Oct 25 2011
Abadá A long and loose shirt that was used by the Nago peoples, similar to the national clothing of Nigeria. Waldeloir Rego describes the typical clothing of the capoeirista in the mid-twentieth century as “ordinary pants with the hems rolled up, barefoot, and with an abadá-type shirt, made of a sack of sugar or flour.” …
Oct 25 2011
Bahia A state in northeastern Brazil. It has the highest percentage of Brazilians of African descent and is internationally known as a center of Afro-Bahian culture. Bahia is known as the “cradle of capoeira” because it was the only place that capoeira survived the intense police persecution of the late 19th and early 20th centuries; …
Oct 25 2011
Cabaça The hollowed-out gourd attached to the bottom of the berimbau, which functions as a resonator. It is usually the bottle gourd (lagenaria vulgaris). The size of the cabaça affects the sound of the berimbau (see the terms gunga, médio, and viola). A cabaça e o caxixi e um pedaço de pau A moeda e …
Oct 25 2011
Dar To give. Dá, dá, dá no nego / No nego você não dá Give, give, give it to him / You’re not giving it to him De Of, from. Olha a pisada de Lampião Look at the footprint of Lampião Eu sou da Bahia / De São Salvador I am from Bahia / From …
Oct 25 2011
E And. A cabaça e o caxixi, e um pedaço de pau A moeda e o arame, está aí um berimbau The gourd and the caxixi, and a piece of wood The coin and the wire, this is a berimbau Note: pronounced “ee” É Is (present tense of the verb ser). O menino é bom, bate …
Oct 25 2011
Faca Knife. Iê, faca de ponta / Iê sabe furar A pointed knife can pierce Facão Machete. Meu facão bateu embaixo / A bananeira caiu My machete struck low / The banana tree fell Falar To speak, to say. É verdade meu amigo, escute o que eu vou falar It’s true my friend, listen to …
Oct 25 2011
Galo Rooster. Galo já cantou, já raiou o dia The rooster has crowed, the day has dawned Gameleira A type of fig tree with a thick trunk, used to make canoes. Bem-ti-vi botou gameleira no chão The bem-ti-vi bird knocked the fig tree to the ground Gereba A proper name. It has the connotation of …
Oct 25 2011
Hoje Today. Hoje tem amanhã não Today you have it, tomorrow you don’t Homem Man. Eu vou falar pra você / Sou homem não sou mulher I will say to you / I’m a man, not a woman Hora Hour, time. A hora é essa, a hora é essa It’s time, it’s time Humaitá A …
Oct 25 2011
Iaiá – Ioió 1) Terms that were once used to refer to the slave master’s sons and daughters 2) Iaiá and ioió are also used simply as “filler sounds,” like “la la la” in English. Vou dizer ao meu senhor / Que a manteiga derramou A manteiga não é minha / A manteiga é de …
Oct 25 2011
Jacaré Alligator. Cochilou, jacaré te abraçou You snoozed, and the alligator got you Jararaca A type of snake Eu vi jararaca no cajueiro Meu senhor mandou matar I saw a snake in the cashew tree My master said to kill it Jogador Player (of capoeira). Jogador, jogador / O menino é jogador Player, player / …
