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

chapter
FIGuRe 1.3. ngoma drum, n.d.
© royaL MUseUM for CentraL
afriCa, terVUren, BeLGiUM.
without arms, but sometimes with knives. . . . The meetings were held
together muscially by a drum, capable of talking and so able to to direct and
control the movements of the trainers.93
Kubik regards capoeira as a martial art in which the drum guides and controls
the actions of the participants rather than being a mere accompaniment or a
means of deception. The talking drum is a mentor—a teacher—who instructs
the students. in the Congo, this drum, known as ngoma, was and still is of great
importance (see figures 1.3, 1.4). They transmitted messages to individual soldiers
and to entire units, in a language that was familiar to the warriors.94
The italian historian and traveler filippo pigafetta, who published a book
titled Relatione del reame di Congo in 1591, explained the role of the musical instruments
as follows:
on hearing the kettle-drums, or the cornet, or the third instrument, every
part of the army responds with its own instruments to show the signs were
understood, the under officers doing the same. and not only were these
sounds used as a general thing, but also in the act of fighting; for, during the
skirmishes, brave men went with the instruments in front of soldiers, dancing
and beating drums to encourage them, at the same time giving warning
of any danger which threatened by the various sounds.95