capoiera and lectures

Z and I (planned to get up) early yesterday to go to Tisza and Cabelo's kids percussion class in Serra Grande. I rented the car by 9:30 and we sped off (well, putted off with pieces flying off the car like the flintstones, the car was so flimsy).

Of course, we and the Swedish guy were the only ones there by 10AM.. Tisza and Cabello got there about 10:30… (or later). About 8 kids were there and we did some sound percussion, then instruments. By this time Z had to poop and we were both a bit tired/hungry, and our ears were shot so I took Z to the “praca” looking for Helena where her daughter said she would be ☺ Never found her but got Z a hamburger and went to Itacarezinho… a private and even more breathtakingly beautiful beach with a small warm waterfall to rinse off with after the foaming ocean. Of course, I climbed the waterfall and when I went to lift z onto a higher rock, I crashed down on my butt/bunda/tuchus like a magnet to iron with z safely on my lap. After the shock of the fall, verifying Z was alive and well and scanning various parts of my body, I realized the fall actually felt great for my back. Unfortunately, a few seconds later my foot was pounding and I had sliced it in two places. (I’ll spare you any pics). My first thought was – oh no, how am I gonna train capoeira on the beach ???

Well we enjoyed itacarezinho nonetheless but couldn’t get any service there for food (since there’s an entry fee and they have a monopoly) they’re not only slow, but expectantly horribly expensive. So we trotted off in our little vagabundo car in search of food... and ended up in a place called “Casa de Valter” in one place and “Casa de Walter” in another… basicly a house/farm with a “restaurant”… we had a blast there and saw the nastiest looking crickets ever that Jasmine told us the name of. We had an “ok” mocqueca and lots of fun, but best of all, he knew cabelo and tisza and told us exactly where to turn to go to their fazenda (farm)… (after the bridge and before the omnibus stop.) Tisza’s direction was at Km 39, but unfort, there are no km markers, so that is moot…

Once I found the entrance, memories flooded me on how horrible the path had been and how we got stuck last time we came, even with the 3 time brazilian kickboxing champion, native from para and cross-country driving us. Z immediately observed “this is like a ride on space mountain!”

After going to someone else’s house in the middle of nowhere (following a little arrow sign) we backtracked (with the car nearing empty) and found their fazenda and the lake and the roda in their beautifully constructed Ouro Verde. We observed the roda til Cabelo asked if I would play/join. I showed him my foot, but he said to enter anyway, so I put pants on and zack’s white shirt (mustve looked funny, but I didn’t have to see it).
Jamaica’s words came back to me how much more exciting Regional is than angola… of course watching Cabelo play, it’s equally exciting. I played a game and as expected, totally forgot about my foot while playing. Had an ok game but got really really tired and a huge bruise in the middle of my palm from something? The cement floor? Dunno… the sky was turning brilliant colors indicating it’s decline and Z wanted to go diving off the bridge.

The roda ended and Cabelo began reprimanding folks for not having respect by coming late and not asking permission to enter the roda. I thankfully was saved by z wanting his water wings… This totally reminded me of Deraldo arriving late for everything and the one time he arrives on time, reprimanding everyone for arriving later than him… I dunno why cabelo was giving this lecture, or why capoeiristas feel like lectures are a necessary part of their business?

Then Cabelo asked if Tisza had something to say and she started… I helped Z jump in the water the first time from the bridge, then returned to hear her telling that Mar 8 is Dia dos mulheres and how important it is and how she is one of the only women capoeiristas making money from capoeira and how she has two busted vertebrae and her internals all gone bcuz of her dedication to capoeira and how other women should be so moved…. This kind of self-pity oration really disturbs me… besides me, whom she’s known for over 17 years (and also has 2 busted discs and other ailments associated with an active life) there was another woman capoeirista from Sao Paolo… Not only was this disturbing and I guess from an egotistical standpoint insulting, but totally ignorant rantings… of course capoiera is male dominated. So is boxing, martial arts, and other fighting arts. It’s difficult for women by the nature/definition of the interest… much like you don’t find a lot of male ballerinas. I don’t understand why Tisza has never embraced and celebrated the women who ARE performing and HAVE devoted decades of their lives??? It’s too bad.

Z was done swimming by then, and the sky was ominously filling with moon and stars, sun sinking way too fast. I “asked” cabelo for my leave and bounded off w/ zack on the space mountain, through the underwater bridge which minutes later would become invisible, and curvaceous mounds on the ever ascending/descending road out to the main drag.