Celebrating in Style: 12 Years of FICA-Bahia

The Fundação Internacional de Capoeira Angola-BA is pleased to invite all to participate in a week-long comemmoration of our 12 year anniversary, which falls on June 13, 2008.

This year our event will include the participation of mestres, contra-mestres, and treineus from different groups who will be leading FREE Capoeira Angola classes. At the end of the week, we will close the event with our traditional white roda (all participants should wear white clothes), followed by an exciting forró!!!

All the activities will take place in the FICA-BA building, located at:
Av. Carlos Gomes 111
Ed. Esther Moura Franco, 5º andar,
Tel- 3321-7365/ 9971-9283

We look forward to seeing you!

CAPOEIRA ANGOLA CLASSES!

Monday, June 9
Mestre Janja (Nzinga) from 7 – 8:30 pm
Mestre Valmir (FICA) from 8:30 – 10 pm

Tuesday, June 10
Professor Zoinho (ECAJPP) from 7 – 8:30 pm
Treineu Manoel (ZIMBA) from 8:30 – 10 pm

Wednesday, June 11
Contra-mestre Sinho (CCCAB) from 7 – 8:30 pm
Contra-mestre Gato Preto (GCFA) from 8:30 – 10 pm

Thursday, June 12
Mestre Valmir (FICA) from 7 – 8:30 pm
Mestre Poloca (Nzinga) from 8:30 – 10 pm

Friday, June 13
Roda de Branco from 6 – 9 pm
FORRÓ da FICA from 10 pm til the end

Caxixi 2008: Call for Works

The editing team of Caxixi, the literary magazine of Capoeira Angola is putting together another issue to be released at the annual FICA conference. Here are the details for your submissions:

Caxixi 6 - NEEDS YOU!!!

Roots and Branches: Globalization and Capoeira Angola

Once again its that time to make your submission to ICAF/FICA's literary magazine. In the spirit of the theme "Roots and Branches: Globalization and Capoeira Angola" we are certain that you have some sincere thoughts and ideas to share with the FICA Family. Time is of the essence so please don't wait to get your submissions in. The Deadline for submissions is Saturday, July 19, 2008 for the Summer/Fall edition of Caxixi. THE DEADLINE IS SATURDAY JULY 19th. Release your inner poet, birth your artistic love child, download those pictures off your digital camera, draw a stick figure --- and send it in.

Written submissions should be emailed as an attachment in word doc or rich txt format 12pt times new roman font . Submissions in other languages should include all accent marks. All submissions maybe edited. Poetry should be formatted as you want it to appear. Art and photos should be emailed as attachments in high resolution jpeg or pdf format. All submissions should include your name as you want it to appear and group affiliation.

Thanks,
The Editing Team

All submissions should be sent to: caxixi (dot) mag (at) gmail (dot) com

All submissions accepted for publication will be published and sold in Caxixi 6.

Mãe Menininha do Gantois

Just like Besouro Preto, Mestre Pastinha, and Princess Isabel, Mãe Menininha is another important figure from popular Brazilian culture who makes regular appearances in Capoeira Angola music. Her presences also demonstrates further the links between capoeira and candomblé that Mestre Poloca talked about in his article.

In February of this year, viver Bahia! a magazine that promotes the popular culture of Bahia, published and article about Mãe Menininha. Here, we present an excerpt from that article “A Oxum mais linda tá no Gantois” (The most lovely Oxum is in Gantois):

Admired for her wisdom, grace, knowledge, humility, and firm hand, for 64 years, the incomparable Mãe Menininha held the highest rank in the Candomblé hierarchy, that of Ialorixá, or Mãe de Santo, a position that combines religious guidance, political leadership and therapeutic power at the Terreiro do Gantois… with great spiritual powers and rare personal charisma, Mãe Menininha was largely responsible for the diffusion and popularization of Candomblé in Bahia.

With her immaculate lace skirts in turquois blue, golden yellow, and eyeglasses with strong lenses, she was na eloquent woman, sought out by politicians, celebrities, regular folks, and non-believers, by anthropologists, sociologists who in her found a precious font of information for their academic studies. She was a friend and spiritual guide for artists such as Pierre Verger, Carybé, Gal Costa, and the Mãe-de-Santo of Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil...

… A daughter of Oxum, the goddess associated with fresh water and love, the religious leader had various characteristics of her orixá.

… Granddaugher of slaves from Nigeris, she was named Maria Escolástica da Conceição Nazareth upon her birthday, February 10, 1894, in the neighborhood of Saldinha, in Salvador. She came from a family devoted to Candomblé. Her grandmother, Maria Júlia da Conceição Nazareth, founded Ilê Iya Omin Axé Iyamassê, the Terreiro do Gantois, in the middle of the nineteenth century. The Terreiro was later led by Mãe Menininha´s mother…

... When Mãe Menininha became an Ialorixá, the times were not easy for practitioners of Candomblé. There was much prejudice, and practitioners suffered great persecution and violence. “There was not freedom to practice our religion. The houses were persecuted and invaded by the police. They came in mounted on horses, with their swords drawn they would cut the skins of the drums and destroy everything in their path,” said her daughter and current Mãe de Santo of Gantois, Carmen Oliveira da Silva.

Mâe Menininha died on August 13, 1986 at the age of 92 of natural causes.

This is a great article with a lot more information on Mãe Menininha, the Terreiro of Gantois, and its followers. The article is available in English and Portuguese in the library of FICA-Bahia.

Orixás: Oxossi Kills the Witches´ Bird

Another myth from the book, “A mitologia das orixás” by Reginaldo Prandi.

Oxossi Kills the Witches´ Bird

Every year, to celebrate the harvest of the yams,
the king of Ifé held a grand celebration.
That year, the ceremony was going smoothly
when a big with huge wings landed on the roof of the palace.The bird was monstrous and terrifying.
The people were scared and asked where it came from.
The bird was sent by the witches,
the Iá Mi Oxorongá, our mother witches,
offended because they were not invited.
The bird threatened to ruin the party,
the people ran in fear.
And the king called upon the best hunters in the kingdom to kill the huge bird.
From Idô, came Oxotogum with his twenty arrows.
From Morê, came Oxotogi with his forty arrows.
From Ilarê, came Oxotadotá with his fity arrows.
They promised the king that they would destroy the perverse beast,
Or lose their own lives.
Nothing worked, in the end, for the three odés.
They wasted their arrows and failed.
They were imprisoned by order of the king.

Finally from Irém came Oxotoncanxoxô,
the hunter with only one arrow.
If he failed, he would be executed
along with those who preceded him.
Scared for the life of her son,
the mother of the hunter went to the babalaô
and he recommended that the desperate mother
make an ebó to please the witches.
The mother of Oxotocanxoxô sacrificed a chicken.
In this moment, Oxotocanxoxô took his ofá, his bow,
pointed it with great attention and shot his only arrow.
And killed the terrible pernicious bird.
The sacrifice had been accepted.
The Iá Mi Oxorongá were placated.
The hunter received honors and half of the riches of the kingdom.
The imprisoned hunters were liberated and everyone celebrated.
Everyone sang to honor Oxotocanxoxô.
The hunter was very popular.
They sang in his honor, calling him Oxossi,
that in the language of the place meant, “The Hunter Oxô is Popular”.
Since then Oxossi has been his name.

You can find this book, filled with many wonderful myths, in the FICA-DC archives (in very easy to read Portuguese).

Grupo Nzinga: Capoeira Angola in Pinheiros, SP

A note from Grupo Nzinga in São Paulo:

Hello friends! Starting on May 31, the group of Nzinga in Pinheiros, São Paulo will begin Capoeira Angola classes.

Every Saturday from 3 – 5 pm.

Grande Abraço,
The Communications Commission
Grupo Nzinga de Capoeira Angola
Rua Carris, 13
Pinheiros, São Paulo

Grupo Nzinga de Capoeira Angola
Tradition and Philosophy

Grupo Nzinga invites all to participate in the activities in its newest space in Pinheiros.

www.nzinga.org.br

telephone: 8937 3396

“Capoeira é amorosa, não é perversa. É um hábito cortês que criamos dentro de nós, uma coisa vagabunda.” Mestre Pastinha

"Quem não pode com Besouro..."

Besouro Preto de Mangangá is one of the most prevelant, yet also one of the most mysterious personalities in the history of capoeira. There are many capoeira songs that mention him, end even more legends that surround his life. Born in the city Santo Amaro de Purificação in 1885, Manoel Henrique Pereira, also known as Besouro Preto de Mangangá, or Besouro Cordão de Ouro, became a mythic figure and distinguished himself as one of the greatest capoeiras ever even though he died before he reached the age of thirty.

In the book, “Bimba, Pastinha e Besouro de Mangangá, três personagens da Capoeira Baiana” (Bimba, Pastinha and Besouro de Mangangá, three personalities of Bahian Capoeira), the author, Antonio Liberac Cardoso Simões Pires documents the changes that capoeira undergoes (largely from the street to the academy) at the start of the twentieth century through the lives of three great master capoeiristas: Mestre Bimba, Mestre Pastinha, and Besouro Preto.

The author also charts in detail the studies that he undertook to find information, especially in regards to the legendary figure of Besouro Preto. At times, the author even doubted the existence of the man because the stories surrounding him were so fantastic – that he escaped the police by turning into a beetle and flying away, or that he could not be wounded because he had a corpo fechado.To ascertain the truth as best he could, the author examined the registry books at the docks of various cities in Bahia, as well as the police records. He also interviewed citizens of Santo Amaro to piece together the history of Besouro Preto. Much of the information presented in the book comes from interviews done with a friend of the famous capoeirista known as Noca de Jacó. Here is an excerpt from the book that talks about them both:

Noca de Jocá became the principal informant regarding the life and work of Besouro de Mangangá; he guarded the memories and followed the life of the mestre, in the most tranquil times and the most intimate, like when he was working on the boat “Deus Me Guie”, meeting with women, and playing in capoeira rodas. Essentially, in both his moments of war and of peace. In this way, it is with good reason that Noca de Jocá was known in the city as one of the oldest capoeiristas still living when this study was done. According to him, Besouro was a person who did not like the police, street riots, nor cowardice. He was a good man, but also a valentão. When he was in Santo Amaro, he usually stayed around the warehouse. Sometimes he would travel by sailboat. He had to deliver merchandise, crossing the Bay of All Saints. Besouro challenged anyone who was well-known, or who could increase his reputation, as it is with all valentões, and at times, he also had to confront the police, who also had valentões in their ranks, and that is what happened during the time that Besouro worked on the docks:

“It happened in the Largo da Cruz. The solider challenged Besouro (Besouro responded) come back, come back. I’m not going to do anything. Besouro grabbed the revolver of the solider.”

… Besouro ran through the Beco do Xaréu, crossing the bridge. José Costa [the solider] who was a good runner, was able to get close to Besouro, but he was hit by shots from the revolver. The bravada of Besouro is remembered by all. In this case, he shot two bullets in the arm of the policeman. The fact that he had confronted the police turned him into a hero, a mestre for all the kids at the warehouse known as Trapiche de Baixo, where they played capoeira barefoot and plain clothes. His reputation turned into legend. People created stories about his in which he performed impossible stunts in impossible situations, mixing it all with the possible. An air of mystery surrounds this figure. They told me that at some times, he had the power to disappear, transforming himself into a beatle and flying from his enemies. His fantastic escapes from the police are one of the defining characteristics in his adventures, kept in the memory of the public…

This is a great book. Especially interesting is its description of the relationships between capoeira and the street, violence, and the police in the beginning of the twentieth century, and how these relationships influenced the development of capoeira.

You can find this book (in Portuguese) in the Center for Afro-Oriental Studies at the Federal University of Bahia, or if you want a copy for yourself, in many of the book stores around the center of the city of Salvador.

Mestre Cobra Mansa: Around the World & Back Again

Mestre Cobra Mansa continues his travels around the world, sharing his knowledge of Capoeira Angola in classes and workshops. If you would like more information about an event that he will be attending, contact the address listed by the city:

May 21 – 25, Italy : medusa (dot) angola (at) hotmail (dot) it

May 26, USA: ficadc (at) hotmail (dot) com

May 29 – June 9, Japan: rahiemb (at) hotmail (dot) com, or shimaken914 (at) hotmail (dot) com

June 10 - 11, USA

June 12 – 17, Moscow: imahshtefan (at) mail (dot) ru

June 19 – 23, Austria: xuxocdo (at) hotmail (dot) com

June 25 – 30, London: info (at) cdol (dot) co (dot) uk

July 3 – 7, Kiev, Ukrania: niam (dot) niam (at) gmail (dot) com

July 10 – 13, Vienna, Austria: queilarosa (at) hotmail (dot) com

September 4 – 7, Chicago, USA (International FICA Encounter): beto (at) riopminc (dot) com

Have fun!

Thanks to M Cobra Mansa for the information.

Pictures from Capoeira Around the Globe

A few pictures of Mestre Cobra Mansa's most recent trip around the world. The pictures include images of Mestre Valmir, CM Reny of ACANNE, and lots of European capoeiristas.


Click here to see more pictures from his adventures in Europe and Brazil.

Capoeira Event in Ilheus, Bahia

DanceBatuKeira 2008
* Capoeira Angola * Dança Afro * Maculelê * Batucadas *

When: July 23 - 27
Where: Ilheus, Bahia, Brazil
Convidados: TBA
Price: USD$633.51 (pousada living), or USD$318.23 (camping)

Cabello and Tisza from Capoeira Angola Center of Mestre Joao Grande invite all:

This will be our 10th event in Bahia

AXE’ in Bahia this summer!!trip to Brasil and Workshops

Rodas and workshops with Tisza & Cabello plus guest Mestres

You will be living in the south Bahia close to historical city of Ilhéus and the very famous Itacaré surf town for 5days and nights taking Capoeira Angola, Maculele, Afro Brazilian Dance and lots of Drumming classes plus instrument making workshops, forest hikes, water falls, white sand beaches, forro dance party and more.

Enjoy and experience classes and workshops of Caxixi, Pandeiro, Atabaque, Batucada drumming, Samba dance, Orixa’ Dance, Capoeira Angola Rodas songs and other percussion ensembles and more…

No prior experience required!! All levels welcome!!!

**Space is limited to 35 people.

Complete registration information is available at their website (click here).

This event looks pretty amazing.

Thanks to Cabello for the information.

FICA-Baltimore: Schedule for Weekend Event

UNITED WE STAND
The 5th Annual Malcolm X Roda Weekend
Harlem Park Recreation Center
700 N. Calhoun Street, Baltimore, MD 443-536-7177

Treinel Gege -FICA DC
Treinel Kamau - FICA Philly
Treinel Santemu -FICA DC

Master Class taught by Special Guests

*************MESTRE PAULINHA (NZINGA) will be attending the Roda************

Wednesday, May 14, Lecture (after Class)

Thursday, May 15, Street Roda

Friday, May 16, 2008

* 10am - 12pm Training
* 6pm - 8:30 Capoeira class
* 9pm - 1am House Party

Saturday, May 17, 2008

* 8am - 9am Registration
* 9am - 12pm Capoeira Class Adult advanced/ Beginner
* 9am - 10:30pm Children's tumbling and music class
* 12pm - 2pm Lunch/ Treinel Meeting
* 2pm - 4pm Capoeira Class Adult advanced/ Beginner
* 2pm - 4pm Children Supervised Play
* 4pm - 5:30pm Community Roda (outside)
* 9pm - 1am BRAZIL STYLES SAMBA PARTY

Sunday, May 18, 2008

* 8am - 9:30am Special training
* 10am - 1pm Master Class
* 10am - 12pm Children's art project
* 1:30pm Carpool to Leakin park
* 2:30pm - 7pm Cookout/ Roda/ Ceremony for El Hajj Malik Shabazz(Malcolm X)

Monday, May 19, 2008
* 6pm - 8:30 Free Beginners class

Cost $65 for weekend w party includes meals
Friday Class - $20
Saturday Class - am $25, pm $20 Lunch $5
Sunday Class - $20
Sunday Roda $5 donations
Children's Class $10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Directions to Sunday's roda @ Trailhead at Winans Meadow, Leakin Park
(Baltimore)

-Take North Ave west to the very end, just pass Hilton Parkway.

-Turn (L)eft on Morris street. (It's the last possible left turn off North
Ave. DO NOT turn on Hilton Parkway).

-Take the next (R)ight onto Franklintown road.

-Travel for an additional 1.1 miles to "Trailhead at Winans Meadow", Leakin
Park. Turn (R)ight into the parking lot.

Speaking Truth to Power, Capoeira Style

Princesa Isabel, signatory of the infamous law that abolished slavery in Brazil in 1888 and that we discussed yesterday on the blog, appears in various capoeira songs, perhaps most notably, this ladainha:

Iê!
Dona Isabel que história é essa
De ter feito a abolição
De ser princesa boazinha
Que acabou com a escravidão
Tô cansado de conversa
Tô cansado de ilusão
A abolição se fez com sangue
Que inondava esse pais
Que o negro transformou em luta
Cansado de ser infeliz
Abolição se fez bem antes
E ainda há por se fazer agora
Com a verdade da favela
Não com a mentira da escola
Dona Isabel chegou a hora
De se acabar com essa maldade
De se ensinar aos nossos filhos
O quanto custa a liberdade
Viva Zumbi, nosso gueirreiro
Que fez-se herói lá em Palmarés
Viva a cultura desse povo
A liberdade verdadeira
Que já corria nos quilombos
E já jogava capoeira, camaradinha!

Written by Mestre Toni Vargas, the ladainha exposes the farce that a nice princess ended slavery in Brazil and everyone lived happily ever after - an unfair myth often promoted by the government and media, as demonstrated in the article excerpted yesterday. The song gives credit to the black community, especially Zumbi dos Palmares, and emphasizes that the struggle continues simply to be honest about the past. We’ll leave it to you to translate the specifics. Its worth it.

It’s a nice ladainha. You can hear it sung beautifully on Mestre Joao Pequeno’s cd.

Today, One Hundred & Twenty Years Ago...

   
One hundred and twenty years ago today, Princess Isabel signed into law the abolition of slavery in Brazil. Since that day, the meaning and importance of the event have been a matter of dispute in Brazil. Last year, we talked about the history of the law, and its significance in Brazil today. This year, Professor João José Reis, in an article written for Ìrohìn, a Brazilian newspaper, discusses early celebrations of the date and its importance now and then:

On May 13, 2008, one hundred and twenty years will have passed since Princess Isabel signed the decree abolishing slavery in Brazil, the last American country to do so. Abolition was not a negotiation resolved only by the parliament and the royal palace. The slaves contributed, in individual and collective struggles, towards the decline and fall of the Empire which supported slavery. The mass escapes that they undertook in the early stages of abolition defined the end of the institution. And when the slaves learned of the victory, they celebrated along with free blacks and those sympathetic to the cause. They celebrated with such enthusiasm that the authorities and former slave owners grew scared, thinking that abolition could be followed by revolution.

… In a recent lecture, [Walter Fraga Filho] discussed his new research which deals with, among other subjects, the memory of slavery and the celebrations of the 13th of May in the years that followed emancipation. He observed that the black community pledged each year to renew the celebrations and take advantage of the occasion to demand that which was not conceded to them upon abolition. He shows that little by little these commemorations were attended by fewer people, and he explains that those in power and the dominant white class searched for way so to keep people from attending these festivities…

The reader should recall that twenty years ago, on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the abolition of slavery, the government and the media tried to create a moment of national pride. It was the blacks groups that ended the celebratory feeling and demanded public policies that favor blacks…

… and here we are, one hundred and twenty years following abolition and the silence has “opened its wings over us”… it is necessary to make noise, it is necessary that we do not let this date simply pass because this is a good opporunity to think about racial inequality, racism in our country, and the means that we should take to remove, as the abolitionists said, this “cancer” among us.

How do you think May 13 will remembered one hundred and twenty years from now?

The article, entitled, “Realeza portuguesa e escravidão negra” (Portuguese Royalty and Black Slavery) was published in the March 2008 issue of Ìrohìn, along with other interesting articles, and is available to read in Portuguese in the FICA-DC archives. It discusses in depth the state of Brazil upon the arrival of the Portuguese court as well as the aftermath, both violent and celebratory, of the abolition of slavery in Brazil.
   

Help with the Next Issue of Caxixi!

This is exciting news... we can all look forward to another excellent issue of Caxixi!

Greeting ICAF Family –

Treinel Beto of ICAF Chicago has already announced that there will be a Caxixi Magazine for this conference in September. The team that has made the magazine is small yet mighty. We are recruiting individuals who may be interested in working on the magazine with us. We are looking for interviewers. The interviewers need to be willing to interview and transcribe the interview with selected people. We are looking for Portuguese editors, individuals who are willing to review Portuguese text and ensure that it is correct. Lastly we are asking for contributors, people who are willing to take the time to share a bit of themselves with the family. If you have another behind the scenes talent you would like to offer please send an email to me or caxixi (dot) mag (at) gmail (dot) com.

With love and much ashe

Ama Chandra
ICAF Baltimore

Whitewater Rafting Trip in July

Wish you were here!

This looks like it is going to be a lot of fun:

Capoeiristas, Outdoor Enthusiasts, Community Members lend me your ear...

ICAF-BALTIMORE is currently in the throes of organizing our 2nd Annual Harriet Tubman Camping Retreat. You are invited to attend. This year we have an exciting weekend planned that includes good food, great music, beautiful people, Capoeira Angola (of course), hiking, biking, sightseeing and WHITEWATER RAFTING!!!!!

From July 25-27 we will be traveling to Ohiopyle State Park in Pensylvania for a fun-filled weekend of bonding, training, community building & nature-loving. We have two whitewater rafting excursions planned on the Youghigeny River: one for adults & a very gentle "float" for the children & pregnant mamas. If you've never been rafting...IT IS A BLAST!

While finalizing pricing we want to ensure the best possible cost for the trip to you, our community. As you know we are providing some meals & snacks during weekend. In order to lock in a great price we need to report some hard numbers to the rafting company. So... if you are planning on going rafting you must make a "good-will" deposit to set your place.

Adults going camping only: $10 deposit
Adults going rafting: $20 deposit
Children going rafting: $5 deposit

Total Reservation Costs

$100 Adult camping & rafting on Lower Yough (4 meals provided)
$70 Adult camping & "floating" on Middle Yough (3 meals provided)
$40 Adult for non-rafting adults (3 meals provided)
$20 Children & "floating" on Middle Yough (3 meals provided)
$10 Children camping only (3 meals provided)

On June 1, registration fees will increase by $20 (not including children's reservations).

Please submit your deposit TODAY to ICAF-Baltimore via PayPal www.paypal.com using this email address as the account. Or submit to me (Cheffy D) in person. This must be done by May 14, 2008!

Registration is due including all fees by June 25, 2008.

Further information retreat & itinerary come! Incentives to those who pay total fees by Friday June 13.

This deposit will be applied to your total registration fees. This deposit is non-refundable but transferable.


Peace & Love,

FICA-Baltimore
Denzel

----------- INTERESTED OUT-OF-TOWNers? ------------------------
Flights on Southwest airlines:

NY $59-122
Chicago $91-184
Oakland $197-230
Seattle $230-280
Texas $105-193

Hope you all can make it!

Thanks to T Skher and Denzel for the information.

Mestre Pastinha On the Docks of Bahia

Mestre Bola Sete has written a number of interesting books and articles on capoeira. In his book, A Capoeira Angola na Bahia, he recalls some stories of the great old mestres, including Pastinha and Besouro Preto. The book also includes a catalogue of movements and capoeira songs (many attributed to Mestre Pastinha- the book is worth it just for those). Here's one of the stories:

I know many stories about Mestre Pastinha. Some of them I will pass on:

Antonio Maré, a famous capoeirista of the past and a great friend of Mestre Pastinha, once brought him [Pastinha] to play capoeira on the docks of Bahia where he [Pastinha] was known only by name. Arriving there, he knelt down at the “pé do berimbau” to play with one of the local capoeiristas. As they began their game, the other capoeiristas, friends who were playing with the mestre, yelled out “You’re going to clip this little chicken's wings, hey fulano?“ But to their surprise, the “chicken” [okay, one translation of the word] always had the advantage. At the end of the game, all the capoeiristas pressed Antonio Maré, who was well-known in the area, to tell the name of his friend. It was then that Antonio Maré revealed, “This is the famous Mestre Pastinha.” Upon hearing this, all the capoeiristas praised and congratulated the mestre, and one of the capoeiristas present stated, “Once I saw him, with that game and that manha, it could only be Mestre Pastinha.”

The book is great. You will really enjoy the stories (maybe we can sneak another one in) of the old mestres on the streets of Bahia and how capoeira was part of their everyday lives, not just in the academy or in the roda. You can find this book, A Capoeira Angola na Bahia by Mestre Bola Sete, in the FICA-Bahia library, but I am sure it is available other places, and most certainly with Mestre Bola Sete himself.

Have a story to share? Send it our way: ficadcarchives (at) gmail (dot) com

FICA-Baltimore: Party & Camping Trip

FICA-Baltimore has got it going on!

Yet another event in their busy schedule (they are also planning a camping trip, more info below, if you will be in the area).

SAVE THE DATE! SAVE THE DATE! SAVE THE DATE!

INTERNATIONAL CAPOEIRA ANGOLA FOUNDATION BALTIMORE

Presents

BRAZIL STYLES: The Afro Brazilian Samba Party

Experience the sounds and taste of Brazil w/ Samba and Capoeira Demo
Light Appetizers and Brazil Style Drinks

BAHIA SOUND SYSTEM Guest DJ

Saturday May 17, 2008
Time: 9pm until 1am
Location: The Library of Progress, 1401 Light Street (Federal Hill), Baltimore, MD
Tickets $5, in advance
Contact 443-536-7177 for tickets and more information

Tickets can be purchased at The Yabba Pot, Reflections Eternal, with more locations being added

Camping trip info:

ICAF FAMILY,

We at ICAF-Bmore are having our annual camping trip in July and you're
invited. If you'd like to go this year assist us by helping us to choose
between two campsite destinations. Details below....
Thanks -
TSkher

Party People,

Our 2nd annual Harriet Tubman camping trip is scheduled for July 25 thru 27.
We are very excited about this opportunity to travel out to the semi-wild
blue yonder and bond as a group. Last year's retreat was a blast including
basking snakes, a rockin' berimbau jam session & Cheffy's own dutch oven
campfire peach cobbler! This year we are considering two very exciting
options ('course I'm partial to one):

1. whitewater rafting and mountain terrain in Pennsylvania (if you've never
been rafting it is exhilirating!)

OR

2. beach camping & night hiking in Delaware

Difficult choice, right? These are both primitive sites meaning you bring a
tent. Cabins are available but you will have to reserve them on your.

Eat a piece of seasonal, local fruit.

PEACE,

Denzel

These are both "primitive" campsites that means a clearing for your tent.
There is a bath house at both campgrounds. Which means you can shower. No
electricity. You may reserve a cabin if you so choose but they are more
expensive. As well as other lodging options for those who ballin' like that.
Of course the white water rafting is going to bump up the PA option.

Rough estimates follow (drum roll please):

1. Weekend Camping at Cape Henelopen, DE includes 4 meals: $50 per adult.
$20 per child

2. Weekend Camping at Ohiopyle Sate Park, PA includes 4-5 meals and a white
water rafting adventure on the Youghiogheny River for adults & children.
Numerous mountain trails. Very close proximity to the Frank Lloyd Wright
designed home entitled "Falling Water" (the house is built into a clif
overhanging a waterfall! It's so beast!):

Check out http://www.laurelhighlands.com/

$50 per adult

Optional:
$120 per rafting adult (anyone over age 12) Lower Yough: Class 2-3 rapids
$80 per rafting child (anyone under age 12) Middle Yough: Class 1-2 rapids
$20 per non-rafting child

Again, to be clear these are approximates. We can get some group discounts.
Gasoline is gonna be a factor to consider, of course. So, if you've ever
wanted to go whitewater rafting this is the time & for added bonus we do it
in the name of liberation, survival, freedom, CAPOEIRA! We will organize
some efforts to raise funds to defray or even cover the costs. My personal
opinion is that the PA trip would be much more fruitful. They are more or
less equal drive time apart by the way.


I believe the group is working on chosing a site, but if you will be in the area (its a pretty big area, Maryland-Delware-Pennsylvania-DC-Virginia.. and many other states. Come on, the drive will be worth it), you can contact the FICA-Baltimore group at: info (at) baltimorecapoeira (dot) org.

It's going to be fun!