BERIMBAU AND CAPOEIRA IN THE EDITORIAL OFFICE OF “ULTIMA HORA“ – THEY REFURE TO RETURN TO BAHIA WITHOUT TEACHING THE PAULISTA TO FIGHT
Evaristo and Ananias, two young people from Companhia Baiana Folclorica de Oxumaré, are unhappy with the suggestions of Sergio Maia - "I didn't get a job at the Police, because I didn't know arithmetic" - (IBIAPABA MARTINS report - RUI COSTA photos)
Bahia, which always have exported speakers, candidates and members of parlament and lately the new blood from candomblés to Umbanda shrines, makes an iniciative, shy and incipient, to export capoeira. Yes, the much spoken capoeira, out of which legends and legends are created, about which everybody can tell stories without ever having seen a capoeirista in coreographical movements of „rabos de arraia“, „aús“ and „chibatas“.
THE STORY
The story happened in a more or less simple manner. Certain bahian citizen, mr Sergio Maia, noticed the interest of people of São Paulo about the things of the "Good Land", hurriedly formed a group to which gave the name „Companhia Baiana Folclorica Oxumaré“ and traveled to the South. The group includes, among other numbers, capoeira. A group of young guys, affected to the common shrewed manoeuvres on Baixa dos Sapateiros and Brotas, agreed to the excursion. Carrying berimbaus and caxixis, they started in the direction of São Paulo in the company of Sergio Maia.
Soon, they were giving shows in Teatro de Cultura Artistica, the spectacles appreciated by the lovers of folklore, but relatively little accepted by the paying public, that which fills the halls of the spectacle and keeps the artists dying of starvation. While „Companhia Baiana Folclorica Oxumaré“ acted in São Paulo, Teatro de Cultura Artistica was more or less empty, pessimistic, sad, in spite of the candomblé songs and the fast howl of the berimbaus. Annoyed, Sergio Maia decided to disperse the group. Who wanted, could return to Bahia because S. Paulo - as he said - was not too prepared to the spectacles of bahian folklore, stylized with love and art.
Well, it so happened that the capoeiras didn't agree with the idea. When they had agreed to the iniciative, they thought to stay in the land of the drizzle for good, making a life at the expense of the "chibatas". Jonas, Adão, Evaristo and Ananias decided then to rebel against the return. They put the foot down strong and, now, are available to accept any offer. They are available, even, to work in "clubs", mixing capoeira kicks to the smily apresentations of the americanized "girls".
TABAREO WHO COMES FROM THE BACKLANDS
Unfortunately, one of the boys doesn't know how to read or write. It was him, Evaristo Martins, the regular visitor of Mestre Waldemar's Shrine, who said to us:
- „I had an offer from the Police, but I didn't know arithmetic and couldn't do anything.. I went to teach them..."
Agile, strong, he is practically the leader of the four capoeira. While Adão Felix Reis and Jonas Ferreira dos Santos grasp the berimbau, the caxixi and the atabaque, he and Ananias Ferreira cross the capoeira steps in the middle of the shrine, singing:
„Tabareo who comes from backlands,
Selling okra and gherkin and stuff...“
He sings from what he's heard, learning everything by heart because he doesn't know hot to read. He is a backlands guys in the true meaning of the word, despite having grown up in the old Liberdade de Salvador, learning the best he could with Mestre Waldemar.
- „But, in the end", explained the boy to us, "we are available to bring capoeira to São Paulo. We think that she won't [..] as a theatre spectacle or to integrate to the numbers of the "clubs". We think that the box, jiu-jitsu or free fight academies could include our art in their programs. [..] to learn capoeira..."
And this is how capoeira starts to become yet another of the export articles of Bahia. Evaristo Martins, a specialist in headbutts and leg sweeps, wants to work in the exportation...
ANGOLA, SÃO BENTO OR REGIONAL
To the liking of the customer, Evaristo and Ananias will teach the diverse methods of capoeiragem, to the wish of the customers. They will give lessons of "Angola", the genuine, in which Mestre Pastinha is the emeritus. Dressed in white, without touching the body of the opponent, they will execute marvellous coreographies. They can also transmit the divers tricks of "Regional", created by Mestre Bimba which actually has nothing of regional because impregnated of the cosmopolitism of jiu-jitsu, of box and greco-roman fight. And, still, they will teach the paulistano to fight according to the precepts of Capoeira de São Bento, who puts the hands on the customers, efficient and brave.
- „As they wish", explains Evaristo, "because we play to the liking of the partner. We've been in his vadiação for years, since we all learned falling a lot in the [..] of Amaralina and Brotas..."
