Histories and Stories of Capoeiragem
Mestre Bola Sete
2006

• Waldomiro Malvadeza

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  In the sixties, Mestre Pastinha's School, already in the process of downfall due to the master's blindness, was commanded by right, by his two students and contramestres João Pereira dos Santos (João Pequeno) and João Oliveira dos Santos (João Grande) and, actually by capoeirista Waldomiro Malvadeza, also his student, known for his bravery and for explosive temperament that he had, despite being quite skinny and small of stature, looking like Mestre Pastinha in his youth, and the only one who had an almost identical ginga and game. For any small reason he would get agressive, although he was keeping it cool. He was the type who would have "hot blood and cold head". Yet his leadership was undeniable. When he was playing berimbau and singing, everybody was trying to give it all to accompany, because they knew that he didn't accept slacking, and if he saw anybody playing some instrument or participating in the chorus without enthusiasm, he immediately put them out of the group, because he had authority for this as the contramestre of bateria. It was also him who, many times, commanded the members of the Academy in the demonstrations outside the headquarters, mainly in the folk festivals of Bahia, where his leadership spirit and his firmness of attitudes were necessary. It was also him who, together with Raimundo Pequeno, appeared as singers on Mestre Pastinha's disc, recorded in 1966 [actually in 1969 - listen above!]

  One day I decided to sit down to play berimbau on the bateria bench, where at that moment were sitting capoeiristas Branquinho, Raimundo Pequeno, Lisboa, Gaguinho, Jota

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  Angoleiro, Arlindo Veneno and Juracy, who wasn't capoeirista, but was an excellent agogô player, a member of Afoxé Filhos de Gandhy.

  Trying to accompany them I got an elbow from Branquinho, who told me to leave, because I didn't have what it takes to participate in the instrument players' group. I left annoyed and searched for Mestre Pastinha, who was sitting on the wooden bench that was near the window that was looking to the street, and told him what had happened. He then told me to play the instrument for him to hear. I started and was interrupted by the master right away, who confirmed the mistake. At that instant Waldomiro Malvadeza came to greet us and asked me what was going on. I told him the story and he promised to teach me to play the berimbau. Later, with two berimbaus with him, he told me to go with him to the back of the Academy. There we sat next to each-other on a stone bench, near the Exu house, because in the old days there was a candomblé shrine there, and he taught me the two fundamental rhythms: São Bento Grande de Angola and Angola Pequena.

  - Now you can go to the hall and sit in the bateria. I want to hear if anybody opens their mouth to say you don't play the berimbau!

  This time more confident, because I had consciense of what I was doing, I sat again in the bateria net to Branquinho and right when I started to play, got another elbow from him, again telling me to leave because I didn't know how to play the berimbau. Malvadeza, who was seeing the whole thing, interrupted the play, catching the wire of the berimbau Branquinho was playing and asked him with what authority would he say I didn't play the berimbau.

  - Or do you think I don't know how to teach?

  Branquinho said he was very sorry to both Malvadeza and me

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  and the bateria continued in fine tune, now with one additional player.

  After this episode we became friends and always when we left the Academy we stopped to have a beer in the Nêgo Fua bar, on Maciel de Cima. On one of these occasions we met a guy known as Sergipinho, a delinquent who was wanted by the police, although he was a well-educated person and treated us with respect, who accompanied us to our destination and stayed to drink next to us. Waldomiro, who didn't want to be rude with Sergipinho, decided that we have only one beer and leave, because it would be dangerous to continue to stay there in the company of a guy who was under observation in that place.

  We were about to pay, when four policemen entered in the establishment and told Sergipinho to go with them. In the confusion everybody who were in the spot escaped to not be compromised. Malvadeza on the other hand identified himself as an ex-cop and demanded that they leave the delinquent alone, alleging that he was in his company and in this manner nobody should touch him. After much discussion and threats from both sides the good sense of the policeman that was commanding the group prevaled. He knew Malvadeza since way back and seeing that the scoundrel wouldn't go to jail easy at this moment, decided to exit without taking him prisoner. Sergipinho, who was moved by this gesture, thanked Waldomiro and left.

  We left the bar and walked on the road to Terreiro de Jesus's direction. When we got there we decided to have another beer in the Cantina da Lua. While we were chatting I noticed on the other side, near the fountain, Sergipinho handcuffed and accompanied by four agents. I turned to Malvadeza fearing another reaction from my friend against

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  the cops, but he was leaning against the wall observing the scene, os policias, mas ele encontrava-se encostado junto à parede observando a cena, undisturbed.

  On a sunny Sunday the old house number 19 on the Pelourinho Square was full of tourists waiting for the capoeira demonstration that was going to be given by Mestre Pastinha's students and some capoeiristas who had been invited. In the beginning the master gave a talk about the origin of the fight and when he was about to give order to start the presentation, he was interrupted by one of the tourists, who always visited us, challenging the master to send his best student to fight him, telling that he considered capoeira a dance.

  Before the master could respond, Malvadeza asked for permission and got himself ready to fight the challenger, but the master didn't allow this because it was against his principles of not accepting challenges, since capoeira for him was an instrument of self-defense used in the last resort. Still the citizen continued to insist for a challenge wanting clearly to demoralize the master and his School. Met with the circumstances he authorized Malvadeza to fight as everybody insisted.

  The challenger came closer and when he was about the attack, Malvadeza unexpectedly gave him a series of rabos-de-arraia that left him paralized with surprise and the speed of the attack. Finishing the series of kicks the visitor didn't want to continue to fight saying that they had deceived him, since what he had seen before in his constant visits looked more like a dance, with kicks moving in slow motion. He left the Academy right away now understanding the potential that angola has, giving its participants an excellent means of defense, where the flexibility is more important than the brute force, where the cleverness always prevails. Logo em seguida retirou-se da Academia, reconhecendo agora o potencial que angola representa, proporcionando aos seus participantes em excelente meio de defesa, onde a flexibilidade é mais importante que a força bruta, onde a malícia predomina sempre.