Capoeira Angola has its roots in Bantu tradition and was used by the enslaved Africans of Brazil as a form of revolution. In keeping with African war strategies, Capoeiristas masked the art's effectiveness from plantation overseers.

Then and today, to uninformed onlookers the art appeared to be a harmless demonstration of dance, acrobatics, play and music.

Authorities eventually learned of its power and outlawed the practice, with death being the penalty for involvement during the period of slavery. So troublesome was Capoeira that, during a later period, a few penal colonies were constructed primarily for the imprisonment of capoeiristas. For years Capoeira was practiced in secrecy and was not lawful to practice and teach until after the 1930s--about forty years after the abolition of slavery.

Copyright © 1996-2002. International Capoeira Angola Foundation.