São Paulo, Brazil: Workshops with M Janja

Nzinga
Mestre Janja in São Paulo

Capoeira Angola Open Workshop

Lecture: 30 years without Pastinha

Sunday, February 20
2:30 pm

Nzinga Space
Rua dos Cariris, 13

Contribution: R$20,00
  

São Paulo, Brazil: 15 Years of Nzinga

   

July 30 – August 1, 2010

Nzinga
15 years
tradition with resistance

Mestres Janja, Paulinha, Poloca, Jaime de Mar Grande, Plínio, Valmir, Tata Mutá and Tião Carvalho

Workshops, rodas e discussions

Contribution
R$70, entire event
R$30, per day

Registration and schedule of events:
website

8937–3396, 9399-3963

Rua dos Cariris, 13B
Pinheiros - São Paulo - Brazil
   

São Paulo, Brazil: Capoeira & Dança Pé no Chão

Grupo Nzinga
Capoeira Angola
Núcleo São Paulo

Mestre Janja
Tata Mutá Imê
September 2009

19, Saturday
2 pm, Capoeira Angola workshop
music & movement
5 pm, roda

20, Sunday
9 am, Capoeira Angola workshop
music & movement
11 am, conversation about ancestors

Dança Pé no Chão
Of the nkises, orixás and voduns
Workshop led by tata-de-nkise of the Casa dos Olhos de Tempo- Nação Angolão Paquetan – Salvador

Percussion of the nkises
Led by Mauricío Alves (Mestre Ambrósio) and Alysson Bruno (Abaçaí)

22, Tuesday & 24, Thursday
7 pm, percussion
8 pm, dance

26, Saturday
3 pm, percussion
4 pm, dance

Capoeira: R$30,00 or R$20,00/day
Dança dos nkises: $60,00 or $25,00/day

Grupo Nzinga – Rua dos Cariria, 13
Pinheiros, 89373396
Website

All are welcome to participate!

Salvador, Bahia: Mulher na Capoeira Tem Dendê na Roda

Instituto Nzinga de Capoeira Angola presents:

Mulher na capoeira tem dendê na roda
March 27 & 28, 2009

Schedule of Events
03/27
7 pm, Seminar - Mulher na Capoeira Tem Dendê na Roda
Location: CDCN – Rua do Paço, 42 – Santo Antônio – Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Valdecir Nascimento – Superintendant of Women’s Politics/ SEPROMI
Adriana Albert Dias – historian and researcher
Christine Zonzom – sociologist
Rosângela “Janja” Araújo – Faced/UFBA e Instituto Nzinga
Mediator : Ligia Vilas Boas/ INCAB

03.28
4 pm, Capoeira Roda
Location: Memorial das Baianas de Acarajé – Cruz Caida, Praça da Sé

The objective of the seminar “Mulher na Capoeira: Tem Dendê na Roda” is to discuss the forms of violence that women face within the context of capoeira, including the challenges and paths through which women enter capoeira in a respectful way. In this way, the seminar will examine the dynamics of the strategies of empowerment of women capoeiristas, stimulating their political participation in women’s organizations.

São Paulo, Brazil: Two Saturdays with M Janja

Mestre Janja

Open workshop
Saturday, January 24 & Saturday, January 31
2:30 pm

Rua dos Cariris, 13
Travessa da Cardeal Arcoverde
8937-3396

Contribution: both Saturdays, R$30,00/ one day, R$20,00

Celebrating M Janja's Birthday in Salvador

Last Friday, the place to be was the Alto de Sereia in Rio Vermelho to celebrate Mestre Janja's birthday. Mestre Paulinha and Poloca were in attendance along with lots of Nzinga folks and capoeiristas from all different groups across Bahia, including Angoleiros da Serra, Grupo Zimba, and FICA.

The party started with a roda during which M Janja played nearly everyone. After, we had a party that was thrown by the kids of Nzinga. They decorated the space and saved up to buy lots of brigadeiros, salgadinhos, refri, and a big strawberry cake.

It was a great party. Congratulations, M Janja. Here's to many more.

** And here is what Meste Poloca had to say about it on his blog:

Last Friday, October 3, Grupo Nzinga held a roda with the presence of many invited guests to start the celebrations for yet another year of Mestra Janja. It was a beautiful roda followed by a great party with a cake and lots of guaraná. The kids had a great time and I did too.

On the following day, the 4th, Janja’s actual birthday, she went to her home town of Feira de Santana to celebrate with her family. She was born on the same day as her brother, although not in the same year. She was born the following year. For twelve years she lived in São Paulo and in part for the Nzinga, she became a citizen of São Paulo. In June 2006, she returned to Bahia.

Over the past few months, she served as a Professor of Education at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBa) until she was invited by Secretary Luiza Bairros to be a part of her governing team, where she co-ordinates one of the departments of the Secretary of the Promotion of Racial Equality (Secretaria da Promoção da Igualdade Racial, Sepromi ). She already was a powerful woman, now no one can stand in her way. In another post, we talked about the nomination of Mestre Paulinha for the direction of the Center for Afro-Oriental Studies at UFBa, a post she will assume on October 22. To sum it up, the mestras of Nzinga have it all. Who can stop them now?

Thanks M Poloca. What an amazing resource he is creating. And thanks to Fabio for the link.

Salvador da Bahia: Aniversário de Mestre Janja

This Friday, October 3, Grupo Nzinga in Salvador will celebrate Mestre Janja's birthday with a special roda.

Where: Alto da Sereia, Rio Vermelho (reference point: Restaurante Sukiyaki)
When: 7 pm, Friday, October 3

Bring your good energy! Its going to be fun.

Rio de Janeiro: September Event Reminder

For all of you that are going to be in Rio in a few weeks, a reminder from Contramestre Urubu of Grupo Capoeira Angola Aluande about their event in Rio on September 20 & 21 with Mestres Cobra Mansa & Janja:

Dear friends:

I write to remind everyone that we are about a month away from our big celebration.
“Capoeira Angola and 120 Years of Abolition” is open for registration.

Take advantage of the discounted price that is good until September 5. It gives a 30% discount off the total price. You may call the numbers on the flyer to secure your spot.

The flyer is available on our website and very soon we will be fully functioning with news, photos, videos, discussion forums, interviews, downloads, and much more… for all admirers of this art.

AXE!!!!

Rio de Janeiro: September Workshops

Looks like a great event...

Capoeira Angola
120 Years of Abolition

Workshops with Mestres Cobra Mansa and Janja

Event Prices:
R$50,00 until September 5
R$70,00, from September 6 and on

To make a bank deposit, call:
Tels: 3356-2382 / 2595-0804
9705-4594 / 7841-9703
9486-3406 / 9306-9977

Schedule:

September 20
9 am - noon, workshops
Break
2:00 – 4:00 pm, workshops
4:00 6:00 pm, roundtable discussion with invited mestres
6:00 pm, roda

September 21
9 am - noon, workshops
Break
2:00 – 4:00 pm, workshops
4:00 pm, closing roda

Where: Rua Evaristo da Veiga, no. 95 – Lapa
ESDJ, Escola Superior de Desenho Industrial
For those who do not participate in the workshops but would like to play in the roda, there will be a R$25,00 charge.

Thanks to Contramestre Urubu for the flyer.

Photos: Vadiando in the Streets of Salvador

Here are some photos from Salvador, Bahia on June 15th- the day Iphan (O Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional, The National Institute of Historic and Artistic Patrimony) voted to designate capoeira an official cultural patrimony of Brazil. Outside of the Palácio Rio Branco, where the vote was held, hundreds of capoeiristas joined to play in rodas in the square and demonstrate the beauty and trickery of their art.

These are pictures from the FICA-Nzinga roda. Enjoy!

Thanks to Cristina for the great pictures.

If you have photos you would like to share, send a link to: ficadcarchives (at) gmail (dot) com

São Paulo: Workshops with M Janja

Music

Movement

Discussion

Roda

Open workshop

Capoeirista and interested folks

Saturday and Sunday
August 2 & 3, 2 pm

Grupo Nzinga de Capoeira Angola
Rua Cariris, 13
Travessa da Cardeal Arcoverde
Pinheiros - São Paulo
8937-3396

Contribution:
weekend, R$30
single class, R$20

Capoeira is (Officially) a Cultural Patrimony

It is something that capoeiristas have known all along, and now, after centuries, the Brazilian government agrees: capoeira is an important cultural and artistic patrimony of Brazil.

On July 15, Iphan (O Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional, The National Institute of Historic and Artistic Patrimony) voted to register capoeira as an official cultural patrimony of Brazil in the Palácio Rio Branco. As the vote was taken inside, hundreds of capoeiristas played in Angola and Regional rodas in the square outside of the building.

Click on the link below to read the whole article (in Portuguese), published in the magazine História, and to watch some videos of the FICA-Bahia/ Grupo Nzinga roda, as well as interviews with Mestres, including Mestre Janja and Mestre Russo.

Here is a little bit of the article translated for your enjoyment:

Mestres on all sides. Each one is a celebrity, not instantly, but created over the course of decades of experience and dedication.

Consecrated by the people for their knowledge- expressed through movement, music, words or in a look- the cultural mission of capoeira mestres in the world has now been officially recognized by the Brazilian government.

July 15, 2008 is the historic date. On this day, united in the Palácio Rio Branco, in Salvador, in a ritual more formal than their irreverent rodas, dozens of mestres from all over Brazil testified as to why capoeira should be registered as an immaterial cultural patrimony of Brazil by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Patrimony (O Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional, Iphan)

Members of the Consultative Council of the Cultural Patrimony of Iphan voted on the registration, in the presence of the Interim Minister of Culture, Juca Ferreria; the governor of Bahia, Jacques Warner; and the President of Iphan, Luiz Fernando de Almeida, among other authorities.

Outside, in the Praça Tomé de Sousa, in the Cidade Alta, rodas hummed on all sides. Between the zum-zum-zum and the isquidim-dom-dom, hundreds of capoeiristas mingled in a atmosphere of peace and mutual respect. The old guard showed that youth is a state of the spirit, while the younger generation already showed its malandragem.

Click here to read the whole article (in Portuguese) and watch some great videos.

Thanks to T Gege for the link.

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

Still Coming In: Pictures from the DC Women's Conference

**Links should be fixed!

Pictures keep on rolling in from the 10th Annual Women's Conference held in DC back in March. Please enjoy these photo albums from RusselH & Isabel.

Click here to view RusselH's pictures.

Click here to view IsabelG's pictures.

Click here to read the post we did back in March.


Planning for the next women's conference is already underway! With the theme, "Menina, quem foi sua mestra?", the conference will take place in March or April of 2009 in Salvador. If you would like to participate in the discussions and organizing of the conference, send an email to Mestre Janja letting her know your group affiliation at: janja (dot) araujo (at) uol (dot) com (dot) br

Thanks to Russel from Richmond, Isabel, & T Gege for the photos!

Mestre Janja: Reflections on Women in Capoeira

Here’s an excerpt of I Came Here to Play written by Mestre Janja and published in the fifth edition of Caxixi, Capoeira Angola’s literary magazine:

Perhaps few people have had the privilege that I have of participating in the conferences organized by the women of FICA…over the past ten years…

Even though [the presence of women] is not yet common in capoeira, nobody can deny the persistence, courage, dedication, and organizational models that these women have developed…

However, if this is a time of celebration, I also cannot help but lament that absence of many other women who have participated in these conference yet did not stay with capoeira…

A new sexist ethic is penetrating the discourse of “tradition”, confusing, masking other themes that often push us into disputes and fratricidal wars, without at least the conditions to reflect that it is in the subalternization of our condition as women that there is a reinvention of these traditions that can weigh down our bodies and souls like muzzles, controlling our language and our behavior…

We are here to re-affirm our commitment to capoeira, and at the same time, say that we are conscious of the many collaborations that we have emprendido so that capoeira may be truly a place in which diversity is not just a semantic construction, but a political commitment with liberty.

Long live the woman capoeira!

2008 Women's Conference Wrap-Up!

**More pictures will be added. Check back soon!**

The 10th Annual Women's Conference in Washington, DC was a great success!

The conference started on Monday with the opening of the Malungos photo exhibit at the Mocha Hut Cafe. On Tuesday, we had a screening of the movie, "The Shape of Water" and a talk by Sylvia Robinson, founder of the Emergence Community Arts Center (where FICA-DC makes its home) and distinguished FICA-DC member. On Wednesday night, we heard from women martial artists, inlcuding Paulinha and Janja, in a very informative panel discussion.

Anne, T Andrea, T Gege, & CM Cristina

The conference opened on Thussday night with a presentation by renowned activist and singer Luci Murphy, accompanied by Isa Angulo. Following this, we had a roda... and the capoeira pretty much kept rolling til Sunday night.

M Paulinha

M Janja

Invited guests M Janja, M Paulinha, M Cobra Mansa, CM Cristina, T Gege, & T Andrea gave great classes. M Juradir was also in attendance, on his way to Seattle, and CM Silvinho stopped by for a bit. M Cobra Mansa gave a 6:00 am training. On Friday there were 6 people, on Saturday there were 35 people, and on Sunday there were more than 50 people- definitely a record for the 6 am training in DC.

Boys came too. M Cobra Mansa & Jamel

We had a great discussion session during the conference. Five topics of interest were selected, and people gathered in groups, each group discussing a topic for about two hours. After the discussions, everyone came together and heard a short presentation about the discussion by a member of the group. It was very successful.

The event ended with a closing roda that was a lot of fun. See for yourself:



During the conference, we also had a photo exhibit celebrating women in Capoeira Angola at the FICA-DC space, as well as the Malungos exhibit at Mocha Hut. And we put together another issue of the renowned Capoeira Angola literary magazine, Caxixi. Thanks to everyone who submitted works. It looks great!

Special thanks to everyone who joined us and contributed to this energetic and joyful event. We welcomed capoeiristas from Hawaii, Oakland, L.A., Seattle, Chicago, New Orleans, Kentucky, Atlanta, Richmond, Philadelphia, New York, Maine, Ohio, Indiana, and Japan!! (I am sure there are even more locales that I am forgetting...)

Everyone!

Check out this photo album to see more of the fun! Photos from T Gege, Javier, and others.

Still can't get enough? Visit the official "I Came Here to Play" 10th Annual Women's Conference blog for more conference details, including discussion summaries, post-conference reflections, and a glimpse of the Malungos photo exhibit.

Photos by Sylvia, from Universal Capoeira Angola Academy in Washington, DC.

M Janja in Marburg, Germany

A note from Grupo Nzinga in Marburg:

Hello everybody,

Happy 2008 for all.

Some good news as the new year begins is the visit of our dear Mestra Janja to Marburg, Germany. On this occasion, we will be offering a Capoeira Angola workshop.

Grupo Nzinga Marburg invites all capoeiristas and friends as well as those who know our work or would like to know to participate in the workshop that will be held from February 1 – 3, 2008, following our schedule:

Friday, Feb 1
5 – 6 pm, Music
6 – 7:30 pm, Lecture with Mestra Janja “The Internationalization of Capoeira Angola”
8:00 pm, Cocktail

Saturday, Feb 2
11 – 1, Training
1 – 2, Lunch
2:30 – 3:30, Music Class
4 – 6, Roda
9, Brazilian party with DJ-Mastrix

Sunday, Feb 3
11 – 12, Music
12 – 2, Training
2 – 3:30, Lunch
4 – 6, Roda

Celebrating 25 Years of M Janja

In celebration of “Malungos: 25 Years of Capoeira Angola” we are going to post items from each of the participants over the next few days, so even if you can’t be in Salvador, you can get a bit of the flavor of the fun everyone is having and the wisdom they are gaining.

We found this interview with Janja in the FICA archives. The copy that we have does not have a date on it, but it looks like it came from a magazine called “Cordão Branco”. In the interview, Janja talks about women in Capoeira Angola, religion in Capoeira, and her mestres. Here is a little bit from the interview:

Cordão Branco: What do you think of the presence of women in capoeira, Regional as well as Angola?

Janja: I think that women are no longer seen as “novelties” in groups, academies, and capoeira rodas. Only in those places that are not interested in capoeira’s historic and philosophic facts can think of capoeira without the presence of women. What is a novelty is women’s current numeric and qualitative representation. That is, the fact that they represent close to 40% of capoeira practitioners worldwide indicates that witihin capoeira in general and within groups, academies, mestres, contra-mestres, teachers, etc, in particular, they can no longer insist on ignoring women, or even in reducing their roles and participation in the practice and activities of these organizations.

Out of respect, I will not speak here about Capoeira Regional because I have never practiced it. My trajectory and formation as a capoeirista took place within the “world of angoleiros”, and within this, the feminine presence never caused difficulties. My mestres (João Grande, Moraes, and Cobra Mansa) never discriminated against us, and beyond this, never wasted time inventing “rules” that would impede our growth as capoeiristas, telling us things that until this day don't make sense to us (like that women should not touch a berimbau or sing a ladainha).

Congratulations, Janja, on 25 years of Capoeira Angola and thank you for all of your contributions!

The rest of the interview is available in our archives.

25 Year Celebration in Salvador!

This is going to be good!

Janja, Poloca, Paulinha, Valmir, and Boca do Rio will be celebrating 25 their years in Capoeira Angola with this great event.

If you will be in Salvador during the first weekend of August you would be insane to miss this!! And if you're not in Salvador, then try really hard to get there. Mestre Cobra Mansa will be a special guest.

Here are the details from the flyer:

Malungos: 25 Years of Capoeira Angola

Celebrating 25 years of Capoeira Angola of Mestres Valmir, Poloca, Janja, Paulinha, and Boca do Rio.
Invited Guest: Mestre Cobra Mansa

Classes, Rodas, Lectures, Expositions, & a Party
August 3-7, 2007

Information & Registration: (71) 9973 9870 and 99719283
institutonzinga(arroba)uol(ponto)com(ponto)br
ficasalvador(arroba)ficabahia(ponto)com(ponto)br

Schedule of Events

Friday, August 3, Centro de Estudos Afro-Orientais CEAO/UFBa
3:00 pm Registration
6:00 pm Opening Cocktail

Saturday, August 4
2 classes at each site
9:00 am – noon
Cobra Mansa & Valmir, FICA
Janja & Paulinha, Nzinga
Boca do Rio & Poloca, Zimba

2:00 pm- 5:00 pm
Valmir & Janja, FICA
Poloca & Paulinha, Nzinga
Cobra Mansa & Boca do Rio, Zimba

6:00 pm Roda & Party, FICA

Sunday, August 5
2 classes at each site
9:00 am - noon
Cobra Mansa & Paulinha, FICA
Poloca & Janja, Nzinga
Valmir & Boca do Rio, Zimba

2:00 pm- 3:30 pm
Children’s Activities, Nzinga

4:00 pm Roda

Monday, August 6, Casa da Mandinga
6:30 pm
Discussion: Mandinga de Mulher: Gender & Capoeira
M Janja, Nzinga
Christine Zonzom, Nzinga
Adriana Alberta, FICA
Isabelle Sanches, Centro de Referência Lélia Gonzalez

Tuesday, August 7, Nzinga
6:00 pm
Capoeira Today
Fred Abreu, Instituto Jair Moura
M Valmir, FICA
M Cobra Mansa, FICA
Poloca, Nzinga
Paulinha, Nzinga
Boca do Rio, Zimba

8:00 pm Closing

Call for Papers for 2008 Panel Discussion

CM Janja & CM Paulinha are looking for participants for a panel on capoeira that will take place March 2008 at Tulane University. Here is a translation of the message that CM Janja sent out:

Dear Friends,

The Brazilian Studies Association- BRASA- will host the 11th International Congress at Tulane University in New Orleans from March 27-29, 2008.

Paulinha and I are organizing a panel discussion on the subject of capoeira and we would like to include the names/work of other Angoleiras/os. The panel will have four participants.

The deadline for registration is June 1, and we would like that those interested in taking part in the panel send us (through personal e-mail) some information, and from there we will keep in direct contact with these people.

So, with a bit of urgency, we ask that you send the following information:

Complete name and title of work

Name of the university and level of education (post-grad, doctorate, etc.)

Group, mestre's name, and time practicing capoeira

A short description of the work (10-15 lines), it can be in Portuguse or English

Declaration that you are interested in participating in the panel

Send to:
paula(at)uol(dot)com(dot)br
and a copy to:
janja(dot)araujo(at)uol(dot)com(dot)br

Keeping in mind that the deadline is close, we ask that you send this information by May 23.

Moreover, we miss you all and hope that this finds each one of you with much health and peace.

Beijos, Janja

Thank you to Katie S for the information.