Group Project

Zumbi and Angola Janga (Mocambo/Quilombo dos Palmares)

 

Group Project Working together using this wiki Group members Sources Meetings Drafts

 

 

Working together using this wiki

 

 

 

Group members

Bem-te-vi

Cafe

Cobrinha Roxa

Minhoca

 

 

Sources

 

1.  http://www.brazil-brasil.com/cvroct95.htm

   http://www.mltranslations.org/Brazil/Zumbi.htmSource 1

2. Source 2

3. Zumbi

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zumbi

   http://www.vidaslusofonas.pt/zumbi_dos_palmares2.htm

   http://www.aaregistry.com/detail.php?id=2760 ( Pic ? )

    

   Quilombo

    

    

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmares_(quilombo

    

    

   )

   http://library.thinkquest.org/C008212F/resistence2.htm

   http://www.diaspora.uiuc.edu/news0307/news0307-5.pdf

4.  03quilombos.pdf

   Source 3

5. Source 4

 

 

Meetings

 

Drafts

Zumbi was born inside the "Quilombo dos Palmares" (largest maroon colony of escaped slaves), 1655. The complex of Palmares was located in what is today's the state of Alagoas (Serra da Barriga), northeast Brazil. Its population was composed not only of escaped African slaves but also of native Brazilian Indians and other mixed races (Mestiços). It had an organized government system similar to an African Kingdom with a King and his Assembly. The best warriors on battles were chosen King; "Zumbi" was the most notorious King of all. The "Quilombo dos Palmares" fought for 65 years against Portuguese & Dutch colonizers, but was finally destroyed in 1694 by Domingos Jorge Velho and his troops. Zumbi, however, managed to escape and many believed that he was immortal. Wanted by the authorities, he was captured on November 20th, 1695. He was killed and beheaded on the spot. His head was brought by the authorities to a public Plaza at the "vila do Recife" to show the people that he was not immortal. "Zumbi" is considered a national hero and warrior, a symbol of freedom; his name became a capoeira legend.

 

ZUMBI- Jorge Ben Jor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXMZw0gUyPA

In this clip, Jorge Ben mentions a number of names used to refer to 'nations' within the African population in Brazil....do any sound familiar?

Both answers so far were correct...

Ganga Zumba and Zumbi are not the same person.  Some sources claim that Ganga Zumba was Zumbi's uncle. 

It is also interesting to note that while Zumbi dos Palmares was a definite historical figure, the titles Zumbi and Ganga Zumba seem to reappear in oral history with reference to other people and places.

Also, Ganga Zumba was the one with the several wives- 3 by most accounts- and I haven't got a clear indication as to whether Zumbi as military general was married at all...

So, let's consider the 'laranja' still in play, so there a tiebreak on. 

Triple tiebreaker: (Other capoeiras can feel free to answer - ONLY ONE- of these questions)

Give the name of two other quilombos in Brazil besides Palmares (hint: at least two are mentioned in Capoeira corridos)

What is the origin of the name Quilombo? (hint: http://institutopalmeiras.pbwiki.com/Cantar+e+Capoeira,+Camara)

What happened to Ganga Zumba that Zumbi would assume leadership of Palmares?

 

 

1. Quilombo Calunga

Some 300km/185mi north-east of Brasília, on the border between Goiás and the recently established state of Tocantins, is the Quilombo Calunga, founded 250 years ago by runaway slaves from São Paulo, which has survived the ravages of time. The present population, an estimated 4000, live in villages of mud huts of a type still found in Africa. The area is at present being studied by anthropologists from the University of Goiás. The Calunga Indians live in the Serra da Contenda, near the town of Monte Alegre de Goiás.

Jabaquara in Santos is another.

 

2. "Historians and linguists agree that the word quilombo is of West African or Angolan origin and that its original meaning in the Quimbundo (Kimbundu or Mbundu) variety of Bantu was 'war- camp' or 'circumcision-camp,' where young males were prepared to become adults and warriors (Schwartz, pp. 125–26; Anderson, p. 558). A variation of this African institution was transferred to the Brazilian backlands by runaway slaves, who established fugitive or maroon communities, known as mocambos, ladeiras, magotes, or quilombos, whose social and political structures were based upon traditional African models"  ----- a sidenote - in Spanish there is the connotation of brothel.

 03quilombos.pdf

 - source QUILOMBO, 'BORDELLO': A LUSO-AFRICANISM IN THE SPANISH AND CATALAN OF MODERNIST BARCELONA  by Philip D. Rasico (the entire article is attached. filename: fulltext.PDF  - interesting article on the etymology)

 

3. 

 

 

 

What happened to Ganga Zumba that Zumbi would assume leadership of Palmares?

-Ganga Zumba accepted an offer from the Portuguese/Brazilian officials to settle at another location in exchange for peace. Not all the residents of Palmares agreed with this. Ganga Zumba left, leaving none other than Zumbi to assume leadership. (from the movie Quilombo by Soares)

 

Ganga Zumba was assassinated (poisoned?) - some sources say Zumbi was directly, others say indirectly responsible. This may have simply been because of Zumbi's philosophical difference with Zumba's peace treaty with the Portuguese - or a kind of expected/traditional regicide when a king/chief has outlasted his 'usefulness' or good judgment.

I also found some interesting resources on quilombos which are attached - including on the modern day movement to reestablish and/or maintain these communities via the Brazilian's governments 1988 commitment to grant  land to quilombola descendants in order to do so.

 

 

 

I think we have enough information to write something interesting on Zumbi and the Quilombos.

IP has some official records on the status of Quilombola communities in Brazil and contacts with researchers who are working with these communities presently.

 

 mattos.pdf

Draft 1

 

http://koluki.blogspot.com/2007/09/introduction-to-capoeira-angola-i.html

Draft 2

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

ZUMBI FOCUS QUESTIONS

1.  What do you think is Zumbi's legacy?

2. In Moraes' ladainha, Zumbi is hailed as a hero who fought for his people. It ends by saying that the black man did not liberate himself. What your thoughts on this?

3. How do you think Zumbi would play capoeira (strategy, moves, what toques and music would be most appropriate, etc.) and why?

 

Cobrinha R.

---

 

 

 

 

Cobrinha Roxa

January 6, 2009

 

 

1 & 2. I am not sure what I view Zumbi's legacy to be. He was a strong leader and a brave and masterful fighter. I think he can represent the struggle for freedom, particularly for those oppressed and enslaved by Portuguese colonizers in Brazil. I also think that the quilombo as an institution, which is primarily what he was defending, is great example of formerly oppressed people defending their right to live in freedom and self-governance. This is powerful up to our time. There is a modern day struggle to maintain the quilombos that still exist and to create and resurrect others. This right to exist and self-determine is fundamental to so much war and strife globally - in historical and modern times.

Perhaps Zumbi's legacy is paradoxical. There is hope in his defiance and the victory against overwhelming odds. Yet, in the end he betrayed by his own and Palmares is all but lost except in memory.  He dies, but lives on mythical, heroic and Palmares is still in our minds hundreds of years later. The black man is still not free Moraes says. Maybe freedom, or the lack thereof is something that is only in our minds. We are only as free as we think we are. Zumbi thought like he was free, like he deserved to be. Maybe if we make this shift too, we can bring about equally great things and inspire others in so doing.

3. Zumbi's capoeira: plenty malicia and efficacy, lethal. I imagine fairly brutal and strong on evasive moves and blocks for knives and other weaponry since it must have been a practical style designed to disarm and disable, if not kill. I imagine rapid attacks and guerilla type tactics as it must have been difficult to be outnumbered - energy conservation and the element of surprise would have been factors. 

Music -

Favourite toque: São Bento Grande - fast, loose, easily mutable game - acrobatics can be incorporated if needed.

Favourite ladainha: anu nao canta em gaiola;

Favourite corrido - Na Angolo (tudo e differente na Angola)

that's it for now - catch and toss - let's discuss :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEM-TE-VI

January 7, 2009

 

1. Zumbi's Legacy: Is best described by the Corrido-  Sim O Nao .

He refused opportunities to ensure the survival of his people , unless the terms and conditions of his request was met.As a man of strategy I feel that his approach lacked the flexibility & ability to adapt and overcome that make a truly great leader.   Generals like Mao and the North Vietnamese generals personify the  application of strategy in the face of over whelming odds.

Yet like the General in the movie 300 (Leonidas ), I guess there are moments in our history where the concerns of survival and legacy clash and in these times a man must stand for that which he believes is true , good & right in the face of all odds at any cost.

We choose to hold Zumbi as a symbol of that indomitable spirit of Freedom . I hope that like Leonidas his sacrifice will one day galvanize the oppressed peoples of this world into action that ends in true freedom .

 

2. We are all slaves:  those who oppress are as much in bondage as those who are oppressed.  The cycle of abuse is unbroken .   The patterns and maps that play in our minds that made this cycle possible play in each one of us .  We are separate from our selves , so how can we expect to be able to connect with each other.

The black man did not free him self ,  how could he when the primary source of the slavery came from the black man himself.

 

 

There is no demand without supply & and there is no supply without demand.  Freedom is a choice , to act from free will no matter what the external world imposes is true freedom .   In this I recognize Zumbi's heroic nature.  Moraes understood as long as any human being on this earth acts from the patterns and cycles and not from free will we will never be free from suffering.   

 

 

 

We will always be Slaves ..Black ..or any other , owned by things we fail to see ,, things we cannot perceive.

 

3. Zumbi's Style would be that of a free soul uninhibited by the laws and structures that we hold to in the game.  Axe , malicia & mandinga are mere footnotes , small words unable to grasp or contain the expression.

He moves as the universe dictates aligned with the cosmos , breathing with God as his air.  Un-afraid that his action would measured .. not caring to be held in the good opinion of others . ..Not bound by the rules of man he would just be...

If Zumbi ever played, Zumbi the game would be never ending , an expression of the universal.... I am that I am , truly the never ending story of creation.

His game would not be about winning or losing ... just an expression of the eternal ....like the sunrise or the tide sweeping in ...no different that a kiskedee (bem-te-vi) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Kiskadee diving , or a fish leaping ....the infinite, elemental , unknowable , immutable Jogo... Hahhhaaa 

Music

Idalina

chamada- voulta de moundo

Au tres apoios

Lad - God is great

Cor -Vou Desa / Na angola

Regards

BTV

p.s - Is everything really different in angola......?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAFÉ

 

 

 

January 18, 2009

1. The legacy of Zumbi. Can someone whose lineage is all but forgotten, whose main project remains only a memory, truly have legacy?  I feel that Zumbi plays very little part in the emergence of capoeira in its current forms. 

I ask myself who would have transmitted the knowledge of the quilombos to the people who took Capoeira into the urban battlegrounds of imperial Brazil... The answer for me so far is that capoeira was carried mainly by ex-slaves and mainly by women, as dance and as stories and sharing of food and language, and also in the techniques of crime, ambush, vagrancy that accompany dispossession and oppression.  It probably split up and came together differently several times before reaching the port cities in the 19^th century. 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quilombo_dos_Palmares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zumbi, like many other great fighters who do not live to tell their own stories, becomes a tool.  A fetish. A pawn in petty chess games.  Like Pastinha, who died penniless and abandoned despite the plethora of claims to his legacy.  And Bimba, who many of the 'contemporary' mestres insist guided their drive to 'modernise' Capoeira, but who had to basically flee Bahia to Goiania to have his programme of capoeira taken seriously near the end of his life....Does it mean that these individuals don't deserve to be put into the pantheon? Of course not...they deserve more, actually, not less...

 

However, Zumbi's ascendance is often a cover for the masculinisation of the art of Capoeira.  I can't say that Capoeira was ever a woman's game or even an initiation rite, but I can argue that the history of capoeira is not a constrant stream of male-to-male transition, with women on the side only as 'distractions' as certain mestres describe...

 

And his glorious reputation has served as a shield for Capoeira's decadence... 

 

2. Freedom?

Arriving in Brazil in 2004 to study race relations and black culture at UFBA, I thought that I was witnessing a sad shadow of past glory in Pelourinho  ...after researching the artform for the past five years and Brazil for over 12 years, I have arrived at the conclusion that I was actually witnessing the continuation of a deeper, more developed process of touristification and domestication of African artistic and political expression in that country. 

When the French re-entered the cultural scene through artists/academics like Pierre Verger in the 50s onwards to decide which Brazilian forms were interesting and which were not, Salvador was far from being a centre of national trade and politics...the manifestation of the capoeiras on the streets were good for business, and the power played ball with those that would conform.  Bimba was a lot of things.  Great things.  He revolutionised the practice of capoeira without a doubt.  A visionary.  A mestre among mestres.  But a revolutionary he was not.  He was Capoeira's Barack Obama.  Zumbi was the African diaspora in colonial America's MLK (or more accurately maybe the Malcolm X).  He didn't want to take over the Casa Grande, or even a nice room in it.... he wanted his own home based on different rules and inclusion...this is what made him (them) so dangerous.

 

The particular Brazilian strain of racism/nationalism/imperialism worked again to nationalise a form of resistance that I think would not have ever accepted to serve that type of role under Zumbi.  Please remember that Zumbi was born in Palmares, NOT in Brazil...   An earlier intervention by the French (see H. Vianna's work on Samba), by far the preferred taste-makers of the Brazilian elite, had resulted in the same thing happening to one form of African-American expression- something that came to be called 'samba', in earlier decades. 

And as Gyazette notes in one their 2008 songs "You got to pay the devil....if your intention is to survive in, and not to rip apart this hell".  Capoeira, after years in the margins, would strike a deal to 'survive', and soon began to pay the price for liberty of practice, without liberty of being.  Remember that the first thing that happens in that transition in the 1930s is that the new capoeira receives a name, Luta Regional Baiana...and is named a 'national' expression...this was supposed to be an honour....

 

By the time capoeira left Brazil in the 70s for the US, it was already being tamed, made to walk obediently behind the steady gait of capital... It was the 'lucky' cousin- leaving behind countless cousins in Brazil and the rest of the Black Atlantic- to become the next 'big thing' in the legitimizing, global culture-making capitals of the West.  There was a crisis of continental proportions, and many took the chance or fell on the realisation that this particular skill would sell...and sell it did.

 

Claims to authenticity or modernity are now usually selling points in a strategy to claim cultural tourists' money, whether in Bahia or in Berlin or in Bratislava.  The useless and masturbatory debates ongoing in the Capoeira world about where in Brazil or the world capoeira is 'REALLY FROM' presage an all-out war for capitalist/nationalist control of 'authentic' capoeira. 

 

Many individuals push Capoeira to the forefront of development projects even as it loses the edge of novelty and its already tenuous connection to its 'poor' cousins and the revolutionary history of African-American natives and Native Americans.  In other words, it appears on its way to becoming the next 'power yoga'... just enough spirituality to make you spend the money, just enough exoticism to keep you coming back, just enough activity to let you stand out in that new shirt or skirt... 

 

 

I would agree with Moraes that freedom is yet to be achieved, even within the realm of Capoeira itself.   Zumbi , the person fought for something, as many others, including some illegals migrants, terrorists, witches,  obeah-men, prostitutes, madpeople, vagrants have been also.... struggling for...an authentic exit from the system....unfortunately you rarely exit the system with your life/reputation intact.... there was a reason why capoeira is/was called vadiacao (vagrancy)....   

And on the other extreme from the selling and selling-out of capoeira, many so-called purists interpret Zumbi's legacy of the fight for freedom as the need for a strong man presence in capoeira, the need for violence and marking territory, the need for titles and names and belts and crowns... They interpret his betrayal as cause to be cagey and clannish, when the truth is that information was forced from anyone connected with the Quilombo and there were no malicious, willing collaborators responsible for Zumbi's downfall...

I might be wrong here but you guys can read the transcripts of the communications around Angola Janga (Little Angola, the name that its inhabitants preferred to the Portuguese term ‘Palmares’) that are at Instituto Palmeiras for confirmation... 

Ironically, as Moraes' and others show us, hard work (mental, spiritual and physical) in capoeira can still allow you to glimpse this type of freedom, to see how it works, and how far it is.  So Zumbi remains there, with Nzinga and countless others, in certain moments of clarity within the roda, in certain moments of recognition in the bateria, in certain moments of truth in a ladainha....

 

3. The last element of my contribution has to do with his style of Capoeira.  I would guess that Zumbi would be a very low player with many rasteiras and cabecadas, staying almost attached to the ground.  However, given his approach to the last days of the Quilombo, his music would (hopefully) recognise the contribution and presence of the woman, of the forest, and the plantation: Barauna caiu; Dona Maria de Camboata; Vou dizer ao meu zinho. Just guessing here though...