Capoeira under the terms of the new paradigma in politics
11. Januar 2017, von Gilberto Rescher
Carlo Alexandre Texeira da Silva – Mestre Carlão – Rio de Janeiro.
Languages: english or portuguese.
Thursday / 12th of January 2017 / 18-20h
Centro Camões-Philosophenturm 771/ Universität Hamburg
Resume
Capoeira at Cais do Valongo, the biggest ancient slave market in Rio de Janeiro, exemplary for an art-form of resistance against privatization of public spaces. The connections between capoeira, a Congolese-Angolan origins art form rich in suffering, survival and optimism brought to Brazilian soil, with the port region of Rio and its historic class struggles, tragedy, surviving and culture in the "Wonderful City" may give even more footprints towards the new paradigmas which brazilians are facing out recently.
Carlo Alexandre Texeira da Silva
Also known as Mestre Carlão, will hold a brief lecture and open the space for a discussion to find an approach for dealing with the new
circumstances which are revealing in Brazil and worldwide. You can read more about Carlo Alexandre below.
Background
Since 2012 Mestre Carlão and his comrades from in- and outside Capoeira are organizing the Roda do Cais do Valongo, which always is beeing initiated by the »roda dos saberes«(wisdom circle), where one guest speaker, who would be a historian, a dramaturg, a dance teacher, a philosopher or a master of Capoeira is holding a lecture. This makes the Roda do Cais do Valongo special. Despite the historical scene it is also the first roda where a book came out of all the lectures and photos being taken. Carlão mentions, that the importance of public arts is to keep public space to the people focussing on an immaterial outcome instead of monetary profits.
The location is indeed historical. In 1996, a couple living in Rio de Janeiro, Mrs Merced and Mr Petruccio, provided the discovery of an important archaeological site, during a renovation at home. Under the floor of their residence in Gamboa neighborhood by the port area, they found bones of African men and women brought to be enslaved during the colonial times in Brazil.
Unknowingly, they found the hitherto unknown Cemetery of The New Blacks: "Cemitério dos Pretos Novos". Five years later and only ten minutes walking from that site, a group of workers hired by the Rio Town Hall to excavate that area, they found the hidden stones of the old Valongo Wharf, which is now considered the largest transatlantic slave trade port on number of Africans landed in the Americas. Therefore, that was in 2011 which the work began on the dockland region to host the world largest scale event, Rio 2016 Olympics. The history of accumulation of capital which happened to Rio and other parts of Brazil between the slavery times to 2017 is the big part of a process which should explain much of what it is going through that country nowadays.
Carlo Alexandre Texeira da Silva
is the founder of Kabula Arts and Projects based in Rio de Janeiro, a non-profit organization that aims to develop and expand intercultural exchanges between Brazil, Africa and Europe. He has a master's degree in Arts Contemporary Studies, from the
Fluminense Federal University (UFF). Mestre Carlo has been developing this work for more than three decades connecting Brazil, North America and Europe. Often in underprivileged communities (Favelas) in Rio and also in impoverished areas of London.
In addition, he created projects for community centers and exhibitions in London (UK), traditional art festivals and Carnivals in England and Brazil. In addition, he worked for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-Upon-Avon. Mentor, choreographer and
actor in the piece "In Blood - The Bacchae", considered the first theatrical production of capoeira in London. He participated in workshops and projects in France, Scotland, Portugal, India, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, USA, Spain and Greece. He is the founder
and coordinator of the programs "Roda do Cais do Valongo and Roda dos Saberes", created in July 2012 and selected as winners of the Porto Maravilha Cultural Award by the Rio City Hall, with the The Port Matters - Valongo Wharf Memories Project in 2013.