Piratini* and Farroupilha** will participate in the «1. Brazilian Congress of Folklore»
Diário de Notícias
28th April 1963

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  [..] Program

  The vast program extends for five weeks, putting the States, the demonstrations, in the following order:
  First week from 1st to 5th May: Capoeira, from Bahia [..]

  [blockquote]caption of the photo from 1960 showing M Canjiquinha's roda:
  The most legitimate capoeira de Angola, practised in Bahia will be presented by Piratini, that together with Farroupilha will realize special programs participating in this way in the 1st Brazilian Folk Congress, that Hotel Umbú and Varig will be promoting[/blockquote]

  * TV Piratini
  ** Radio Farroupilha

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  CAPOEIRA KILLS ONE
  Text by Delgado FILHO

  "An athletic game introduced in Brazil by the bantu slaves of Angola" - this is how Luis da Câmara Cascudo's Folkloric Dictionary refers to "Capoeira". Nonetheless, in Brazil, capoeira has more interesting characteristics. It was a game, was a fight, transformed into a dance and even entered the historical chronicles of Rio de Janeiro.

  "RASPA", "RASTEIRA" AND "RABO DE ARRAIA"

  In the beginning of the century - say almost all the chroniclers of ancient Rio - the gangs of capoeiristas were a very serious topic for the police. Protected by politicians, counting on the admirers of all social classes, the "capoeiras" - as they were called - launched in the pompous press of the time, in the descriptions of famous rival groups' contentions. The carnival studies turned into dangerous things, with the presence of fearsome capoeiras there was a need for a decisive action by an energetic Police Chief to end the undesirable practise that was taking over Rio de Janeiro.

  The "Jaguar" time

  Not only in the chronicle of Rio of the beginning of the century will we encounter references to capoeira. The registry goes back much more, to the time of the Kingdom of Israel, when the mulatto "Corta Orelha" - Não só na crônica do Rio do início do século vamos encontrar referências à capoeira. O registro recua muito mais além, na vivência, ainda, do Israeli-Reino, quando o mulato "Corta Orelha" - Joaquim Inácio de Costa Orelha [bodyguard of King João VI (1767-1826) - velhosmestres.com] - assassinated D. Gertrudes Pedra, husband of the one of our favourites refuge queen D. Carivia Joaquina. Even the grim and cautious partiarch Jośe Bonifácio had a famous capoeira in his worthies. So ample and significant was the practise of capoeira that it gave origin to the expression "during the jaguar times".

  What some of the curiosity seekers are saying is that the "Jaguar" was a famous policeman, respected and feared by the troublemakers that saw in him a master of a difficult art. Because the "Jaguar" was also a capoeirista, and so quick that got the unmistakable nickname. While the "Jaguar" held the police authority the rascals didn't get to raise any turmoil.

  But one day due to some political order, the "Jaguar" was demoted. And the vagrant gangs reappeared with their stunts, transforming the street of Rio de Janeiro a dangerous place for any peaceful citizen that would adventure to go outside at night. So the people started to reflect with longing to the time of the "Jaguar", "During the Jaguar time you wouldn't see this" - they said. And the expression stayed to designate times that had passed.

  "Berimbau, jornada and ganzá"

  In Rio de Janeiro capoeira had a very quaint chronicle, in Bahia it subsituted with the aspect of a real cult. To the sound of the berimbau, ganzá, agogô and pandeiro, the enthusiasts of the fight in which brute force little counts, trained themselves to a rhythm that is coming from the time of slavery. And "sometimes" - says Jorge Amado - "they were taken down by a well-given kick, staying in the disposal of the shiny straight-razor".

  Capoeira d'Angola and Mestre Bimba

  The most famous Bahian capoeirista is Mestre Bimba and until very recently was the only professional. His fame grew, making him a inovator of the almost mystical practise born from a negro dance. It so happens that during the war the american soldiers based in Salvador became capoeira enthusiasts. And Mestre Bimba thought to introduce in the fight some kicks from jiu-jitsu that the new students liked.

  The case provoked stir. The adamant defendors of the tradicional Capoeira d'Angola came out in opposition to the recent adepts of the so-called "Capoeira Regional". There was a lot of talk. The folklorists discussed it. And the victory was with the old capoeira, highly praised in the Afro-Brazilian Congress of 1947 in Bahia. Exalted the supporters of the traditional lineage that had famous names such as Samuel Querido de Deus, José Domingos, Vitor Agaú, Maré, Onça Preta, Celestino Alemão and the famous Vicente Pastinha.

  Capoeira in Pôrto Alegre

  In the Folklore festival that begins next Wednesday we'll have opportunity to appreciate the authentical capoeira d'Angola practised in Bahia, by the famous group of Vicente Pastinha. It's possible that, for the first time, we'll see [..] and the choregraphical agility of raspas and rasteiras. But it's good to remember that outside the sound of the berimbau, in an open-air fight - capoeira kills one.

  [photo caption] CAPOEIRA FROM BAHIA IN THE RIO GRANDE LANDS

  Scenes such as this will repeat shortly in Pôrto Alegre, during the Folklore festival that is starting next Wednesday. On the photo of the capoeirista group, that was here with the cast of "Pagador de Promessas", in a special demonstration for the report of the DIÁRIO DE NOTÍCIAS, in Farroupilha park