what is capoeaira?

Capoeira is a fun and exciting sport. It is a mixture of body and soul, fighting and dancing, of music instruments and voice requiring the use of mental physical and emotional agility. The emphasis is not on how well you sing or perform but on how much energy you commit to trying.
>> Origins of Capoeira
	Origins of Capoeira In April 1500 AD, the Portuguese arrived for the first time in Brasil. The indigenous population of Brasil numbered around one million Indians from varying tribes. The Portuguese attempted to enslave a good number of these Indians but found them difficult to catch and very unwilling workers (for obvious reasons). The Portuguese then brought African slaves to Brasils shores in great numbers. One of the most common forms of work to which they were assigned were the sugar cane plantations. At night, large numbers of slaves were forced into the sleeping quarters called the "Senzala". These Senzala were often horrendously cramped and unhygienic. In their continual quest for liberation from the Portuguese, the Africans kept on developing their self defence knowledge. There were many obstacles for them: the Portuguese outlawed any practice fighting and often kept the Africans in shackles and chains. Despite these hurdles they ingeniously continued to develop a style of fighting which could be disguised as a form of dancing and celebration. With music and song to complete the picture, Capoeira had its birth. Within a movement Capoeira could change from a lethal form of martial art to a graceful acrobat or dance move. The music contained messages of freedom and hope to those still working under the tyranny of the Portuguese. Due to its adaptability Capoeira continued to go from strength to strength. In 1888 AD, slavery was finally abolished and most of the records of the slaves were also destroyed. This obvious attempt at denying the Africans their history had repercussions that are still felt today. In terms of Capoeira, there is a question raised by historians and Capoeiristas alike, as to how much of Capoeira was an import from Angola in Africa and how much of it was a new development on Brasilian soil. The abolition of slavery, decreed by Princess Isabella, did not put an end to Capoeira obstacles. It became an offence to practise Capoeira and the punishment was imprisonment or deportation. This forced the Capoeiristas to practice more secretively and to secure safe areas where they could continue "playing".