Conference Wrap-up!

*Scroll down for some post-conference love, discussion wrap-ups, and more pictures*

**More pictures will be added. Check back soon!**

The 10th Annual Women's Conference in Washington, DC was a great success!

The conference started on Monday with the opening of the Malungos photo exhibit at the Mocha Hut Cafe. On Tuesday, we had a screening of the movie, "The Shape of Water" and a talk by Sylvia Robinson, founder of the Emergence Community Arts Center (where FICA-DC makes its home) and distinguished FICA-DC member. On Wednesday night, we heard from women martial artists, including Paulinha and Janja, in a very informative panel discussion. They discussed the challenges they faced, the support they offer today, and gave their insights on women in the martial arts. It was fun and insightful.

Anne, T Andrea, T Gege, & CM Cristina

The conference opened on Thursday night with a presentation by renowned activist and singer Luci Murphy, accompanied by Isa Angulo. Following this, we had a roda... and the capoeira pretty much kept rolling til Sunday night.

M Paulinha

M Janja

Invited guests M Janja, M Paulinha, M Cobra Mansa, CM Cristina, T Gege, & T Andrea gave great classes. M Juradir was also in attendance, on his way to Seattle, and CM Silvinho stopped by for a bit. M Cobra Mansa gave a 6:00 am training. On Friday there were 6 people, on Saturday there were 35 people, and on Sunday there were more than 50 people- definitely a record for the 6 am training in DC.

Boys came too. M Cobra Mansa & Jamel

We had a great discussion session during the conference. Five topics of interest were selected, and people gathered in groups, each group discussing a topic for about two hours. After the discussions, everyone came together and heard a short presentation about the discussion by a member of the group. It was very successful.

We also had a photo exhibit celebrating women in Capoeira Angola at the FICA-DC space, and a photo exhibit from the "Malungos" event this summer in Bahia at local coffee shop, Mocha Hut. And we put together another issue of the renowned Capoeira Angola literary magazine, Caxixi. Thanks to everyone who submitted works. It looks great!

Special thanks to everyone who joined us and contributed to this energetic and joyful event. We welcomed capoeiristas from Hawaii, Oakland, L.A., Seattle, Chicago, New Orleans, Indiana, Kentucky, Atlanta, Richmond, Philadelphia, New York, Maine, Ohio, and Japan!! (I am sure there are even more cities that I am forgetting...)

Everyone!

Check out this photo album to see more of the fun! Photos from T Gege, Javier, and others.

Post-Conference Love!

Here is some feedback from the conference. It was a lot of work on the DC end, but knowing everyone had a productive and fun weekend makes it all worth it:

This women's conference was one of the most reflective and philosophical conferences I've ever attended. Thank you especially to Janja, Paulinha, and Cristina for the thoughtful teaching they inspired. I was also really impressed how calm took over even the most chaotic events, like being unexpectedly locked out of Howard. Gege and Paulinha as organizers kept such a sane atmosphere.

I also noticed how so many men, especially men with greater experience in Capoeira, who would ordinarily be solely focused on music/movement, were involved with child care. It seemed that everywhere you turned there was a baby on a man's hip while his/her mother was waiting to play in the roda. That left an impact on me, because this didn't just happen, women *made* it happen.

Thank you DC -- and to those not physically present, you were in spirit. I hope the lessons and teachings from this event carry over into many more. This is the meaning of that elusive word: community.

Axe e respeito,

Monalisa

Essa conferencia foi uma das mais pensativas e filosoficas em qu'eu ja participei. Obrigada especialmente a Janja, Paulinha e Cristina pela instrucao pensativa que inspiraram. O que me causou boa impressao foi a calma que reinou ate os momentos mais caoticos, por exemplo quando as portas do Howard estavam fechadas. Gege e Paulinha como organizadoras sustentaram um ambiente tranquilo.

Tambem percebi que muitos homens, especialmente homens com mais experiencia na Capoeira, que normalmente estam enfocados na musica/movimento, estavam ocupados com o cuidado das criancas. Por toda parte se veia homens carregando bebes ao mesmo tempo que a mae estava esperando um jogo na roda. Isso me fez um impacto porque nao aconteceu inesperadamente: as mulheres *fizeram*-lo acontecer.

Obrigada ao DC -- e as mulheres que nao estavam fisicamente presentes, estavam presentes sim!

Espero que levemos essas licoes as outras conferencias. Aqui se ve o sentido dessa palavra evasiva: communidade.

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Thank you all for putting together such a memorable conference. It was great fun and an incredible learning and growing experience. Thank you also for taking the time to capture the amazing moments in photos as well.
Axe
-Sharmily
FICA Atlanta

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Thank you to FICA DC, Mestres Janja, Paulinha and Cristina and everyone who brought their energy to the event this weekend. It was a beautiful conference. The women's conference seems to get stronger each year.

There were so many moments that will continue to make me smile over the coming weeks: Deepa and Ama singing in the roda, Andrea flying across M. Cobra in the roda, going to bed too late and waking up to train with M. Cobra at 6 AM, loosing my voice from too much singing and not enough sleep, and holding Linden and Marcos Antonio while their moms were off being angoleiras. Seeing old friends is of course always a highlight. These conferences really feel like a giant family reunion to me and although I've been blessed with a blood family that I love, I feel doubly blessed to have my Capoeira family that grows closer to me each year. You are all powerful and beautiful women that i admire and look up to. Your presence at the Conference is a tremendous inspiration for me to keep training and singing and playing!

Thank you Thank you!!

beijos abrazos e espero ver voces muito pronto!

Cassandra

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I, too, was really touched by all the children and the interactions going on outside of the roda that added so much to the roda itself. I remember being in Salvador this summer and seeing more children present in the rodas than in the past, and more men and fathers taking care of babies while their mothers played. I think this is one of the many postive effects that women have had in capoeira, and even in the short time I've been playing I think it has changed a lot, even outside of women's events. In relation to the discussion we were having about what might be 'lost' by including women in capoeira, I think this is an area where men have gained a lot by having their children present at the roda. Without this separation between home and the roda, between home and the street, between a woman's and a man's world, I think both women and men are more whole people, and are able to be seen more holistically by their community. All of us are both warriors and caretakers. So i especially thank all the women who brought their children for making the conference so amazing!

I was also really moved by the workshops - the deepness of the teaching, by the games in the roda, by the women on the bateria. I was grateful for the presence of the men there, I think every year there is a better balance of energies, a better ability to share space. I told Gege I was happy there were tons of workshops and roda, true to the theme - I came here to play!

My only suggestion for next year is that we try to only have women arming the bateria, because this is an integral part of capoeira that women are also under-represented in. I think one of the differences between an angoleira and a women who plays capoeira is an angoleira knows how to make and arm, as well as play her berimbau. We need to be passing on this knowledge to newer women as well, who may not be getting it from their teachers because it is typically a 'male' role in a capoeira group. I would like the next conference to focus more on instrument making and the complexities of the bateria.

Again, it was such a beautiful time, really inspired me to keep working, thank you so much DC for your hard work!! You should all feel satisfied and proud of what youhave accomplished!
Axe!
Bessa

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yes, all, I agree that this conference was the best yet. in spite of the hecticness added by having the little one, I had more fun at this conference than I have had in years past. The energy was beautiful and open. Instruction was so incredibly thoughtful, and the games were HOT!!!! I was particularly touched by everyone's willingness to help with Linden while I played capoeira or jumped on the bateria for a second... The significance of M. Jurandir, CM Silvinho, T. Fabio, and others holding Linden while I played was not lost on me - It appears that Capoeira Angola is changing for the better with everyone's participation. It is so meaningful to me that my brothers and sisters swoop in to help when my partner can't be around. This is community. I told M. Cobra Mansa years ago that I wanted to raise my children inside of FICA so they too can contribute to and benefit from the love, support, and challenges that have helped me to grow over the years. I am lving a dream come true...

thank you all for a wonderful time. Watch out for my little enrolado - he's coming up!

xox
Dina/ Cigana

Have something to add?? Let us know in the comments!

Discussion 1: Violence, Self- Respect & Self- Defense

Mainly, the group discussed less obvious forms of violence that women experience in capoeira- namely, verbal abuse, humiliation, and disrespectful behaviors.

The question becomes complex because of the nature of the relationship of teacher to student as well as the history of capoeira as a discipline, which teaches commitment, respect for elders/teachers and has cultural implications from its Brazilian roots.

Just how much "teasing" can we allow before it's disrespectful?

Is my mestre being cruel to me or "testing" my commitment?

Is he telling me these things because he cares?

How much does this criticism fracture my self-respect and self-esteem?

As a woman, am I more sensitive to this treatment, or is it more personal?

These are questions the group came up with for all Angoleiro/as to ask themselves and also to offer support when they see another student going through a hard time, growing in capoeira.

(Thanks, Michelle!)

Discussion 2: Memory, Media, & Representation of Women

This group discussed the perceptions of women in capoeira, and who controls the images presented of women.

The group resolved that women need more control over the images of themselves within the capoeira community, and as such, they are going to start a website to present more realistic images of women capoeiristas, document the planning of women's events, and create an archive of past women conferences.

Look forward to seeing that soon!

Discussion 3: Maternity & Well-Being

This group tackled a growing issue in capoeira... considering how many kids we had at the conference!!

They talked about how many women feel obligated to take care of everything and be "Superwomen". They considered the positive and negative factors related to this idea of being a "Superwoman", and whether it is even possible.

They noted that the history of a strong women's presence in capoeira is quite recent, and we are seeing the first generation of women mestres, as well as large groups of women continuing in capoeira. We are making history as we speak!

The group suggested that everyone in a school try and help to support a family when they have a child-- from watching a child during class, to helping create a space where the kids can play, to simply being a good friend. Also, parents have to remember that training is not the only way to participate in a capoeira group; you can help organize events, play music, do some administrative work, and many other things.

For women who have relationships with other capoeiristas, the group suggested that if these relationships go sour, instead of leaving the group, these women consider their relationship to their ex, as well as their relationship to capoeira. They suggested that groups discuss personal relationships in general, as this is sometimes a subject that simply gets swept under the rug or shrugged off as good people leave the group.

They also wanted to suggest to those who have left and want to come back, but worry about being fit enough to do capoeira-- "Capoeira will get you in shape!"

Also, remember that "Capoeira heals"-- just like love and friendship. Capoeira is good for your physical health and your mental health.

Discussion 4: Malicia & Mandinga

The group reflected on four elements of mandinga that Mestre Paulinha had presented the day before. They are:

attitude

improvisation

deception

interruption

The group tried to come up with some distinguishing characteristics of malicia vs. mandinga. They proposed that malicia relates to your "street smarts" and trickery both within and without capoeira. They considered mandinga to relate to something more abstract, an energy transmitted, something magical, spiritual, and related to an individual's personality.

They thought about differences in cultures as well as gender. They considered how certain words have different meanings in Portuguese and English, and how these different meanings reflect on cultural differences. They also discussed the idea of jogo de cintura and how it is something one can easily understand if you are Brazilian, but perhaps more difficult to understand if you are American.

Can you usa mandinga and still be honest? American's want to be direct, to the point, etc. --the group asked itself. Mandinga is a survival tool in Brazil, and plays itself out in the roda. This led to a discussion on mandinga in America, and the fact that many people need to improvise and use non-traditional means to get what they want, and even to simply survive.

Contramestre Cristina from Rio de Janeiro talked about her experience in the roda, and how in some rodas she had to negotiate and conquer a place for herself, in a different way than men did.

Discussion 5: Women, Feminism, & Women's Struggles

This group came up with 3 key questions to reflect upon:

1. Why do we need to discuss this theme?

2. Why do we see an even number of men & women in capoeira, but not equality in leadership roles?

3. Does capoeira have to transform in order for women to have equal footing in relation to men? Will value be lost in that transformation? What are the perceived forms of lass?

The group thought that it was important to continue to hold forums and events that examined the presence of women in capoeira.

Malungos Exhibit!

We wanted to include the DC community in our Women's Conference, so along with holding discussions and movie screenings, we put up a photo exhibit at Mocha Hut. A great place in DC that you should try and visit this month to check out come great capoeira pictures!

Here are the details and a sampling of some of the photos:

Photography Exhibit
Malungos: 25 Years of Capoeira Angola



Capoeira Angola is an expression of Afro-Brazilian culture rooted in communal activity.



Its practice represents the convergence of different cultural manifestations, including dance, music, theater, playfulness, and spirituality.



All participate in the ritual of Capoeira Angola and each person is fundamental and unique to its performance.









The Nzinga Institute of Capoeira Angola (O Insituto Nzinga de Capoeira Angola, INCAB, “Nzinga”) was founded in São Paulo in 1995. Today, Nzinga also has branches in Brasilia and Salvador. Nzinga works to develop activities related to the teaching and cultivation of the values of Capoeira Angola, as well as educational activities for children, teens, and adults, and activities that promote social and racial equality, and human development. Since its founding, Nzinga has established partnerships with various educational and cultural associations, and it has participated in events in Brazil and around the world. Throughout its growth, Nzinga has emerged as one of the most important organizations related to Capoeira Angola in the world, recognized internationally for its work. Nzinga’s work aims to continue the teachings of the Mestre Pastinha (Vincente Ferreira Pastinha, 1889-1981).

* In the Bantu language, “malungo” means travel companion, or one who follows the same trajectory in life.