“Capoeira is more than a martial art…it is a lifestyle”
By Ushah Kazi
My first encounter with capoeira was (unfortunately) via a video game. As with many other things
that my generation experiences, I’m ashamed to say that the martial arts too had to be mediated
before I could find out about them. In the
popular Japanese video game ‘Tekken’ each
character becomes symbolic of a martial art. And
capoeira is represented via a dreadlock swinging,
brightly garbed, utterly stereotypical Eddy
Gordo. Somewhere along the way, they also
introduced a beautiful, scantily clad, and
completely useless female character to corepresent capoeira. Honestly, I don’t care to
remember. That video game was a simplistic
attempt to commercialize the martial arts.
Yet at the same time, defining capoeira as a
martial art is also simplistic, as it ignores some
potent complexities.
One look at the Monash Capoeira club’s practice
sessions, and you know that the ‘martial art’
label is lacking. Most of them wear identical
white trousers, and bright yellow T-shirts. All of
them sway to the beat, in perfect synchrony.
Professor Rafael Barbosa Rosario, who facilitates
the capoeira classes at Monash believes there is
more to it than meets the eye. “To me, Capoeira
is not just a martial art.” He says, “It is not just
about self defense. It is a lifestyle. In life, you are
always learning, just like that in Capoeira, you
are always learning. It’s how you live, everyday
you learn something new.”
Perhaps this lifestyle is what attracts a diverse range of people Professor Rafael practices with his
to Capoeira. Dr. Guy Burton is a lecturer at The University of students at Monash
Nottingham, Malaysia. He was introduced to Capoeira in
2002, in East London. He admits, “I was very active for a few years but then reduced the amount I
did, mainly because of finances but also because I started my postgraduate studies...” Currently, he
trains once a week at Capoeira Camara (based in Kelana Jaya) under Professor Soldado. For him,
capoeira is a matter of atmosphere and mood; it can fuse into various different things. “What I like
about capoeira,” says Dr. Guy, “is that it is not one thing and is several things at the same time. Most
outsiders and beginners see it as a martial art, but it's so much more than that. Sometimes it's a fight,
but it can also be dance or a game between two people …so much of it depends on the attitude of the
players and whether they are feeling playful or aggressive and the tone of the music being played.”
This multifaceted quality can be linked to the art’s history. Capoeira’s roots are embedded in Brazil’s