Axé Maryland News

This is a very beautiful song by Mestre Barrão, telling the story about being taken from one's homeland (Angola), and the longing for it. This is one of the songs I can relate to as it takes me back to the memory and longing of my own home country, Indonesia. The song also talks about setting oneself free after being enslaved. Nowadays, one is enslaved by the materials of this world, be it career, house, properties, cars, computers etc. More often than not, these keep us from realizing that there are so many unfortunate people without houses, or even basic needs in the world (even surrounding us). This is why I love this song, as singing it always remind me to "free" myself from these attachment and keep in contact with families and friends abroad, longing and wondering if one day I can go back there again.

The Meia-Lua de compasso (lit: half-moon compass) aka Rabo de Arria, is an attack that embodies the true element of Capoeira since it combines an evasive maneuver with a spinning kick. The transfer of power begins with the hand slamming into the ground and ending with the spin of the kicking heel. The power of the kick derives its energy from the similar centripetal force of a golf club swing. The transfer of power begins with the spin of the hand slamming into the ground and ending with the spin of the kicking heel. It has earned its place in capoeira as being called the "King of Kicks". There is even a saying among capoeira mestres on how a capoeirista's general skill level can be determined on how well and fast they are able to execute a Meia-Lua de Compasso.

Learning the Brazilian alphabet is very important because its structure is used in every day conversation. Without it, you will not be able to say words properly even if you know how to write those words. The better you pronounce a letter in a word, the more understood you will be in speaking the Brazilian language. Pronunciation in Portuguese is very consistent. 

Unlike English, each letter usually only makes one sound, and rarely strays from the rules. Consequently, knowing the Brazilian pronunciation of the various Portuguese vowels, consonants, diphthongs and diagraphs can be extremely useful in helping your improve your pronunciation. This article aims to help in this regard.

Taken from Axé Capoeira CD Volume 7, this song is about Besouro Mangangá (Manoel Henrique Pereira - Born in Santo Amaro da Purificação, 1895 - 1924). Besouro was a Bahian capoeirista that early in the twentieth century became the ultimate symbol of Bahian capoeira. His fame reached the national level from the years 1930 and with the expansion of Capoeira to other continents, is internationalized (see: besouro-manganga). This song is written by Mestre Barrão, Axé Capoeira's founder.

When slavery came to an end in 1888, some of the best martial arts experts were able to make a living as leaders of gangs in the criminal underworld. Famed for their agility, cunning and fighting prowess, some Masters became legends in their own lifetime.

Manoel Henrique Pereira (Born in Santo Amaro da Purificação, 1895 - 1924), better known in the Capoeira world as Besouro Mangangá, was a Bahian capoeirista that early in the twentieth century became the ultimate symbol of Bahian capoeira. His fame reached the national level from the years 1930 and with the expansion of Capoeira to other continents, is internationalized. Besouro means beetle in Portuguese. That name was chosen because he became known to be able to escape out of difficult situations. Just like a black beetle, spreading its wings at the top of a branch and taking flight. And just like a beetle he would be always on the move.

When you step into your first capoeira class, you will undoubtedly be bombarded by many foreign words. Don’t worry though, this article is created to help you go through your first experience in Capoeira. You don’t need to be fluent in Brazilian Portuguese to play Capoeira, but it would help you to know a few basic words you may hear while training.

Subsequent articles will be created to tackle terms in Capoeira, in particular, how they are used in Grupo Axé Capoeira.