reality. The recent admission of women as full equivalents to male players has extended capoeira’s
emancipating role even further to include gender equality (despite the existence, at the same time, of gender
discrimination in the capoeira universe). Thus contemporary capoeira fulfils a core requirement of modern
as opposed to ‘traditional’ sports: equality.^8
Beyond the politics of human rights capoeira represents the apprenticeship of the freedom of movement
and the theatricality it develops contributes to enhance group interaction. Capoeira, in all its diverse and
divergent meanings, represents thus an important Afro-Brazilian contribution to world culture. Adepts and
styles can be labelled as traditionalist or modernizing, Afro-centric or Brazilian nationalist, black or white,
antagonistic or playful, but again these oppositions are often too simplistic. In capoeira many different
levels of meaning intersect to form a complex web of signification. At its core, however, are the game and
its aesthetics. There seems to be a consensus above all controversies and styles that capoeira is, ultimately,
an art. Capoeira practice is a quest for beauty, which every adept pursues in one form or the other. And if
the notion of what is beautiful differ, does it matter? As the old capoeira corrido goes:
Aidé, Aide!
Play beautiful, for people to see!
Aidé, Aide!
Play beautiful, for me to learn!Hopefully this book contributes to a better understanding of the history of our game. I would appreciate your
criticisms and comments at: [email protected]
Bye-bye, bye-bye
Have a good trip!
Bye-bye, bye-bye
I am going
Bye-bye, bye-bye
I’m going with Our Lord
Bye-bye, bye-bye
I’m going with Our Lady210 CONCLUSION