The ABC of Old Masters of Capoeira

Mestre Gildo Alfinete died at 75

October 12, 2015

On October 12 Gildo Lemos Couto better known as Mestre Gildo Alfinete died leaving behind a life dedicated to Capoeira Angola.

M Gildo Alfinete (second from left) and M Pastinha in memoriam

About the Old Masters:

«[Besouro's] first contact with the world of capoeira took place with an old african called Alípio, who was a captive in the Pantaleão Mill. When planting sugarcane, the student heard and learned from the old man the teachings of capoeira. Uncle Alípio was a Babalawo [candomblé priest] and had been a slave when young, a son of a black woman who was brought in a ship from the port of São Jorge da Mina in Dahomey [Benin].»
Abib, 2009
«Mestre Pastinha and his students would put the strap [of caxixi] around the little and the ring finger. He talks about this in his book, and it can be seen on the photographies taken in his Academy.»
Shaffer, 1977
«Rafael I don't know with whom he learned, don't know. I knew him here when he was capoeira mestre. I didn't have much knowledge about him. But later he came here to Pero Vaz [..] He also had his academy in the city. I didn't have integration with him.»
M Waldemar, 1987
«The deceased Traíra was who took care of the roda. I went there, gave my order and went to have a beer. I was made.»
M Waldemar in Abreu, 2003
«That time there was a group [in São Braz]: it was me, Messias [M Messias, born in 1929], Zinho, Genesio, Lao, Tomazinho, Jaime, Chumbinho [..] So we had this group of boys who were all 16, 15-16 years old. And we used to get together on Saturdays and Sundays to do this capoeira. And Léo was the mestre.»
M Gato Preto, 1999

Mestre Gildo Alfinete died at 75