A Collision of Cultures in the Brazilian Battle Dance - Capoeira Music

IntroductIon
on the form. The increasing number of Brazilian Catholics active in capoeira
groups has brought about meaningful changes in its cultural manifestations.
By studying the changes that have taken place in the goals of capoeira, as well
as its symbols and characteristics since the beginning of the nineteenth century,
we can perhaps detect the influences of these cultures on each of these aspects.
The five chapters that constitute this study examine the various processes that
capoeira has undergone, from different points of view in different eras. The
first part of each chapter depicts capoeira as it was experienced, observed, and
understood by europeans and their descendants who considered this activity in
relation to their own interests. The second part of each chapter discusses the covert
aspects and the further numerous meanings of capoeira.
Chapter 1 discusses capoeira in rio de Janeiro in the early nineteenth century,
up to the 1840s. it deals with the nature of capoeira—which was initially
perceived as a slave pastime but soon became a means of disturbing the peace—
and the way in which authorities tried to tackle this development. at the time
capoeira was regarded as an insignificant slave activity, one among many, and
contemporary myths linking capoeira with rebellion are inaccurate, to say the
least. The second part of the chapter introduces the concept of capoeira as reflecting
the outlook of its practitioners, who were, by and large, slaves originating
from West Central africa. The significance of play in these cultures, particularly
as connected with the spiritual and symbolic features of capoeira, is also
discussed.
The second chapter, covering the period 1840–1880, examines differences in
the Capoeiras’ countries of origin, skin color, and social status and how the authorities
perceived them as bloodthirsty murderers who used capoeira to kill
and maim innocent citizens just for fun. another interpretation of their behavior
suggests that capoeira was used in some instances to protect the regional and
social interests of gangs struggling for control of urban space. The second part
deals with the hidden aspects of capoeira. despite the authorities’ attempts to
present the Capoeiras as a threat to public order and as enemies of society, the
masses admired their skillful mastery of the game, played in the squares on festival
days and in religious processions, which made fun of the authorities, turning
them into objects of scorn and derision.
Chapter 3, covering the period from the 1870s to the 1930s, examines the
characteristics of Capoeiras, who split into two major subgroups based on ethnic
and socioeconomic rivalries. The circumstances that made Capoeiras an influential
factor in local politics and their suppression after the fall of the monarchy
are discussed. The second part discloses some secrets of capoeira, the use