Ana, Deolinda and Isabel, capoeiristas

Capoeirista women in the 19th century? Almost a surrealist scene, the January 26, 1878 edition of Jornal do Comércio reported that some “black women '' had been arrested for capoeira. In Rua do Riachuelo, three women were captured on charges of “experts in capoeiragem”. With the adjective “fearless”, free black women Isabel Maria da Conceição – commonly known as Nenê – Ana Clara Maria Andrade were arrested, along with the enslaved Deolinda, belonging to Dr. Bandeira de Gouveia. At the time of the police approach, they were all in a “hard fight”, defying pedestrians and then the authorities themselves. Identified as a practice - fight, ritual and dance - associated with large Atlantic cities and the black population, among free, African, enslaved and Brazilian-born people - capoeira and the "capoeiras" proliferated between the end of the 18th century and throughout the nineteenth century, especially in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Recife. It is not known how these practices developed, reverberated and reached various Brazilian regions, along with free and non-black sectors, such as immigrants in Rio de Janeiro, for example.

Until almost the 1850s, there was a “slave capoeira” with the profile of Africans – especially the Central-West Africans – and the free black population. In the last 19th century quarter, it proliferated with force and speed to various urban centers, mobilizing the practice of free people, considered white and even literate.

In Rio de Janeiro, the city was full of slaves to gain, street market participants and also capoeiras. It is difficult to imagine scenarios where "quintandeira" women could also be capoeiristas. What is certain is that the city will daily set up various scenarios where music, food, work and culture will join experiences, producing new ones. At the time when the "experts" and "fearless" capoeirista women were arrested, Rio de Janeiro was already divided - territories with insignia colors and distinction - into two large groups (subdivided into "maltas") of capoeira, trumpeted in verse, suspects of political uses in the electoral game and made famous in some novels: Nagoas and Guaiamuns. We don't know much more about the women reported in 1878. Would they be part of some of the well-known packs: Três Cachos, Lady's Chair, Sword, or the main one, Flor da Gente? Inquiries waiting for more research.

Black women in capoeira in the 19th century suggest thinking about experiences involving culture and gender that are much older than the current stage, in which capoeiristas and the practices of capoeira reach over 200 countries, including men, young people, women and children. For Bahia and the city of Salvador – places where capoeira and various masters gained distinction and prestige throughout the 20th century – here or there there is more evidence of women participating in capoeira as rhythmists, practitioners, learners and challengers of fights and combats.

Fonte/Source:

GOMES, Flávio dos Santos; SCHWARCZ, Lilia Moritz; LAURIANO, Jaime. Enciclopédia Negra: Biografias Afro-Brasileiras. Companhia das Letras, 2021.

SOARES, Carlos Eugênio Líbano. A Negragada Instituição. Os capoeiras no Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, Secretaria Municipal de Cultura, Departamento Geral de Documentação e Informação Cultural, Divisão de Editoração, 1994.