BRAZIL-CAPOEIRA Brazilian martial art capoeira receives cultural heritage status from UNESCO

Record ID: 567137

  • Title: BRAZIL-CAPOEIRA Brazilian martial art capoeira receives cultural heritage status from UNESCO
  • Date: 27th November 2014
  • Summary: CHILDREN SINGING ALONG TO THE BERIMBAU
  • Embargoed: 12th December 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1182DLNTLJDBEW8NA97MYJMUS
  • Story Text: Capoeira, a martial art which originated among slaves of African descent in the north of Brazil, was added to UNESCO's list of cultural manifestations respected as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Wednesday (November 26).
    The new status awarded to the Brazilian art form was announced at the ninth session of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, taking place in Paris until November 28.
    Capoeira is played in 150 countries throughout the world and according to Obri Breda, also known as "Master Ferradura", who teaches capoeira to children in Rio de Janeiro, it is an important international exponent of Brazilian culture.
    "Capoeira has already achieved great status abroad by itself. For many years now it has been played from India to Japan, from Latin America to the whole of Europe," Master Ferradura told Reuters TV.
    "Now it has been recognised as heritage of Brazilian culture, which has been shown and promoted to the world through the practice of capoeira, more than any other organ, more than Itamaraty (The Ministry of External Relations), more than the Brazilian government. Capoeira is the greatest promoter of Brazilian culture throughout the world," the master added.
    For Marcio Pereira, the chance he has to work with children through teaching capoeira, and to pass on to them the philosophies and lessons of the sport, is something very rewarding.
    "I am very happy that I am able to work with children. Children are pure, when they speak they speak the truth, when they laugh they laugh for real, when they cry, they cry for real," Pereira said.
    The art is at once a fight and a performance, a sport, a dance and a ritual, with many diverse styles, and a strong significance for Brazil.
    It is particularly important as a manifestation of Afro-Brazilian culture, and the award signifies an important recognition of cultural diversity in Brazil.
    According to UNESCO representative in Brazil, Marlova Jovchelovich Noleto, the organisation hopes that the status awarded to capoeira will be backed up with public policies to support and safe-guard capoeira and other such manifestations of cultural diversity.
    Other Brazilian cultural manifestations already on UNESCO's heritage list include Cirio de Naza, a religious procession in Belem do Para, Frevo, a range of musical styles from Pernambuco, Samba music and dance from Bahia, and the oral and graphic expressions of the Wajapis people of Amapa.
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