Capoeira and 7 Causes – fifth edition of "Gingando para a Cidadania"!

“7 days 7 causes” was a name of the project that Ginga Brasil Association had done this year. But it was not only the project at the end of which we have organized next edition of “doing ginga for citizenship” – it was a great example of how Capoeira might be used for social causes. And thanks to financial support of Youth In Action program we were able to show that example to almost 40 people from: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Great Britain and Estonia.

Project participants visiting Lisbon

Project was realized in late April and early May 2014.  As the name suggests it lasted seven days during which we disseminated seven social goals – European citizenship, overcoming poverty (social inclusion), volunteering, creativity and innovation, global environmental issues, young people’s health, intercultural dialogue – and demonstrated how Afro-Brazilian culture might be utilized to enhance realizing those goals.

Six nations (Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech, Estonia, Great Britain, Portugal)  all united for seven causes

Through Capoeira, Maculele, African dances, music lesson we integrated five different nations and we sensitized participants to many social issues. Firsts four days was a preparation – as many participants have never done Capoeira we did a lot of  various classes with basics – to the “Gingando para a Cidadania” event that took place at the end of the project. Many of our students changed their gradation, our youngest pupils did the same and had the opportunity to play with good capoeiristas from all over the Europe.  

But what is more important: each day we also realized different topic (mentioned above) that in our opinion are connected to the idea of citizenship or civic society. If you are interested in more details  you can see more information about this project on its blog page: http://7days7causes.blogspot.pt/

As it was a first time that our Association was a host for so many people we learned a lot through this experience. Members of association gain a lot thanks to interaction with other cultures  and participants not only were able to develop their Capoeira skills but also become more aware of  topics that are significant in nowadays Europe.

Fortunate 2013!

Year 2013 was loaded with work that continued the idea of “Gingando para a Cidadania”. Members of Ginga Brasil Association worked hard all of the year and their efforts were awarded with two events.

In June group organized fourth edition of “Gingando para a Cidadania” event. This time it was supervised by special guest – Mestre Eduardo Negão. His presence enhanced the quality of the event and his teachings influenced all of participants.

Mestre Eduardo Negão and Contra-Mestre Bola

Event had two parts – first took place in Lisbon and second was in Peniche. In both places participants had the opportunity to train with great Capoeira teachers, to play a lot during rodas and also some of them changed their gradation. This event was more like an internal fete of the group and the closeness of masters and professors allowed participants to fully take advantage of event and improve their Capoeira skills.

4th edition of "Gingando para a Cidadania"

Second event – “Toca a Gingar” was organized with financial support from EU program Youth in Action and took place in Lisbon at the end of September. This was a quite multicultural meeting – project gathered people from Brazil, Estonia, France, Netherlands, Poland and of course Portugal.

Participants of "Toca a Gingar" project in front of headquarters of Ginga Brasil Association

Despite the fact that the name differed, this meeting fully realized the idea of “doing ginga for citizenship”. Participants not only exchanged experience through Capoeira movements (vamos começar a brincadeira, brincadeira da rasteira J ),  but also gained a lot of knowledge thanks to various classes, seminars and group discussions.

"Toca a Gingar" participants during the lecture on spirituality within Capoeira

During this time all of us had again the opportunity to draw on the experience of Mestre Eduardo Negão and many other great teachers. And furthermore association members shared with all of the visitors their know-how about organizing projects and using Capoeira as a social tool. It was a great time as well as the rest of the year – all that gave us motivation for more hard work in current year!

"Trabalho de formiga" - everyday "ant's" work.

Since 2010 when this long-lasting project have started, Ginga Brasil Association managed to organize many events named "Gingando para a Cidadania". Some of them were small and local, some were enormous logistic challenge for us. With every year and every new experience the idea grow and get to involve more and more people from different countries.

Estonia and Portugal "doing ginga for citizenship" during bilateral meeting in 2011

Gingando para a Cidadania started as bilateral partnership with capoeiristas from Estonia - then with time and financial support from Youth in Action Program grew to multicultural project. Till now our association was able to host and influence partners from Brazil, France, Estonia, Poland, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and spread among them the idea of “doing ginga for civic society”. Of course those meetings were great opportunity for practicing Capoeira, play with many capoeiristas, exchange some experience. However we want to believe that – through showing how Association works and through sharing the knowledge of how write and realize projects founded by EU – we have managed to inspire many people to start their own work similar to our idea.But “Gingando para a Cidadania” are not only events that have this label on. It’s everyday work – an “ant’s” work – that culminates every year with Capoeira workshops or multicultural meetings. This work is not only giving classes but also building relationship with local authorities, institutions, cooperating with partner associations and supporting cultural actions of these entities.

Social consultation - cooperation between local associations and local authorities  

There are also other projects submitted, approved and realized by Association – descriptions of some of them will occur in next articles.

Project "Toca a Gingar" - multicultural meeting in 2013

So when you read those posts that are depicting events, please remember that they are preceded by regular daily work. This harmonizes with belief that Association’s members share: to work in favor of civic society you have to do it with small steps every day.

It’s been a while so let’s start with basics. Members of Ginga Brasil Association believe that Capoeira – Brazilian martial art – might be a great tool to enhance social change. The name of this blog is “Gingando para a Cidadania” which in loose translation means “Doing ginga for a citizenship” (ginga is a basic Capoeira movement). So within social change that Capoeira support there is also idea of citizenship or civic society in general.  The belief expressed above is foundation of actions that our association is undertaking and due that fact we also feel the obligation to spread that idea through different means of communication. For example via this blog. And thus we also decided to change language in which next articles will be posted. Since we want to catch attention of broader audience we run the blog in…

…English obviously ;)

But how “doing ginga” can help the idea of citizenship? To answer that question first we have to think how we understand “citizenship”. And allow me just add – this description of citizenship shouldn’t be treated like a part of scholar dispute (however author of this post have some social science background). The “definition” below is more like a feeling, a free discussion upon the subject and goes more or less like that: citizenship is ideal situation in which all members of the society have both: the right and the desire, to participate in economical, cultural and political life of the society. There might be common opportunities to join those dimension of social life but if there is no desire to do so, the opportunities will be wasted. And there might be common aspiration for participation but if the circumstances will not allow to partake nations will lost the potential that lives within them. And please remember that I described citizenship as an ideal situation, an idea – cause probably there is no society in which literally every citizen have the right and desire depicted above. However this the situation, a point toward which it is worth going.

Returning to the basic question: how “doing ginga” can contribute to the realization of the idea of citizenship? We believe that Capoeira have some traits which are creating for its practitioners space for participation and the need to use that space. Just practicing Capoeira and underlining those traits during the training support civic society. What are those characteristics?

First of all Capoeira is a cultural phenomenon. It’s culture itself that is realized within the group of people. Those groups are the doors for participating in cultural life of society. That is how Capoeira might be used as social inclusion tool – opening the doors for people that often do not have such opportunities. Whether it’s about creating chances for Brazilians or foreigners (author of this article is living example of that) all over the world.

That brings us next thing – Capoeira was from the beginning the intercultural social phenomenon – a mixture of cultural norms, rites and moves from various nations. This interculturality is still present in Capoeira – since Capoeira spread to the whole world it gains a lot from other cultures and change a bit through that. 

'Ginga Brasil - Lisbon' training - practitioners from Angola, Brasil, Poland, Portugal and Russia.

Martial art get new influences and its practitioners became more curious about Capoeira, learn new culture and due to that process they become more open-minded. That open-mindedness make them search for more opportunities, make them more eager to participate in life of the society.

Furthermore practicing Capoeira creates demeanors  that are supportive to the idea of citizenship: consciousness of communities needs, ability to participate, tolerance or before mentioned open-mindedness. In other words: Capoeira might be a tool of civic education!

Summarizing “gingando’ can be and is a way to support the idea of broader citizenship on every level. From small communities through nations to international community (EU citizenship). In next posts we will give examples – proofs that our belief works through events organized by Ginga Brasil Association.