CAPOEIRA ANGOLA
カポエィラ・アンゴーラ
The Philosophy and Transmission of Capoeira Angola
“Angola” is the branch of Capoeira that places particular emphasis on Africanness, tradition, and ancestry, preserving and transmitting its ritual dimension and expressive depth. As Capoeira—long transmitted through oral tradition—began to undergo significant changes amid the waves of modernization, experienced mestres in the 1940s systematized it as “Capoeira Angola” in order to safeguard its essence and the values they cherished. The central figure widely associated with this movement is Mestre Pastinha.
This was not merely an act of preservation, but a conscious reaffirmation grounded in philosophy. Since then, Angola has continued—without interruption—to be passed from mestre to disciple as one of the essential pillars of Afro-Brazilian culture.
One of the defining features of Pastinha’s Angola lies in its philosophy. He rejected the violent dimension of Capoeira and advocated for a “Capoeira with love,” one that does not require harming one’s opponent. Beyond movement and music, he understood Capoeira as a way of learning about life itself, leaving his thoughts to future generations through his words, poems, writings, and paintings.
At its core are teachings rooted in ancestral wisdom, nonviolence, strategies of avoiding danger, and profound lessons expressed metaphorically through compassion and love. This spirit continues to live within contemporary practice.
Spirituality, Ancestry, and Community
What we particularly cherish in the teachings of Mestre Pastinha are spirituality and ancestry.
Capoeira is an oral tradition in which sensibility and philosophy are transmitted through time spent with one’s mestre. Not only techniques, but posture, distance, breathing, and ways of being are shared and embodied.
Another essential element of Angola is community and respect for the other. The roda is not a space of competition, but a space created together. Everyone who participates is indispensable and respected as a unique presence.
The accumulation of long-term practice deepens self-understanding and leads to inner growth and transformation. The roda—both performance and ritual—is the place where this learning is embodied.
Diverse Lineages
Today, Capoeira Angola is not limited to the direct lineage of Mestre Pastinha, nor is it confined to Salvador in the state of Bahia, where he was based.
Across different regions, it is preserved and transmitted in diverse forms, each carrying its own history and philosophy. This diversity itself is a source of Angola’s strength and reflects the richness of Afro-Brazilian culture.
FORMATION OF ANGOLA
カポエィラ・アンゴーラの形成
Capoeira Angola emerged from a process of protecting and reaffirming traditions that were at risk of being lost amid modernization. From the late 19th to the early 20th century, as Capoeira underwent urbanization and institutionalization, masters who valued its African-rooted ritual, musical, and philosophical foundations sought to preserve older forms of practice.
In the 1940s, this movement was systematized under the name “Capoeira Angola.” The central figure in this process was Mestre Pastinha, founder of the Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola in Salvador. He established Angola not merely as an old style, but as a cultural and philosophical tradition grounded in ancestry, ethics, and respect.
Angola was not a new creation, but rather a conscious naming and organization of an already existing traditional practice. It is characterized by rituality, a low and strategic jogo (game), malícia (the wisdom of cunning and strategy), musicality, and a strong sense of community. It also represented a cultural resistance and a reaffirmation of Afro-Brazilian identity.
In the 1980s, as Capoeira increasingly moved toward sportification and competition, traditional values were again at risk of fading. In response, Mestre Moraes founded the Grupo de Capoeira Angola Pelourinho (GCAP) in Rio de Janeiro and later, together with Mestre Cobramansa, advanced the revival of Angola in Salvador. They reopened spaces for elder masters and helped reconnect endangered knowledge and embodied traditions to the next generation.
Through this revival, Angola came to be redefined not merely as a physical technique, but as a cultural practice that remembers history and restores dignity.
From the 1990s onward, Angola spread to Europe and the United States, gaining international presence through initiatives such as the Fundação Internacional de Capoeira Angola (FICA). Within this broader movement, the Grupo Nzinga de Capoeira Angola was founded in São Paulo in 1995 by Mestra Janja.
Today, Capoeira Angola is not merely the transmission of technique. It has spread worldwide as a culture that carries history, philosophy, and ancestry. It transcends the label of “Brazilian martial art” and continues to embody the memory and dignity of the African diaspora.
MUSICALITY
カポエィラ・アンゴーラの音楽性
One of the most striking characteristics of Capoeira is its musicality.
Here, we introduce the instruments used in Capoeira Angola.
Berimbau
The berimbau is a bow-shaped instrument of African origin. A wooden bow is strung with a steel wire, and a hollowed gourd is attached as a resonator. Rhythm is created by striking the wire with a stick. It is the central instrument of Capoeira, especially prominent in Northeastern Brazil. Like Capoeira itself, it is known as an instrument brought by enslaved Africans to Brazil.
Pitch is adjusted according to the tension of the string and the size of the gourd, and the berimbau is divided into three types. In our group, these are called gunga, médio, and viola.
It is uncertain exactly when the berimbau began to be used in Capoeira, but it is believed to have been incorporated between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The word “berimbau” is said to derive from the Bantu languages Kikongo and Kimbundu of Africa.
Pandeiro
The pandeiro is made from a circular wooden frame covered with stretched skin. By striking the skin, players produce both low and high tones to create rhythm.
Small metal jingles, called “platinelas,” are attached to the rim, producing a distinctive rattling sound. It is similar to a tambourine and is also widely used in samba music.
Agogô
The agogô is an iron instrument resembling a cowbell, characterized by its high-pitched sound. It consists of two metal bells that are struck alternately to maintain rhythm. It is also used in the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomblé.
Rêco-rêco
The rêco-rêco is similar to a güiro. It is typically made of notched bamboo, and rhythm is created by scraping it with a small stick.
Atabaque
The atabaque is a tall, narrow wooden drum, similar to a conga. It is often covered with cowhide. Like the agogô, it is a sacred drum central to rituals in Candomblé.
Its tone varies according to its shape and size, allowing it to produce sounds from low to high. In Candomblé ceremonies, three atabaques are played together to create rich rhythmic patterns, which are used in communication with the deities.