of History, and also as capable of interfering in it; b) the idea that a progressive education departs from the students’ ‘practical experience knowledge’, but it is not limited by such an approach; c) the principle that the educator, in his practice, must learn how to talk with the students and not to them, stressing the idea of an exchange process rather than a top-down teaching/learning system; d) Freire’s discussion of neutrality within educational practices; and finally e) the concept that learning literacy and/or contents of any kind without learning how to read the context or how to relate such knowledge to the mechanisms of oppression one is inserted in is mere training, but not education.
Capoeira has taken many forms throughout history. First, as an attitude of resistance against slavery, very similar to guerillaism. Second as an urban criminalised culture still empowering minorities opposed to the establishment (whilst in some states of Brazil it was connected to mobs and outfits, in others it already displayed a playful nature). Finally as an intercultural and interdisciplinary art-form cohesively woven into the unique cultural system of the Brazilian people.
These attitudes of resistance seem to be the linkage that has promoted and strengthened the understanding of the art-form as one throughout changes and time. In this sense, Capoeira can be seen as a political, libertarian and inclusive practice since its beginning; for it brought different people together and wove their cultures and knowledge into a unique system of empowerment and expression opposing slavery, acculturation, and other forms of oppression.
If seen through these lenses, Capoeira closely resembles Freire’s educational practice. Although today’s fundamentalist and corporative approaches to the art are hindering a broader cultural and progressive grasp of Capoeira and sharpening competition, “tolerance… is the revolutionary virtue that consists in the coexistence with different people so that they can better fight the antagonist” (Freire; 1992: 39).
“The so called ‘minorities’”, in Freire’s opinion, “need to recognise that, deep down, they are the majority. The path to assume themselves as majority lies in working the mutual similarities and not differences only, and in this way creating unity within diversity …”(Freire; 1992: 154; italics in the original).
I believe tolerance, inclusiveness, adaptability, empowerment and socio-cultural engagement are core principles of Capoeira, set as strategies to overcome various forms of oppression (slavery, exploitation, acculturation, etc.) since its foundation. These primal philosophical concepts, in my opinion, should guide our practice addressing our communities’ problems, and be upheld above groups, lineages, and politicking.
In the next post I will address these concepts in relation to our actual problems within the worldwide community of Capoeira.
References:
Reference note: Pedagogy of the Oppressed was translated into many languages. The English version is from Penguin Books, and it can be easily found in libraries or ordered from book shops.
Paulo Freire on wikipedia – http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire
Freire, Paulo (1992). Pedagogia da Esperança: Um Encontro com a Pedagogia do Oprimido. Paz e Terra; Rio de Janeiro.
Freire, Paulo (2005). Pedagogia do Oprimido. Paz e Terra; Rio de Janeiro.
Tags: capoeira, paulo freire, pedagogy
Hi,
It’s interesting that you talk about the politics of capoeira and I look forward to seeing the next post! Thank you for your work and interesting articles published on this site
Laranjinha,
Thanks for your support. We’re looking forward to your contributions as well.
Axé!
Eurico
very interensting,
1st time i see “sexual harassment” in a list. a very good observatin that i did not think about. I know a couple of girls who quit because they had to much crap with brazillian boyfriends. i know this is not “sexual harassment” but it still made me think about that.
some of tyhe principles you will be talking about sound very familiar.
b) the idea that a progressive education departs from the students’ ‘practical experience knowledge’, but it is not limited by such an approach
and
c) the principle that the educator, in his practice, must learn how to talk with the students and not to them, stressing the idea of an exchange process rather than a top-down teaching/learning system
if that means that
b) we need more hands on expirience in our education
and
c) we need more of a “proof” based education system in stead of just accepting so we can better understand what it is for and so better aply it.
are things i heard Jaqued Fresco talk about.
curious about part 2 :)
Hey Espada,
Very often in Capoeira sexual harassment happens between men with a high title and a much less experienced women. Usually, when it happens it causes these women to quit from Capoeira; that’s one of the reasons why we don’t hear about it very often. The other reason is hierarchy; as usually students learn such concept in a twisted way and believe they should respect Mestres and Teachers even when they don’t respect themselves or others. Of course not all relationships between teachers and students begins from this situation. There many true relationships around. As there are young students (male and female) who deliberately hook up with Mestres (male and female) for they’re considered ‘celebrities’.
As for your comments, Paulo Freire calls what you mentioned ‘educação bancária’ (banking education) in the sense that, in this system, the role of the teacher is to deposit contents, and the role of the students is to receive them passively. He criticise this logic and say that teachers should build content according to the student’s context and reality, in a way to overcome their knowledge bringing awareness of the mechanisms of oppression around them. So, yes, we do need to engage with our education, and in my view, this goes to our Capoeira education as well.
Abraço!
Eurico