Capoeira

Boavista has long been a multicultural island for welcoming people from all over the country and abroad, who bring with them their specificities, from their islands or country of origin. Euro-African emigration has influenced and generated some kind of impact on the island’s culture.

In this segment, capoeira is defined as an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music. It was developed by African slaves in Brazil at the beginning of the 16th century. It is known for its acrobatic and complex maneuvers, usually involving hands on the ground and inverted kicks. It emphasizes fluid movements instead of fixed postures, the ginga, a swing step, is usually the focal point of the technique. The most accepted origin of the word capoeira comes from the words tupi ka’a (forest) pau (round), which refer to areas of low vegetation in the Brazilian interior where fugitives were hiding.