Capoeiranj.com is about African Brazilian Martial Art group in New Jersey, USA
Title
CapoeiraNJ.com is the official website for
Grupo Liberdade Capoeira Newark NJ
Mestre Cigano
Professor Esperanca
Professor Cipo
Professor Maranhao
Instructor Macaco
Contact
Administrative:
-
- Newark NJ
- United States 07105
- Our new address is 65 McWhorter St.
Phone 973.931.6079
Registrant:
- GRUPO LIBERDADE DE CAPOEIRA
-
- NEWARK NJ
- United States 07105
Description
Capoeira’s (or Capoeiragem, Malandragem or Vadicão) path has been traced through slave-quarters (Senzalas) of the plantations, to secret societies (Maltas) in Bahia. It survived under persecution as an oral tradition, living in the streets and open spaces in Brazil. It is now a flourishing cultural form of itself, and hailed as the National Sport.
From 1535 to 1885, millions of Africans were subjugated into slavery, including people from Angola, the Congo and Mozambique. Many of the important documents relating to slavery in Brazil were burned, to cleanse from history the traces of slavery, and this has taken from us valuable insights as to the development of the art. It is commonly believed that a form of Capoeira arrived in Brazil with the Africans and was developed by their descendants. However, some say Capoeira was created by Africans in Brazil, others rigidly hold that its roots in Africa, but it flourished and blossomed in Brazil. Capoeira is a tradition of fighting with the feet, perhaps directly descended from tribal dervishes of strength and ritual dance.
Capoeira was banned by Penal Decree from 1890 to 1930, and during that time, it was only street hoodlums (Malandros) and members of secret societies who practiced the art. Bandits used the steps of the dance as a weapon; sometimes with straight razors held between their toes.
