EVENT REPORT

Advertised Schedule

Monday NOV 13: Dia do Pastinha (Class 7 - Instituto Palmeiras)

Monday’s class will be open to family and friends of Instituto Palmeiras. Class will include a celebration of Pastinha’s life and legacy and a roda featuring his signature ladainha ‘Maior é Deus’.

Thursday NOV 16: NOVO: Roda & Festival (SAC @ UWI)

The evening’s activities will feature both Angola and Regional styles of Capoeira and will culminate with a showing of two films- “Manuscitos e Desenhos: Mestre Pastinha” and “Mandinga em Manhattan” and a short interactive discussion on both films. The Open Roda to be held at SAC will accompany the private presentation and discussion of “Mandinga em Manhattan”.

Monday NOV 20: Closing of NOVO (Class 8 - Instituto Palmeiras/CCA7)

NOVO will culminate with class 8 at Instituto Palmeiras. Following a shortened class, capoeiristas will participate in the commemoration of Zumbi dos Palmares through the ARTE E LIBERDADE RODA AT CCA7.

Abertura

November 13:- 25º Aniversário da Morte do Mestre Pastinha

NOVO began in disappointment and ended in wisdom. The first Monday, Nov. 13th, Dia de Pastinha, intended as training and preparation for the Thursday Open Roda was cancelled due to rain and flooding at Cafe's home. A make-up class was scheduled for Wednesday, but did not come off due to other commitments from IP members.

Roda Aberta

On Thursday, the tide turned. Due to technical issues with the UWI Student Guild, the projection of the feature film, Mandinga in Manhattan, was shifted to two small screens. Due to begin at 6pm at the SAC, UWI St. Augustine, the showing of the film was delayed by some 40 minutes. Clips from other films shown were 'Roda de Rua 2' (SDobrado) and 'Only the Strong'. The showing of Pastinha's Desenhos e Manuscritos was abandoned in favour of Feedback on 'Mandinga in Manhattan' was overwhelmingly positive, including for some of the historical footage on Capoeira in the early 20th century, though understandably there were some complaints about the quality of the projection.

The roda which followed, a tribute to Ms. Pastinha and Zumbi dos Palmares, was arguably among the best witnessed in Trinidad and Tobago, with representatives from three schools, including Capoeiristas as young as five, taking an active part in all aspects of the roda. The roda began with Pastinha's signature ladainha, Maior e Deus, and ended with moments of silence for the great Mestres of the past. Light refreshments followed, and participants were informed about upcoming events planned by the various schools present, including IP's possible visit to Para/Bahia in May-June 2007.

NOVO also signalled growth in Capoeira's presence in Trinidad and Tobago. On Friday and Saturday of the festival, planning meetings were held to arrange the inclusion of Capoeira in UNICEF's Let's Dance Programme, a response to the UNICEF/OHCHR/WHO's regional consultations in South/Central America and the Caribbean {http://www.unicef.org/media/media_36597.html} and the newly released Global Report on Violence Against Children 2006. {http://www.violencestudy.org/a532}

Clausura

November 20:- Dia de Conciencia Negra (Comemoração do Assassínio do Zumbí dos Palmares)

On Monday 20th, Dia de Conciencia Negra, participants in the shortened class were introduced to the elements of the Berimbau, a comparative look at Regional, Angola and Atual/Moderna styles and also to various interpretations of the central concept of Mandinga. Special attention was given to flexibility and endurance in a shortened physical class.

The Arte e Liberdade Roda, named after IP's relative group, Arte e Liberade/Muiraquita, was conducted in a special chalked roda designed by Cafe, and was accompanied by music from Silvio Acaraje's Capoeira: A Saga Do Urucungo (Urucungo being another name for the Berimbau). The Angola roda, one of the first in Trinidad and Tobago in several years, drew spectators from the Lower Curepe neighbourhood, with several persons expressing an interest in starting training.

The Festival closed with a special dedication to Patrick and Ernesta Greenidge on their 35th wedding anniversary. A roda of deyas was created by all IP members and the festival was closed with remarks and blessings by Ernesta Greenidge and the traditional salute to Capoeira.

Budget

Initial Budget (IP Expenses): $200 TTD

Expenses by Category

Equipment: $55

Communications:$20

Transport:$40 (donated/est.)

Location and Security: $200 (donated/est.)

Food and Beverages:$61 (part donated)

Administrative: $500 (donated/Flat fee)

Instituto Palmeiras (donated/1 extra day): $100

Expenses by Festival Days

Festival Monday 1: $230 (including costs of make-up class)

Festival Thursday: $343

Festival Monday 2: $235

Festival Day Total:$808

Grand Total: $1026 TTD

Actual IP Expenses: $133 TTD

Budget Comments: Total costs for the NOVO Festival were below that expected, though this was largely due to the generosity of Instituto Palmeiras and Axe Capoeira TnT members, and UWI Students and Staff. Future festivals may have to be financed with a much large initial budget and/or utilise IP-owned equipment to provide for mishaps as occurred with the securing of the CCA7 venue and projection equipment for the film festival.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to those who assisted with the logistical, technical and conceptual work that made NOVO a success:

1. Ernesta Greenidge- Instituto Palmeiras (Logistical Support/Donations/Transport)

2. Sheyon Smith (Microfone)- Axe Capoeira T&T (Transport/Donations)

3. Kester Lashley- President, UWI Postgraduate Association (Logistical Support)

4. Curtis Mike- SAC Administrator, UWI St. Augustine (Permission for projections)

5. Cecile Pemberton- Instituto Palmeiras (Logistical Support/Donations)

6. Alicia Carew- Instituto Palmeiras (Logistical Support)

7. Marcio Mendes-Grupo Muiraquita (Feedback and Conceptual Support)

8. Sheketneb Amunwah (Azulao Zumba)- Axe Capoeira T&T (Logistical Support/Donations)

Conclusion...

NOVO (named after the month of November in which it was held, and the Portuguese word for 'new') was intended as an announcement of a new Capoeira institution, Instituto Palmeiras, as well as a renewal of Capoeira's link with earlier generations of Mestres and legends of Capoeira history. The event was successful on both counts, and maintained IP's special link to Patrick Greenidge, to whom the Instituto is dedicated.

Instituto Palmeiras now heads towards the second phase of its training and community work, Step Up.

Ie Capoeira- SALVE!

Cafe (23/11/2006)