Adam Haupt
Capoeira, Brazil’s beefy martial arts form, has an interesting history that takes one into Brazil’s colonial past. Its movements evoke its people’s African origins. Given its place in the history of the “new world”, it’s odd that two Swedes – Paul Blomgren and Billy Malm – are in South Africa to “re-introduce” this art form to the tip of the continent.
Capoeira was initially practiced by “African slaves who were brought to Brazil”, says Blomgren. As slaves, they were prohibited from learning to fight and therefore disguised their fighting style as a dance form. The form was not merely subversive on a symbolic level. According to Blomgren: “The slaves developed capoeira as a means of defending themselves against the slave owners and also as a way to break free.” Later, apparently, the fighting form became useful in slaves’ attempts to establish independent states in Brazil’s interior. One such state was the legendary Palmares, which is reputed to have survived for 100 years. Blomgren claims that these slaves used capoeira to hold back the Portuguese army.
The origins of capoeira spark debate. The argument that the form has its roots in Africa, given that it was African slaves who developed it, is contested by Blomgren. According to him, it is believed that the slaves got their inspiration from traditional South American hunting dances, but this still does not explain why capoeira performances look so much like karate. Interestingly, the African origin argument is supported by the fact that a Khoi musical instrument, the berimbau, is used during performances. While this could establish some sort of link with Africa, Blomgren argues that capoeira’s particular form and identity was shaped in colonial Brazil on its own terms. This leads one to ask whether Blomgren and Malm are really in the business of “re-introducing” Southern Africans to capoeira.
But apart from this quandary, one wonders how two Swedes came to learn this subversive art form. Blomgren and Malm belong to a Brazilian capoeira organisation called Abada, which promotes capoeira in 25 countries. While the Swedish chapter of Abada is organised much like a karate club, the organisation, which has its headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, is also driven by its interest in social justice and community development. This is due to the art form’s liberation history. In Brazil, for example, Abada has programmes for street children and, in fact, many of the instructors are former street children themselves. The organisation also does community development work in areas where drug trafficking is prevalent. The fighters, also regarded as artists, therefore offer more constructive alternatives to the youth in these areas.
Blomgren claims that Abada performs a similar function in Sweden. Sweden is becoming increasingly cosmopolitan as people of a number of nationalities have begun to settle there. Abada brings a considerable number of these diverse individuals together. This is why Blomgren and Malm are in South Africa. Abada is to contribute to youth development in the country and, at the same time, promote the martial arts form.
Last month they commenced training workshops in the Western Cape in places such as Heideveld, Khayelitsha, Westridge, Rylands, Observatory and Wynberg. Blomgren and Malm will also be joining hip-hop crew Black Noise, which often combines art and community development, on a tour called the African Battle Cry from February 7 to 14. The African Battle Cry itself will run until March 7 and is sponsored by the National Arts Council. The tour will cover towns such as Knysna, George, Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Mamelodi and Durban.
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