Capoeira: What is it?Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art which establishes it's distinctness through the use of language and dance. The martial art was formed by the descendants of African slaves, and exists today through generations of students, known as capoeristas, whom learned the art form through the masters, known as mestres or professor's. The mix of music and the Portuguese language sets it apart from other martial arts, such as Karate or Jiu-Jitsu.
CommunityA community can be defined a group of people sharing common interests, beliefs, and preferences; this definition can be interpreted in a variety of ways. For a cultural community, such as that of Capoeira, the commonality of language and music is a defining characteristic as well.
|
"A Pocket of Culture"A unique aspect of the Capoeira Club at Purdue that I delved into was the usage of the traditional Portuguese language, as well as the use of instruments and traditional music. The language plays a very important role in the martial art, and is even used to define character through the nicknames of mestres and seasoned capoeristas. These nicknames, and their implementation within the club, tend to stick with members for life. Due to these observations, I want to note that it is through this use of language and music that Purdue Capoeira distinguishes itself as a "pocket" of cultural significance and individuality against the backdrop of greater Purdue University.
|
Some VocabularyNumbers:
|