We should travel back to Brazil during the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries in order to better understand the
Brazilian Martial Art Capoeira.

Brazil also had slavery like the United States. The slaves came
from various cultural regions of Africa. Once in Brazil, the
slaves were sent off to the states of Recife, Bahia and Rio de
Janeiro. Tired of their captivity, the slaves rebelled against
the tobacco and sugar plantation owners.

In Recife a group of slaves escaped and with the help of the
Indians, they traveled to a safe spot in the mountains. The
freed slaves named this place Palmares, due to the large numbers
of palm trees that grew there.

In Palmares the former slaves built a new community. Tribes that
were once strangers and enemies in their native Africa united to
fight for their freedom. The Martial Arts Capoeira was born.

Capoeira offers to its students training in flexibility,
strength, endurance, and self defense, along with knowledge of
music and culture.

Capoeira practitioners wear white pants held by a cord. The
color of the cord represents the students level of expertise
just like in other martial arts.

Many circular kicks are used, along with dance movements and
acrobatic movements. Just as music has been an important part of
African culture, it has also influenced Capoeira by making it
appear like a dance. Capoeira is always practiced to music.

In Capoeira many moves are used, such as handstands, kicks,
sweeps, trips and cartwheels. The practicioner may balance on
one or both hands while giving kicks to an opponents head or
body. Some of these movements are called au (cartwheel), bencano
(front kick), boca de siri (crabs mouth movement), cabecada
(head butt), cocorinha (squatting movement), floreios (acrobatic
movements), martelo (hammer kick), meia-lua de compasso
(spinning kick).

All Martial Arts