This is the second part of my interview with Tarek ‘Laranja’, a socially engaged Capoeira teacher from Syria. Tarek’s newest project ‘Bidna Capoeira’ – “We want Capoeira!” in English – aims to inspire teachers from around the world to take action in areas of conflict and social difficulties through Capoeira programmes. ‘Laranja’ also shares his motivations and the shortcomings of such actions.
Tarek “Laranja” Alsaleh was the first practitioner to introduce Caopeira in Syria. Different from many enthralled young teachers who chose to ‘train just for fun’, Tarek believes that helping children and youth to find joy in their lives is no longer a choice, but an obligation. He coordinates various different projects utilising Capoeira as a socio-educative instrument in different locations. Through CapoeirArab, he launched the “Free for Kids project”, a programme assisting over 500 Iraqi/Palestinian refugees and children in areas of extreme social conditions. Currently Tarek is working to launch ‘Bidna Capoeira’ a NGO that aims ‘to bring capoeira to people in difficult situations around the world’, as he puts it. This is the first part of my interview with Tarek.
Jogo Aberto, our school’s next event, will be held from the 7th to the 14th of March at Fingal Head, NSW, Australia. The programme is packed with talks, discussions, documentary screening, and of course heaps of good classes and Rodas. Everyone is welcome! From new beginers to advanced students and teachers.
Palestinian children from Iraq learn ‘capoeira’ – an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, music and dance – at al-Tanf refugee camp in Syria.
(Captions can be turned on using the ‘cc’ option, on the far right arrow – pointing up – bellow the youtube screen)
“We come from the confluence, the cultural shock, the mingling of the Portuguese invader with our native Indians and African natives. We are a syncretic culture a new people who, despite being the off spring of the fusion of different matrices behave as one people not holding on to the past. We are open to the future. (Ribeiro; 1995)”
Photo taken at a 'Domingueira'. Project Learning from Brazilian Culture
After writing about the Volta Por Cima and the Brazil Sweden Cultural Exchange projects I received a few e-mails from people interested in this sort of social initiative in Capoeira. These new contacts made me think about the 4 Capoeira Thoughts proposal.
An Invitation to make local sense of a cultural practice in global spreading
If we are to contribute with and bring awareness to the role of Capoeira as an educative and social inclusive practice worldwide, we need to discuss the difficulties, particularities, and outcomes of these actions in local communities. Capoeira was born from attitudes of resistance against oppression and since then has been empowering the underprivileged people. (more…)
Erica, João Grande, Fafá and Joãonete. By Fabrício Ferreira
Very often I am asked “- What is ‘Volta Por Cima’?”. Most people must be thinking I have started a new group or brand. That is not the case. Mestre Suassuna’s work inspired many of my endeavours in Capoeira, including the development of the social project Learning From Brazilian Culture. However, this project’s design reflects much of my personal grasp of Capoeira, and is based on other Mestres’ teachings, scholars and artists as well. Hence, I needed to start an independent institution, and that is how the ‘Volta Por Cima – Capoeira, Education, and Culture’ begun. I chose this name for two reasons. First, because it is a movement that embodies the principles of an elegant and skilful Capoeira so present in Mestre Suassuna’s teachings. Second, because in Brazilian Portuguese the expression ‘dando [doing] a Volta Por Cima’ also means recovering one’s life after being through a very troublesome period. A perfect name for a project designed to promote social inclusion. (more…)
João Grande doing a Volta Por Cima by André Santangelo
This letter was first written on the 17th of September of 2007 in Brasília, a few months before my departure to New Zealand. Despite some achievements, I am still developing the project together with our school’s students. However, I believe it is time to share these thoughts with a larger number of students and friends. Hopefully this letter will inspire some of you to join the ongoing composition of our school’s political and pedagogic guidelines, or at least to share some thoughts with us. (more…)
“My name is Waldemar Rodrigues da Paixão, I was born in 1916, learnt Capoeira from Siri de Mangue, Canário Pardo, Calabi de Periperi… I took 4 years learning, in 40 I was teaching on the Pero Vaz [street from Salvador, Bahia]. Then I kept teaching, now I stopped, I only handicraft my berimbaus.”
(From Paixão, Waldemar da, & Silva, Washington Bruno da, Mestre Waldemar e Mestre Canjiquinha, disco; 1984.)
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Waldemar da Paixão was probably the last Capoeira Mestre teaching informaly. Meanwhile Mestres like Bimba and Pastinha were teaching in academies, he insisted in teaching his apprentices in his roda in the famous ‘Barracão de Waldemar’ (a hut covered with straw), using informal methods. (more…)
Mestre Acordeon, Mestre Cobrinha Mansa e Contra-Mestre Eurico (Sweden 06/2009)
Capoeira and Global Trends
There are some achievements of humanity that I would say have reached a point of no return. Globalization and diversity are two of them. Capoeira, as a driving force for an ever increasing number of multinational practitioners, deeply reflect both phenomenon’s encompassing their potentialities and pitfalls. This post embraces, amongst other things, the inversions caused by the neo-liberalist globalization in our institutions, altering the meaning and social role of our Capoeira groups. (more…)
So far I have been approaching Capoeira traditions and philosophy, and criticizing the ulterior motives underpinning traditionalism (not traditions).
In this post I would like to share two important statements in video from two renowned Mestres supporting my line of thoughts so far. The first statement was taken from the documentary movie Capoeiragem na Bahia (IRDEB/TVE, 2000) and features Mestre Acordeon discussing traditions and changes in Capoeira over time. In the second one you will see Mestre CláudioDanadinho addressing Capoeira’s inner principles within the institutional movie Volta Por Cima – Capoeira, Educação e Cultura.
I sincerely hope that these video clips helps your understanding of both the dangers of traditionalism and the importance of seeking philosophical concepts as wise means supporting your quest for truthful knowledge in the Art-form. (more…)
Capoeira – The Brazilian People’s Wisdom post received some interesting comments on the role of traditions, as well as the invention of traditions1. A few of our counterparts shared their experience regarding these issues and dropped me some questions.
I do not think anyone is in position to point out what is right or wrong in Capoeira, or what cultural practices we should adopt or vanish from the art. However, it is one of my main goals in writing 4 Capoeira Thoughts, to share with you a few of my insights from nearly 20 years of practice, a lot of my still remaining questions, and invite you to come along in my quest; hopefully, weaving our paths. (more…)
The first version of this article was written in the 26th of December, 2006 in Brasília, and took chance of an episode with Meste Angoleiro (on the photo), followed with a good chat with him, to discuss some dangers of a traditionalist approach to Capoeira.
After meeting some new friends and bouncing back these ideas, I realised that the issue is as pertinent as ever, so here it goes a revised version as an inaugural posting.
-“Capoeira is the Brazilian peoples’ wisdom.” This is how Mestre Angoleiro (J. Bamberg), Mestre Bimba’s disciple, tells us how his teacher use to define Capoeira. Today, Mestre Angoleiro feels bothered by the “new traditions” in Capoeira… Quite a fellow!
A while ago arriving at an event, he was presented before starting the roda holding his berimbau viola. The responsible came and said: “- Mestre, here is the gunga for you!” Mestre Angoleiro insisted on playing his own viola and yet another comment followed: “-Here in this group the tradition is that the gungacomands the roda and, since you are the oldest Mestre here, you must play the gunga.” Mestre Angoleiro gingou1 for a while from outside the roda, without playing either instruments or singing any song, patiently waiting until the end of the event, and then thanked everyone before leaving. (more…)
Alto Astral Capoeira
Alto Astral Capoeira’s social projects in Brazil and Portugal.
Brincadeira de Angola
An interesting resource for those working with Capoeira classes for children. The website is in portuguese, but you can write their email contact in English.
Jogo do Jogo TV
A channel focused on Capoeira history and philosophy. Very educative videos, interviews, doccos and games (mostly in Portuguese).
Jorge Itapuã's youtube channel
Following the Movimento Novo’s trend, a channel with a diversity of Capoeira games, doccos, and events.
Project GEM & Urban Ritual London
Project gem is a UK registered charity that uses arts activities as a means of engaging inner-city children within society. Urban Ritual is a blog on Capoeira in London
Volta Por Cima / Cordão de Ouro Australia
Volta Por Cima is a non-profit organisation that promotes social inclusion and cultural diversity through the practice of Capoeira.
This is the second part of my interview with Tarek ‘Laranja’, a socially engaged Capoeira teacher from Syria. Tarek’s newest project ‘Bidna Capoeira’ – “We want Capoeira!” in English – aims to inspire teachers from around the world to take action in areas of conflict and social difficulties through Capoeira programmes. ‘Laranja’ also shares his motivations and the shortcomings of such actions.
