Cake and Capoeira in Mozambique

Some pictures and a note from Kt, who just got back from Mozambique!

Here are some photos from the FICA Maputo and Nzinga Maputo Capoeira Angola groups in Mozambique . FICA Maputo celebrated their 5th anniversary as a Capoeira Angola group in Maputo and their 4th year as part of FICA during the Friday night roda on August 28th. Definitely check out the groups in Maputo and if you can't make the trip out here's the Nzinga Maputo blog too.

The balloons are a nice touch, too.

Mozambique: Mulheres are Maningue Nice

From Mocambique

FINALLY!
A REPORT BACK FROM MOZAMBIQUE!
MULHERES ARE MANINGUE NICE !

Back in July, Deepa and Bessa from FICA Oakland had the opportunity to travel with Mestre Jurandir to attend the 5th annual African Capoeira Angola Conference in Maputo, Mozambique. Mestre Jurandir has been traveling to Mozambique for the past four years to support a study group there. Surprisingly, there are not many Capoeira Angola groups in Africa. In Maputo we counted 2 groups, and in South Africa heard of no groups that played only capoeira angola. The group of boys who follow Mestre Jurandir in Maputo met him on his first visit there and in the classic way that angoleiros fall in love and leave all their other lovers they immediately decided that no matter what Mestre thought he was going to be their Mestre and they were going to train only angola.

From Mocambique

The group is large for an angola group with 15-20 people, mostly young men under 20, and there were only 2 girls who had just started training when we got there. Their talent is amazing. Boys with less than a year, or a year and a half in capoeira playing so well, with so much mandinga. They have a wonderful group of kids. We attended the 5th annual African Capoeira Angola Conference and they were all very patient and spent most of two days straight with us. Deepa and I helped out teaching a workshop on Saturday, playing berimbau in the rodas, and did a palestra about Women in Capoeira. There are not many women in the Angola groups there, some foreign women but not many Mocambicanas. We went around and had everyone say what they thought the reasons were that women didn't train capoeira. They came up with - their parents wouldn't let them, it was too late at night for them to be out, they thought it was something just for boys, or they felt intimidated. We talked about why it was important, based on Mestre Pastinha's philosophy, for women and men to learn and play capoeira together. We talked about how they had the opportunity in Mocambique since capoeira was so new, to start the tradition with already women and men together, unlike in Brazil where there were many many years where women did not play. The girls promised to try to bring more of their friends, and a few of the boys said they wanted to make an effort to bring their friends as well and make sure they felt comfortable. In short, it was awesome. The girls especially were inspiring. At the root of the problem, however, is a very different culture where women do not hold the same positions in societies as men and in many regards do not interact with men as equals. I'm happy to say that when I came back in August, however, there there two new women training!

From Mocambique

Maputo, the city, reminds me of Brazil- the streets, the people, everyone speaking portuguese. But then you look closer and see all the women in their capulans - their wrapped fabric skirts; you hear Shingana and other African languages - and you know you are in Africa Although capoeira angola may not be popular in the motherland, the angoleiros that are there are dedicated, inspired, and an inspiration to all other angoleiros around the world.

Sounds like an amazing trip.

If you are interested in helping the group in Maputo, Bessa bought a bunch of beautiful capulans back and is selling them to raise money for the group there. I know they have some at FICA-DC. If you are interested, email: ficadc (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Many thanks to Bessa of FICA-Oakland for the report.

Mozambique: 4th African Encounter

There's still time to participate in the 4th Annual Capoeira Angola Encounter in Mozambique...

IV Annual African Capoeira Angola Conference
Dear Friends,

Welcome to Mozambique!!!

It´s with honor and pleasure that we announce the IV African Capoeira Angola Conference - Inhaca 2008.

This year the theme is: "Mestre Pastinha, uma vida pela Capoeira."

To present this respectfully theme we have invited 1 big name of the Capoeira Angola scene, Mestre Jurandir, a member of old school of GCAP (Grupo de Capoeira Angola Pelourinho, Mestre Moraes and João Grande's Student) actual President and Founder of the International Capoeira Angola Foundation ICAF.

This year, the lesson schedule has a new propose, which gives more time to movements lessons and video, images, photos and many materials of mestre Pastinha will be shown in event as the theme is about him.

As the place has got many objections but also it represents an intention of our group to make it traditional, this time we have 3 marvelous days in Maputo, between the Centro de Estudos Brasileiros and the Beautiful and magic (for many) Island of Inhaca, obeying the following schedule:

Friday, 4th of July of 2008
Local: Centro de Estudos Brasileiros CEB
10 - 13 H: Registering
14 - 17 H: Palestra/Vídeo/Photo show [theme: Mestre Pastinha: Uma vida pela Capoeira]
19 – 21H: Cocktail + Opening Roda]

Saturday, 5th of July of 2008
Local: INHACAZUL LODGE
7 H: Departure to the Inhaca Island
10 H: Arriving and check in Inhaca
12 H: Lunch
14 – 18 H: movement lesson
18:30 H: Dinner
20 H: Roda

Sunday, 6th of July of 2008
Local: INHACAZUL LODGE; e
Centro de estudos Brasileiros CEB
7 H: Breakfast
8 H: movement lesson
10 - 12 H: Closing Roda
13 H: Lunch
14:30 H: Departure from the Island;
17 H: Closing Ceremony at CEB;


As we still learning with time and experience, we have improved the menu having this time a very rich menu for those who have are vegetarian, combining it with delicious native cooking style, in charge by a specialist of this cooking type.

The boat trip will happen in Saturday morning, after the opening Roda, to ensure that everybody is on board and reduce the risk of boat missing for those who have to make long trips within weekdays.

For help more details about the event, contact:

FICA Moçambique

Rua João de Barros, 112 - Sommerschield
Maputo - Moçambique
Celular: +258 82 7606820 or +258 82 7298950
E-mail: isaac.mandlate@gmail.com

Web: www.fotolog.com/ficamz

We advise you to make the registration in your group table!

Yours Faithfully!

Isaac Mandlate
ICAF - Moçambique leader

Have fun.

African Encounter Postponed

Hope you had not purchased tickets, because the African Encounter has been postponed. Here are the new details:

Dear Mestres and Contra-mestres,
Dear Instructores and teachers,
Dear Comrades, students,
Mr. and Mrs.,

The International Capoeira Angola Foundation Mozambique, the managers of the African Capoeira Angola Conference, held in Mozambique year by year, inform that due to many reasons which the most relevant is our mestre's health situation (mestre Jurandir Nascimento), the event has changed the date of realization, from the first period (1st to 3rd of February) to the period going from the 4th to 6th of July of 2008, with the presence of Mestre Cobra Mansa and Mestre Jurandir Nascimento. The Conference will be held in a paradisiac beach, in Province of Gaza, Bilene Beach, 2hrs driving from Maputo.
Registration begin on April.
Prepare Yourself.

We are asking for opinions to make our conference as good as you wish it was. Help us. you can e-mail: isaac.mandlate@gmail.com or call +258 82 7606820.

We hope to see you all guys, for the African Capoeira development and unity.

We would like to apologise any problem caused by this decision.

Oh well, if you did buy tickets and are heading down, there is still plenty of fun to be had:



Thanks to AnaMC for the update & M Cobra Mansa for the photos.

Capoeira Event in Maputo, Mozambique

Mark your calendars. From Mozambique:

IV Encontro Africano de Capoeira Angola - Maputo 2008

Alo pessoal!

After a year of distance and missing, we are back with our Conference.

With the same axé, energy, brotherness, fellowship, adventure through nice beaches and places of our rich and Beautiful Mozambique that characterises our conference and above everything this year we bring more knowledge and experience from distinct and Honored Capoeira Angola Masters the conference is back.

From the 1st to the 3rd of February 2008.

Informations:
call: +258 82 7606820 / +258 82 7298950
email: isaac.mandlate(at)gmail(dot)com