Capoeira: The History of an Afro-Brazilian Martial Art

state of the union. Many, if not most senior teachers are Brazilians who have left their native country in
search of a better life. The United States and Europe have been the prime destinations for these migrants
since the early 1980s. They come from different regions and practise different styles, although the Regional
style clearly predominates abroad as it does in Brazil. Prominent among the more recent arrivals are
M.Amén and Boneco, who both teach in Los Angeles. In 1992, João Grande, one of the most respected
mestres of capoeira Angola, settled in New York where he opened his own academy. He was followed by
some other well-known angoleiros such as M.Cobra Mansa and Jurandir, who established themselves in
Washington and Seattle. These two mestres also created the International Capoeira Angola Foundation
(FICA) and regularly administer workshops to affiliated groups in other cities (see Figure 7.7).
More than a quarter of a century after its introduction into the country, a number of North Americans are
now also in a position to teach capoeira. The first graduation in the United States took place in 1984, 111 and
since then the number of advanced students has continued to grow. Some US nationals have finally been
granted the title of contra-mestre, such as Themba Mashama (former student of M.Acordeon, converted to
the Angola style of GCAP), or even mestre, such as M.Michael Goldstein (M.Ombrinho, student of M.Nô)
and Suellen Einarsen (M.Suelly, graduated from M.Acordeon). Today, in New York alone, dozens of well
known mestres and qualified teachers, such as Jelon Vieira, João Grande, Edna Lima, Bom Jesus, Lincoln,
Pilão, Carvão, Caxias, Doutor, Jô and Macaco instruct thousands of capoeiristas every day. Mayor Giuliani
declared 12 June 1995 ‘Capoeira Day’ to commemorate the 20 years since the art had been introduced into
the United States. 112
Capoeira in Europe
CONTEMPORARY CAPOEIRA 187
Figure 7.7 Mestres João Pequeno and Cobra Mansa at VII Annual Meeting of the International Capoeira Angola
Foundation, Rio de Janeiro State, July 2001. Courtesy of FICA, Washington, DC.
Even though capoeira might have arrived in Europe earlier than in the United States, it took longer for the
art to establish itself. Probably the first to teach on the Old Continent was Nestor Capoeira. After receiving
his red belt—the highest graduation in the Senzala—in 1969, M.Nestor decided to spent some time abroad.