I spent the last few days in Siribinha, Bahia. It is a small village bordering the state of Sergipe in the very north of Bahia. I reunited with my Capoeira Brasil Los Angeles (CBLA) group and headed up to attend the 4th International Capoeira Event known as Ginga Sem Limite. Mestre Itapoan, a world-renown Mestre and original student of Mestre Bimba (creador de Capoeira Regional) hosts this annual event and works extensively with the poor community of Siribinha to make it happen. Capoeiristas from all over the world fly in to attend Ginga Sem Limite, surrounded by more than 30 Capoeira Mestres. For a capoeirista, it was an opportunity of a lifetime. We attended workshops taught by each of the Mestres, mingled with students from capoeira groups all over the world, participated in Rodas, watched the locals perform for us, experienced the serenity of Siribinha, and helped support the growth and progress of this local community.
I went to Siribinha right after finishing the book “Three Cups of Tea” – a story about Greg Mortenson and his humanitarian work in Pakistan through the Central Asia Institute. Mestre Itapoan is doing very similar work in Siribinha, and the effects are already apparent in the community. The parallels between Mortenson’s work in Pakistan and Mestre Itapoan’s in Siribinha are numerous. I learned that this 5-day event brings in 75% of this town’s annual income. Since bringing Capoeira and Ginga Sem Limite to Siribinha 4 years ago, Mestre Itapoan has motivated the children to attend school, find jobs, and realize their potentials. Three young men have left Siribinha to attend University in Salvador, a city 4 hours away, with the support of Mestre Itapoan and Mestre Careca. Twice a month, Capoeira instructors from Salvador travel to Siribinha to teach (voluntarily) Capoeira class. Practically all the children and young adults in the village attend these classes. This is how passionate they have become about this art that has changed their life, and the lives of their families. For the rest of the month, the children train on their own in a center Mestre Itapoan built especially for them.
Siribinha has a population of less than 1000 people. There are no banks, no warm showers, and people wear the same outfit each day. There is one store that feeds the entire town. It is very similar to the town of Encarnação that I blogged about earlier, only smaller. The people are some of the warmest and most honest Brazilians I’ve ever met. For 5 days us “wealthy” capoeiristas from around the world were free to leave our doors unlocked, and valuables visible without worrying about thieves or assaults. This is a rarity among poor areas in Brazil. We slept in the houses of these people; in their extra beds and mattresses purchased especially for this event. There are no hotels or pousadas – lets just say it isn’t much of a tourist destination. I hope it never becomes one either. It is so beautiful just the way it is. During the day the locals came to watch and participate in the capoeira workshops, and at night celebrated with us by dancing samba and forro into the wee hours of the morning. It warms my heart to think about the difference Capoeira has made in Siribinha, and I feel so proud to be a part of it.
It was a first for me to experience so many different “types” of Capoeira. Capoeira Brasil is my group, but we are only 1 of many. I’ve trained with Capoeira Luanda and Ginga Mundo in Salvador, but in Siribinha I saw dozens of other styles, from all over the world. We had students from Asia, Australia, Eastern and Western Europe, Chile, Argentina, and of course the United States and Brazil. Capoeira is an amazing art because you can be anyone, any color, any gender, any religion, come from anywhere, but in the Roda you are one big family. Your common dialog is your game, making it possible to communicate with anyone. In your white Abadás and Capoeira Corda you are each a student of Mestre Bimba, and therefore, all the same.
For me, it was a very positive experience. I had been feeling frustrated with some of the Capoeira I’ve experienced here in Salvador. In Siribinha I found the Axé and Energia I was looking for…
