カポエィラアンゴーラ京都カポエラ | Capoeira Angola in Kyoto, Osaka Japan

About the

Group Nzinga of Capoeira Angola

The Nzinga Capoeira Angola Group is dedicated to the preservation of traditional values of Capoeira Angola and of Bantu culture through research, training, rodas, publications, debates, art and social activism. Our group is guided by the wisdom of Mestra Janja, Mestra Paulinha, and Mestre Poloca who, each in their own way, seek to provide continuity to the teachings and lineage of Capoeira Angola’s greatest advocate, Mestre Pastinha. The group was founded on March 8th, 1995.

Web site: www.nzinga.org.br
Facebook: www.facebook.com/grupo.nzinga.5

The Masters are:

Mestra Janja (Salvador - Bahia, Brazil / Currently in São Paulo)
Mestra Paulinha (Salvador - Bahia, Brazil)
Mestre Poloca (Salvador - Bahia, Brazil)
Mestre Tião Carvalho (São Paulo - SP, Brazil)
Mestre Piter (São Paulo - SP, Brazil)

Contra Mestra Manoela (São Paulo - SP, Brazil)

Contra Mestre Denis (Brazilia - DF, Brazil)

Contra Mestre Kosuke (Kyoto, Japan)

From left: Mestra Paulinha, Mestra Janja, Mestre Poloca

Mestre Pastinha (1889~1981)

Queen Nzinga

Nzinga Mbandi Ngola, Queen of Matamba and Angola, lived from 1581 to 1663 and she represents the resistance to the occupation of the African territory by the Portuguese who docked there for the purpose of human trafficking.

The Portuguese occupation in that area began in 1578 with the foundation of current-day Luanda, Angola’s capital. King Ngola Kiluanji, Nzinga's father, resisted for many years to the invasion of his territory. He was succeeded by his son Ngola Mbandi that, initially, also was able to resist the invaders.

Nzinga and her brother negotiated with Portuguese to ensure they moved out of occupied territories. But later she did not agree with the African leaders submission to the Portuguese, including her brother. She ordered their deaths, took over the command of the resistance groups and fought against the occupation of the Ngola and Matamba lands.

She formed an alliance with 'jaga' warriors starting to act on 'quilombos', or resistance communities, that used with tactics similar to the ones used by her contemporary Zumbi of Palmares in Brazilian lands. Thus, she obtained victories and a relative peace until dying at the age of 82.

What is Capoeira Angola?

Capoeria Angola is the name given to the practice of an Afro-Brazilian martial art that seeks to preserve its African philosophical foundations through dance, music, fight, playfulness, and spirituality.

In a Capoeira roda, everyone participates and each person is unique. In each game, there is a ‘staging’ of a fight that transforms powerful kicks into playfulness. Nzinga rodas are characterized by an ethic of nonviolence and a culture of peace.

Capoeira is a process of developing knowledge of self that isn’t limited to physical activity. Capoeiristas seek self-awareness through collective experiences, debate, and reflections that are as important to the formation of a Capoeirista as trainings and games.

As a symbol of the struggle for black liberation in Brazil and the ongoing fight for equality, Capoeira Angola is also used as a tool for education, building self-esteem, and social inclusion of children and youth.

Source:

Grupo Nzinga de Capoeira Angola: http://nzinga.org.br/

Nzinga Atlanta: https://gruponzingaatlanta.wixsite.com