Remembering Mestre Pastinha

Today, there will be rodas de branco all over the world to honor the memory of Mestre Pastinha, Guardian of Capoeira Angola. On this day in 1981, Mestre Pastinha passed away. Due to his love for and dedication to it, Mestre Pastinha lives on in the memory of all angoleiros.

Here is a (translated) bit from an article written by Reynivaldo Brito in memory of Mestre Pastinha that appeared in A Tarde in 1988:

...[Mestre Pastinha] had a posture and an elegance of a prince and a lot of malícia… "Angola capoeira-mãe. Mandinga of the slave in anxiety for liberty; its principle has no method; its end is inconceivable to even the most wise capoerista" This inscription which he put in the main room of his academy and later brought it to his room on Alfredo Brito [Street] reflects his own existence. And, on different occasions, he spoke of all the “philosophy” of capoeira. “Capoeira is mandinga, it is manha, malícia, it is all that the mouth eats. Capoeira has a negative and a positive, it also has the truth. Negative is to act as if you are going to do something and you don’t. But in the moment that the guy least expects it, the capoeirista goes in and wins. I always say that capoeira will never end in Brazil because it is the mother of all fights."

Iê! Viva Pastinha!