The Capoeira circle and its ancestral and contemporary echoes,

Abstract

The objective of this project is to investigate how was the recorded history of an ancestral practice, such as capoeira, though it goes back to the senzalas in the colonial period, has not received due social recognition. Given the shortcomings of this record, we intend to interview teachers with extensive experience in the transmission of this culture in order to reconstruct, through their life narratives, the contributions of this ancestral practice for the formation of young african generations of descendants. Although the Racial Equality Statute recognizes its historical, cultural and political life and considers it essential for the formation of the new generations, forecasting, including its introduction in schools, its practice still meets serious obstacles in this area. Hence we propose, as part of the research, capoeira workshops in two schools, aiming to contribute to the formation of teachers for teaching of African and Afro-Brazilian history and culture. The theoretical approach, based on concepts, such as education and emancipation, supported by Theodor W. Adorno and struggle for recognition, defended by Axel Honneth, will be key to reframe the critical content of the lyrics and symbolic significance of the game of capoeira and its rituals as a fundamental part of the recognition of a african-Brazilian culture widespread in virtually all continents.