Send us a text In this episode, we take a much broader look at Capoeira history from the beginnings of the Transatlantic Slave Trade up until the modern era. This will hopefully give you a better sense of how the previous episodes fit within the broader context of the longer history!

Send us a text In this episode, I dig into the topic of syncretism: what is it, how does it manifest in the Americas, and why do we as Capoeiristas care about it? I'll talk about a few brief examples in both the United Status and in Central America before looking at the most relevant example to Capoeiristas: Candomble. If you have any questions or think I got anything wrong, don't hesitate to reach out at mike.handslikefeet@gmail.com

Send us a text In this episode, I want to delve into a rebellion in the 1800s in Salvador Bahia that I haven't heard discussed very much at all in Capoeira circles I've been a part of. Looking into this rebellion, we can learn a lot about some of the ethnic and demographic changes that occurred throughout the slavery era of Brasil, and how that impacted various movements that were developing and acting in this time. We can also trace a through line between this rebellion and another important...

Today’s episode is a departure from the standard format of this podcast to revisit a topic we explored back in 2021, which is sexual abuse in capoeira. This remains an ongoing issue, and with this episode, where I am joined by Natasha Távora Baker (Pequena) of the Natasha Explains It All podcast, we hope to get listeners up to speed on what’s been happening since the last episode and what we as a capoeira community can do about it.Trigger warning: this episode includes discussion of sexual vi...

In this episode, I collaborate with Natasha Távora Baker (Pequena) from the podcast Natasha Explains it All to talk about how organized labor actions led to the abolition of slavery in Fortaleza, 5 whole years before the passing of the Golden Law in 1888! We dig into a key figure in this process, Dragão do Mar, and also dig into the history and timeline of the abolition movement in Brazil.Natasha's Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Qozp50WJWy03nnUQw42O8?si=97e20c0695fe480f

Paranaue is arguably the most popular and well known song in Capoeira, and it's probably the most well known Capoeira song to people outside of the art. It’s the song people sing as a joke when they can tell the people around them don't know the song they’re singing. But what is it that we are actually singing about? If you take a cursory look at the lyrics, it honestly isn’t really clear. The verses are often improvised for situational relevance, and even the “standard” verses seem at best o...

In this episode I want to talk about arguably the most important instrument in the Capoeira bateria, the berimbau. The berimbau is an instantly recognizable symbol of Capoeira in the modern day, and in most circles is what leads the roda itself. At some point we all learn how to play this instrument and expect to see it in every roda we attend, but in some ways, there are questions about the instrument itself that we take for granted due to its ubiquitousness. Things like: where did this inst...

In this episode, we take a look at apelidos: what are they, where do they come from, and how should we use them going forward? This is inspired by and informed from a survey of 75 Capoeiristas polled through the Capoeira sub-reddit on their experience with apelidos.I hope you enjoy and please send any comments and questions to mike.handslikefeet@gmail.comSong is Capoeira Proibida by Mestre Coreba

Today’s episode is not about a person or even a legend within Capoeira. Instead I want to talk about a Brazilian cultural folklore, Saci Perere. Saci is a figure that I have been vaguely aware of for some time. I’ve known several people who were nicknamed Saci, and have heard Saci mentioned in several songs, but wasn’t really aware of who or what he is. So in this episode we dig into this folk trickster, examining who he is, where his story comes from, and what cultural relevance he has today...

A very special episode where I collaborate with the folks from the Only the Strongest podcast to talk about Capoeira history! If you like this episode, please check them out here: https://open.spotify.com/show/3jw3OGIPDqc2jL8isOFHVD?si=d69e3054ab40433bAs always, feel free to send me any questions, comments or stories at: mikepinto@comcast.net

Super brief bonus episode while I work on the next main one. Here I share my thoughts on the importance of learning our "present histories" and how many figures we may consider historical are still dynamic, active, and changing.Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, or stories at mikepinto@comcast.net

Today’s episode we will not be talking directly about Capoeira, but instead about a related Afro-Brazilian art that has become inextricably tied to Capoiera: Maculele. Most people who’ve been in Capoeira for some significant amount of time, have been at least exposed to Maculele, if not actively practiced it. It is a dance form of simulated combat with sticks, performed to a very specific drum rhythm, often performed with machetes and/or in extravagant costumes.In today’s discussion, I’ll be ...

Today’s episode is going to be a complete departure from the previous format of this podcast. There will be no music, and we will not be talking about a specific person or a specific time period. Instead, we will be talking about the pervasive problems of sexual harassment and abuse in capoeira that recent news reports have once again highlighted. This is unfortunately not new news, over the years this topic has come up several times as movements like MeToo have encouraged people who were vic...

In today’s episode, I want to look at a few different related topics. When we discuss Capoeira history, particularly more modern history, we often focus on the events and people in Bahia, namely in Salvador. This is because many of the important figures responsible for the trajectory of Capoeira to today were from there: Besouro, Bimba, Pastinha, and Salvador brought Capoeira to national approval and legalization. However, the more I research, the more I find Capoeira in Rio incredibly intere...

In today’s episode, we are going farther back in time than any of our previous episodes, back to the foundations of the Transatlantic Slave Trade in Western Africa. We are not talking about a Capoeirista, we aren’t even talking about a Brazilian, but instead someone who is hugely important to the resistance of foreign influence to African nations and cultures. We are talking about Queen Njinga of Angola, a person who used every tactic available to her to keep her nation independent, and who’s...

The subject of today’s episode is Manuel Pereira, better known as Besouro Manganga. Besouro is one of if not the most famous figure in Capoeira history, and for many good reasons. Besouro was so legendary in his fighting prowess, that it was said both that he could shapeshift to escape capture and that he was mystically immune to all physical harm. He lived in a time when Capoeira was heavily persecuted, and fought valiantly against that suppressive system. I’ve heard more capoeira songs refe...

Today's episode is about an extremely interesting legend in recent Capoeira history. We will be traveling to Rio de Janeiro in the early 1900's, only a few decades after slavery was abolished, and while Capoeira was still explicitly illegal. We are looking at a character who challenged what it meant to be a malandro, and really what it meant to be a man in Brasil at this time. Someone forced to the outskirts of society for who they were, but who nevertheless made a name for themselves that we...

In this episode we take a look at the histories of Dandara and Luisa Mahin, and discuss how institutional racism and sexism has affected how they are remembered and viewed today.Dandara is commonly known as the wife of Zumbi, and was a fierce warrior who helped defend the Palmares from the bandeirantes. She killed herself rather than be captured and is a powerful inspiration to many Capoeiristas today.Luisa Mahin was a grocer and revolutionary in her own right and is said to have helped organ...

In this episode, I go over some questions that were sent in about Lampiao and go over a song describing life in the sertao. It's nice to have another opportunity to look more into Lampiao and this unique region of Brazil!Send questions and suggestions to: desconfiado.mandinga@gmail.comSong lyrics: http://alacazum.blogspot.com/2010/01/na-161-edicao-do-programa-radiofonico.html

In this episode, we look into the history of Virgulino Ferreira da Silva, also known as Lampião! Lampião is a very important folkloric hero of the Brazilian sertão, who is often seen as a Robin-Hood like figure. The full history of Lampião is significantly more complex, and sheds light on the culture of this region in the early 1900's. Tune in to hear the story of a veritable comic-book hero who revolutionized the way that bandits in the Brazilian backlands operated and even dressed! I hope y...