Da inversão à re-inversão do olhar: ritual e performance na capoeira angola
Abstract
The aim of this thesis is to analyze the capoeira angola from the anthropology
of performance perspective. Through an ethnographic record, it was aimed to trace the
background of the main masters who are responsible for its development and dissemination,
mainly in the State of São Paulo; to understand the various aspects through which capoeira
angola is represented by its practitioners; and apprehend the multiplicity of meanings that its
analysis, being a ritual performance, can offer. In this aspect, the multivocal and
multisensorial experiences gathered by capoeira angola, which would be the characteristics of
the notion of ritual performance, prompted this analysis. Considering the capoeiristas
background in a specific lineage (Mestre Pastinha s), it was possible to notice that
angoleiros (capoeira angola followers) of the Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola
Academia de João Pequeno de Pastinha followed some precepts regarding the body
movement techniques, and thus, promoting the conveyance of a set of values that guided its
practice. These techniques were related to capoeira angola not only in its definition as a game,
fight, dance, sport, art, culture or life philosophy, but also in its several dimensions of practice
that establishes an innate relation amongst body movements, music, and moral and esthetics
nature principles. The understanding of such techniques brought to the light the capoeira
angola strict esthetics basis and, making a symbolic analysis from the anthropology of
performance view, the mestre angoleiro stands out as an artist and an educator .