The Academic world and Popular Culture
O CEDANZE Academia João Pequeno de Pastinha – CECA ・Mestre Faísca, every day, decoding the secrets left by our Masters: Africano Benedito, Pastinha and João Pequeno de Pastinha.
A part of the Capoeira Groups, whether Angola or Regional, has implemented in their work an organization and training looking at the scientific academic guidelines, thus using criteria and terminology in the training of its students, such as hierarchical nomenclature with diplomas of teachers, masters, Masters, Doctors, etc.
The lack of belief in Afro-Brazilian Popular Culture has led the leaders of these groups to follow a social model disseminated by young Capoeiristas historians, and not the Capoeira Masters who guaranteed the existence of Capoeira with its doctrine, and resistance to the colonization system!
Capoeira Angola has its doctrine based on the Afro-Brazilian civilizational values that is transmitted orally by an ancestral line through trust between Master and disciple, and the training parameters are different from an Academic model. It has its own identity, its metrics, nomenclatures, time of understanding, a duty to take responsibility, a belief and deep experience within the culture, elements that make the formation and knowledge of a Capoeirista unique!
I will quote the phrase of an African thinker who was born in Mali “Tierno Bokar Salif”
“Writing is one thing, and knowledge is another,” and “writing is a photograph of knowledge, but not knowledge itself.” In the oral tradition, words have divine power and meaning, and are bound by a commitment to truth and to ancestors.
Tierno Bokar Salif. (Born in 1875 – 1940 · Ségou 240k from the capital Bamako – Mali)
Happy society that benefits from these two educations “Scientific and Popular Culture”, but we can not forget that they are different doctrines!
When a Capoeirista, loses belief, and submits to social pressure, he wastes the best part of the richness of Capoeira and Afro-Brazilian Popular Culture, and this weakens the training of teachers committed to oral Culture, and, impoverishes the resistance struggle of Capoeira Masters!
Mestre João Pequeno de Pastinha told me: “Faisca, from Capoeira you take everything: The show, the show, body expression for dance, theater, music, percussion, money, cinema, lecture, but when you take an element of Capoeira, it ceases to be Capoeira!”
The international CEDANZE AJPP-CECA・Mestre Faísca, is open to receive and thank all who seek us, and will continue contributing to the training of new students (as) in Capoeira Angola Tradicional.
My definition of Academic knowledge and the knowledge of afro-brazilian Popular Culture
“The writing, is given in a listening at a specific time, already in the oral tradition, the listening has no determined time, and the knowledge is only revealed at the moment that you are ready!”
Mestre Faísca
No Capoeirista member of the international CEDANZE AJPP-CECA・Mestre Faísca, will receive a diploma, if they do not engage with responsibility with Capoeira Angola Tradicional, and the civilizational values of the Brazilian Bahia Afro Popular Culture, strictly following the metrics contained in our institution, which was left by our masters!
We continue with the mission that was delegated to us!
Good vibration – axé
Mestre Faísca