[quote=N.B;62107]I've had some angola capoeiristas say similar things to me. I've always thought if capoeira was entirely African in origin, why didn't capoeria or anything similar spring up to all the countries Africans slaves were being exported to? Why is it synonymous with Brazil only?
Anyway, good to see another Capoeirista on the forums, welcome!/QUOTE]
Actually they're were...yes, in just about every country that slaves were imported to. Even here in the U.S. (52 blocks aka jailhouse rock. Also other less known styles like knocking and kicking. In several places in the Carribean [Cuba(mani), Hattie(pinge, Jamaica(Bangaran and also Machet’e) Trinadad(-Kalenda or Kalinda and also Trinidad Stick Fighting aka 'Bois' or 'Sticklick'), Martinique(Danmye aka ladja), etc...] As well as other places in South America other than Just Brazil. Like Broma, an Afro-Venezuelan martial art. Yet even in Brazil, you have more than just capoeira like -Batuque, in which the famous capoeira mestre Bimba's father is said to have been a champion of, and it is also said that Bimba took influeinces of this to put add to his regional style of capoeira. Also another Afro Brazilian art Bate Coxa. Though none has reached the popularity status that capoeira has reached today...some are still practiced. Many of them are no longer known today, but some are still practiced like Ladja, Kalenda,(I even here knocking and kicking is still practiced secretly in some places in the South???) more are just resurfacing like 52 blocks. Oh, but the ones named are only an inch of a fraction of a piece of the tip of the ice berg.
(oh, also let me add that some of this are very very similar to capoeira in various aspects. You can find videos of ladja on youtube (I forgot how to creat links. so just copy and past the links):
YouTube - Ag'ya Danmye Ladja Compilation
or:
YouTube - Damyé ladja martinique sport de combat et tambour
or:
YouTube - ladja game at Saint-Marie
or:
YouTube - Damye danmye ladja art martial Martinique combat fight sport