ARE YOU A RODA PLAYER OR CAPOEIRISTA?

When most people think of Capoeiristas, images of rodas, traveling cultural troupes, Brazilian music and acrobatics spring to mind.

Herbalists, artists, spiritualists, real life dashing versions of Zorro and Robin Hood, real life Amazonian Queens, philosophers, writers, politicians, policemen, and vale tudo champions don't spring to mind.

When most people think of Capoeiristas...fluid, explosively fast, beautiful to behold, noncontact moves and blows, sexy bodies, smiles and what seems to be esoteric or archaic rituals in a roda may come to mind.

The progenitors of Parkour free running, the root and source of breakdancing, one of the first creators of male and female guerilla warfare masters, and healers do not come to mind.

When most people think of Capoeiristas...slow, spiritual songs or upbeat songs that set the heart mind and spirit afire spring to mind. Magic does not come to mind. Historians do not come to mind. Some of the greatest huminatarians on Earth do not come to mind.

When most people think of Capoeiristas...people in White uniforms singing songs in Brazilian Portuguese while forming a circle and playing African musical instruments come to mind. Sly, slick, cunning, chameleonic street fighters, assassins, freedom fighters, and malandros don't come to mind. Artisans don't come to mind. Lovers don't come to mind. Avatars of orixas don't come to mind. Camdomble doesn't come to mind.

Roda players who are bereft of any form of genuine self defense skill with their Capoeira think exclusively of the examples I gave in the first part of each of the paragraphs I have written above. Genuine Kipura warriors...Miscalled "Capoeiristas"...think of EVERYTHING that I have written above, and a lot more that couldn't possibly fit into any one person's blog anywhere.

And. They have Duaras...Miscalled "rodas".... similar to that which I grew up with. As a child and young adult,the regular accepted practice was much rougher than the beautiful but useless dancing and acrobatics, or slow low crouching, dysfunctional movement of Regionale-Moderno or "Angoleiro" "rodas". In fact, I was raised with the perspective that Duaras like these are elementary in skill and light on contact, technique stimuli, and are probably below even mid level beginner skill due to the lack of presence of weapons like sticks knives bricks and bottles, and the absence of ground grappling.

https://youtu.be/IDUEsUYlTy4

So. Are you a Roda Player or a Capoeirista?

I'm a practitioner of my family's Njia Uhuru Kipura. I am a Kipura warrior from the lineage of KONGO. "Kipura" is the word mispronounced by the Portugues as "capoeira"...therefore, all authentic "capoeira" is actually "Kipura/Kipula".

But that is a lesson for another time.