Reunion of Old Masters of Bahia
Recently [in 1982] got together in a capoeira roda mestres Rafael Alves França (Cobrinha Verde), Waldemar da Paixão (Waldemar), Washington Bruno da Silva (Canjiquinha), José Gabriel Góis (Gato), João Pereira dos Santos (João Pequeno) and João Oliveria dos Santos (João Grande). Together, they went to Pelourinho, the old stage of fights of famous capoeiristas in the times of slavery.
The roda formed, when the berimbaus started to play, the old masters weren't content with orienting their students and entered the game. It was maybe the last time they got together, because most of them live in almost inaccessible places, making their living by doing small odd jobs that don't make them to server hours or have any kind of commitment.
The old masters are the people who bring with them the marks and sorrows of the life they chose and they didn't preocupy themselves too much with the future. In the old days, they lived playing in the streets and in the bars, where they were respected and loved. But the times are different and they abandoned their academies, giving way to the birth of other, more sophisticated, schools, "full of refined people", as declares Mestre Canjiquinha.
Magazine Geográfica Universal, Jan/83