CapoeiraWiki

CapoeiraWiki is a non-commercial, independent and collaborative encyclopedia dedicated to the Afro-Brazilian martial art of Capoeira.

Capoeira wisdom, shared and built together.

30/05/2025

Mestre Adilson turns 73 today! Surgeon, capoeira mestre, Adilson Alves da Silva was born on 30 May 1952. Key milestones:
- 1968: Earned his red cord from Mestre Rafael (Grupo Senzala) at just 16
- 1977: Runner-up at Brazilian Capoeira Championship + medical degree from UnB
- 1990: Founded Grupo Adilson Capoeira, nurturing generations of students
- Taught at Colégio Elefante Branco (1968–1978) while pursuing medicine, later reactivating his group in 2007 to honor late student Mestre Marquinhos.
- 🎉 Celebrates 60 years of in 2025.

🔍 search his full story on

29/05/2025

Mestre Brasília, born Antônio Cardoso Andrade (May 29, 1942, Alagoinhas, Bahia, Brazil), is a renowned Brazilian capoeira mestre and one of the pioneers responsible for the development of capoeira in São Paulo.

Key Milestones:
🔹 1965: Moved to SP, bridging Bahian tradition with urban innovation
🔹 1967: Co-founded Cordão de Ouro with Mestre Suassuna
🔹 1969: Established Associação de Capoeira São Bento Grande, fostering a unique style

Beyond the Roda: Composed iconic capoeira/samba albums (Ginga Original, Sorriso no Rosto). Authored books documenting capoeira’s philosophy. Serves as Vice-President of Culture for São Paulo’s Capoeira Federation

🔍 find out more on CapoeiraWiki
📸 Photo: Van Yang, 2015

29/05/2025

On 29 May 1858, Johann Moritz Rugendas passed away.
A German painter and illustrator, Rugendas joined a scientific expedition to Brazil in 1822 and created some of the earliest known visual records of Brazilian life, including scenes of capoeira and Afro-Brazilian culture.
His engravings, such as those published in Malerische Reise in Brasilien (1835), remain key references for understanding the visual history of capoeira in the 19th century.

25/05/2025

On 25 May 1940, Mestre Nonato (Raimundo Nonato Barbosa) was born in Feira de Santana, Bahia.
A disciple of Mestre Messias, he became a central figure in Capoeira Angola, known for his educational and artistic approach. He founded CAMEN and mentored numerous mestres including Mestre Kel, Mestre Bigode, Mestra Nena, and others.
His work blended capoeira with theater, history, and community engagement, and he was honored with the Prêmio Viva Meu Mestre in 2010.
Mestre Nonato passed away in 2019, but his legacy lives on through his students and cultural work in Bahia.
🔗 https://capoeirawiki.org/m/3S

24/05/2025

☀️ 3 anniversaries today!
24 May 1947 — Mestre Geni (José Serafim Ferreira Júnior)
24 May 1956 — Mestre Jaime de Mar Grande (Jaime Santos Lima)
24 May 1973 — Mestre Perna (Marcio Araújo
Swipe the images to read the short bios, or search their full stories on 🔍

M. Geni

20/05/2025

Brasília may be a young city, but its role in the development of capoeira is significant.
The capital saw the founding of its first academy in 1974 by Mestre Tabosa - Hélio Tabosa de Moraes and hosted some of the earliest moves to formalize as a sport. In 1979, the city’s mestres helped create the Federação Brasiliense de Capoeira — one of Brazil’s first capoeira federations.
Discover more about Brasília’s capoeira history on (search: Brasília 🔍) https://capoeirawiki.org/wiki/Bras%C3%ADlia

Photo: V Grande Roda Brasileira de Capoeira - Ginásio do Caseb - 1980

19/05/2025

🌟 Mestre Cobra Mansa 65! A Life Dedicated to Capoeira’s Past and Future
Born 19 May 1960 in Duque de Caxias, Cinézio Feliciano Peçanha (Cobra Mansa) is a living legend of Capoeira Angola. His journey spans:
- Co-founded GCAP (1982) to safeguard Angola traditions
- Established F**A (1996), now a global network
- Created Kilombo Tenondé, blending capoeira with permaculture
- PhD on "Gingando na linha da Kalunga" (UFBA, 2019)
- Documented engolo’s connections to in Angola
- Curated vast archives of Afro-Brazilian culture

🎥 Watch his documentary "Jogo de Corpo" to explore his research. Read his full story at (search for: Cobra Mansa 🔍) Cobra Mansa

19/05/2025

Today, 19 May, we celebrate the birthday of Mestre Garrincha (b. 1954).
A founding member of Grupo Senzala, he helped shape modern capoeira pedagogy and played a major role in its spread across Europe.
Since the 1980s, Mestre Garrincha has taught and supported capoeira communities in France, the Netherlands, Finland, and Spain. He also developed methods for teaching capoeira to children and integrating capoeira into university programs.
Mestre Garrincha Senzala

18/05/2025

On 18 May 1996, Mestre Vermelho 27 passed away.
One of Mestre Bimba’s closest students, Vermelho 27 (José Carlos Andrade Bittencourt) was instrumental in preserving Regional after Bimba’s departure from Salvador. He kept Bimba’s academy alive, taught generations of students, and remained committed to capoeira until his final days. You can now read his full story on .

17/05/2025

Today, 17 May, Mestre Boa Gente turns 80 years old.
Born in 1945 in Ibicaraí, Bahia, he is a Capoeira Angola mestre, vale-tudo champion, and founder of the Associação de Capoeira Mestre Boa Gente.
With a career spanning over 60 years, Mestre Boa Gente played a key role in promoting capoeira in Bahia and abroad, teaching in Brazil, the U.S., Portugal, and Australia. He is also known for his efforts to integrate capoeira into education and community development.
Read his full story on CapoeiraWiki!
Mestre Boa Gente

13/05/2025

On 13 May 1888, Brazil signed the Lei Áurea (Golden Law), officially abolishing slavery — making it the last country in the Western Hemisphere to do so.
That same day, the novel Os Capoeiras by Plácido de Abreu was published. Widely recognized as the first literary work to focus entirely on capoeira, it offers a vivid depiction of 19th-century capoeiragem, its rituals, slang, and street dynamics in Rio de Janeiro.

11/05/2025

On 11 May 1927, Mestre Felipe de Santo Amaro was born in Santo Amaro, Bahia.
Now 98, he is considered the oldest living Capoeira Angola mestre and a lifelong guardian of Afro-Brazilian traditions.
With a career spanning over 80 years, Felipe is known for preserving capoeira’s musical roots and teaching it as a path of healing and identity. In 2024, he was recognized as a national hero and received an honorary doctorate for his contributions to culture and education. https://capoeirawiki.org/m/3Q Mestre Felipe de Santo Amaro

Endereço

Brasília, DF

Site

https://capoeirawiki.org/

Notificações

Seja o primeiro recebendo as novidades e nos deixe lhe enviar um e-mail quando CapoeiraWiki posta notícias e promoções. Seu endereço de e-mail não será usado com qualquer outro objetivo, e pode cancelar a inscrição em qualquer momento.