编译（部分）：Andre Cao（巴西战舞中国）
网址：www.baxizhanwu.com
简要历史
15~16世纪的巴西开始了蓄奴制度。大量奴隶被从非洲送往以蔗糖和烟草为主要作物的种植园里耕作，这些地方对奴工的需求量非常大。在奴隶交易的历史期间，估计有超过200万名奴隶从非洲被带至巴西。
这些奴隶来自非洲不同区域，有着各自不同的文化。他们分别被安置在三个主要港口：巴夷亚、海息飞和里约热内庐。
在海息飞和里约热内庐，奴隶来自各种不同的种族团体，有时候甚至来自敌对的部落，如此一来这些奴隶很难共谋反叛。大多数居住在里约热内庐的奴隶来自非洲南部班图族；而其他地方如巴夷亚，奴隶则主要来自西非。
当奴隶们了解到他们作为非志愿劳力的地位是永远无法改变的时候，他们开始计划逃跑。
在海息飞，一个40名奴隶组成的团体反叛了他们的奴隶主，杀死了所有的白人雇员，还放火烧了种植园的房舍。后来他们获得了自由，并找了一个藏身之处来躲避努力狩猎者的追捕。他们前往山区躲藏，行程花了好几个月。如果其间没有获得印第安人的帮助，这段路途根本不可能完成。最后他们到达了自认为安全的地方，因为此地到处是棕榈树，故以Palmares（棕榈城）命名。于是一个非洲人社区就在这里诞生，这个社区延续了将近一个世纪的时间。巴西战舞——Capoeira的雏型也在这个社区出现。
虽然没有人会否认Capoeira受到非洲人的极大影响，但是对于巴西战舞Capoeira的雏型起源于非洲的说法确没有任何证据。所有关于此一主题的文章，多半基于作者的臆测。目前已知最早记录Capoeira武术的文件写于1770年左右，这已经是蓄奴制出现后很多年后的事了。尔后，直到1800年代初才有进一步关于Capoeira的文件出现，而那是来自几份里约热内庐的警方记录。
棕榈城 PALMARES
经过几年的时间，山区各处又建立了散居的屯落。其中最大的就是名为Palmares的棕榈城，居民超过20万人，其中包括少数印第安人和白人。
在这里的部落，无论之前在非洲是异族又或敌人，在此皆团结一致为共同的目标奋斗。
新形成的社区是一个多元文化的大熔炉，他们在新环境里彼此分享，并互相学习他们的舞蹈，祭拜仪式、宗教和游戏。多元文化相互融合的结果，于是出现了巴西战舞Capoeira的雏型。
棕榈城因更多难民到达这一迷你的小型非洲国度而快速发展，也逐渐开始担心葡萄牙殖民者的觊觎。棕榈城居民经常下山交易手工艺品、水果和动物毛皮，还偶尔突袭农场解救更多的奴隶。
因为越来越多的奴隶逃跑，棕榈城开始影响到种植园的生计，殖民者因为劳动力的减少而承受经济损失。
1630年荷兰军队入侵巴西，使葡萄牙殖民者的处境雪上加霜。种植园的奴隶利用这个情势，在获得棕榈城的协助下，纷纷离开农场，甚至攻击葡萄牙的军队。这样一来，葡萄牙军队就要面临两个敌人的打击：荷兰人和奴隶军团。
虽然最后荷兰人赢得胜利，但非洲人并未停止战斗。1644年，荷兰人组成探险队前往棕榈城，可惜一事无成。翌年，第二支探险队再度前往山区，还是无功而返。
值得一提的是，这些探险队都是由经验丰富和配备齐全的士兵组成。然而，非洲人发展出一套“丛林战”或“埋伏”的战斗体系。Capoeira在不预警的突袭行动扮演关键角色，奴隶们敏捷和机智的行动，带给白人相当惨重的伤害。Capoeira变成他们的武器，争取自由的象征。
当探险队成功抵达山区后，被遣返回农场的奴隶将Capoeira传授给其他人。他们唯一的休假日是星期天，于是利用此时来练习Capoeira。但是在那里Capoeira的练习逐渐发生变化，音乐、歌唱、舞蹈和仪式被掺杂进入Capoeira，藉以掩饰奴隶们正在练习致命的武术。
二十五年内，殖民者遭遇十一次的奴隶叛变行动，直到1888年5月13日这一天反抗到达最高峰，蓄奴制被废除了。
奴隶制度废除后，少数以前的奴隶返回非洲，但大多数仍留在巴西。农场主对雇用他们当作劳动力不再感到兴趣，于是大部分前往城市形成搭建简陋棚屋的贫民窟。这些人在城市里也找不到工作，后来很多人组成犯罪帮派。其他人，比较幸运的，因熟练Capoeira武术而被政治人物雇用当作司人保镖。所有这些人都被政府以“瘟疫”的眼光看待。
这群巴西战舞练习者的主要活动是去破坏国家的政治生命。1890年代，一些身处社会高层极具影响力的人物也开始练习Capoeira。这对政府来说是一大威胁，而总统也建立了一支特别警察力量来控制这种状况。不过这些措施未见成效，于是开始草拟严峻的刑法。刑法乙篇内，有10个条款专门针对Capoeira的活动、练习和犯罪。后来又增加更强硬的条文，规定凡是练习Capoeira的任何名人都将被驱逐出境。为强力执行这些律令，总统聘用桑派欧（Sampaio）担任警长，桑派欧在巴西史上以最残忍的警官而著名。桑派欧决心消灭Capoeira这项武术。但有趣的是，桑派欧自己就是一位优秀Capoeira的练习者，也是帮派所惧怕的人物。
桑派欧手下的特别警察都学过Capoeira，因此他们能够以齐人之道还制“敌人”。假如没有巴西战舞练习者们的激烈反抗和他们所获得的一些有力人士的支持，桑派欧可能真的可以完成剿灭的任务。
一次突发事件使桑派欧结束了对巴西战舞练习者们的凶残追捕。他逮捕了一位练习Capoeira的贵族成员Juca，要求他被驱逐出境。这造成了政府的危机，因为总统的内阁成员反对这个行动，因为Juca的父亲名望显赫，并受到许多政治人物的爱戴。
后来，总统召开内阁临时会议，在18天后，内阁两名重要成员辞职抗议，Juca也被驱逐出境。这次事件以后，巴西战舞练习者们的行为发生改变是可以预期的，而这改变也正好对它们有利。反对政府的人士组织一支黑人民兵企图推翻总统，这织民兵部队完全由巴西战舞的练习者所组成，在首都地区制造恐怖气氛。警察对他们束手无策，正当情势一发不可收拾时，巴西突然向巴拉圭宣战。黑人民兵被派往前线作战，这群不法之徒一夕之间变成国家英雄。于是巴西战舞Capoeira的发展又开启了新的一页。
现代的巴西战舞
直到1920年禁止练习巴西战舞的法令被撤销前，Capoeira都被掩饰为一种“民间舞蹈”。在大多数人看不到的地方，巴西战舞的练习者们尽力保持着Capoeira最初的格斗传统。而对外他们只是把这作为一种民间艺术，这样巴西战舞的练习逐渐漫漫地被社会所接受。
在当时一名巴西战舞练习者拥有两到三个绰号是很正常的事情，因为警察只知道他们的绰号而不是真名，就很难抓到他们。这项传统直到今天还被保留着。当一名巴西战舞的学生通过名为Batizado的受洗仪式（即带位评定考试）之后，就会被给予一个巴西战舞的绰号。
1937年，一位历史上最伟大的巴西战舞大师——Bimba大师，收到了当时巴西总统的邀请被允许在首都表演巴西战舞艺术。在这次成功的表演之后，Bimba大师手持政府的许可令回到自己的家乡，开办了历史上第一所巴西战舞学校。这是巴西战舞步入公众发展的第一步，几年之后议会通过表决决定巴西战舞从此将做为巴西的国家体育项目。
现在巴西战舞已经传遍世界各地。在巴西，作为传统文化的一部分，各处都能看到巴西战舞的身影，不论是小学，大学，各式俱乐部还是军营里。
Brief History
As in the USA, there was also slavery in Brazil. The slaves were put to work in the plantations where sugar and tobacco were the main crops and the demand for slave labor was great. During the history of the slave trade, it is estimated that more than two million slaves were brought to Brazil from Africa.
These slaves came from different regions of Africa and thus had different cultures. They were distributed in three main ports: Bahia, Recife, and Rio de Janeiro.
In Rio and Recife, the slaves were from different ethnic groups and sometimes from enemy tribes as well, which made it difficult for these slaves to organize a revolt. More slaves in Rio were from Bantu peoples, while in other areas, such as Bahia, slaves came primarily from West Africa.
As the slaves became aware that their condition was irreversible, that they were intended to be an involuntary work force forever, they began to run away.
In Recife, a group of 40 slaves rebelled against their master, killed all the white employees, and burned the plantation house. They then set themselves free and decided to find a place where they could be hidden from the slave hunters. They headed to the mountains, a trip that took many months to complete. Had it not been for the help they received from the Indians, this journey would have been practically impossible to accomplish. Eventually they reached what they thought was a safe place, which because of its abundance of palm trees they named Palmares. In this place an African community was born; a community which lasted nearly a century. In this community the first forms of Capoeira were developed.
While no one would deny the tremendous African influence on Capoeira, nothing is really known about a form of Capoeira originating in Africa. All that is written on this subject is based on speculation. The earliest known historical record of Capoeira as a martial art is approximately 1770, long after early years of slavery. No further accounts of Capoeira are found until the early 1800’s in the form of various police records from Rio de Janeiro.
Palmares
Over the course of years, scattered settlements were established in the mountains. The largest of these was Palmares with more than 20,000 inhabitants, including some Indians and whites.
Here tribes that were strangers or enemies in Africa united to fight for a common goal.
A new community was formed with a very rich cultural mixture. In this new environment they shared and learned from each other their dance, rituals, religion, and games. One result of this rich cultural fusion was Capoeira in its earliest form.
Palmares was growing rapidly as more refugees arrived in this little African nation. It started to worry the Portuguese colonizers. People from Palmares would come down from the mountains to trade produce, fruit, and animal skins and would often raid plantations to free more slaves.
Palmares began to effect the life of the plantations as more and more of the slaves escaped. The colonists suffered economically because of the diminishing labor force.
To make things worse for the Portuguese, Holland invaded Brazil in 1630. The slaves took advantage of this situation and with assistance from Palmares left the plantations and fought the Portuguese Army. The army at this point was fighting two enemies.
The Dutch won the war, but the Africans never stopped fighting. In 1644 the Dutch organized an expedition to go to Palmares, but nothing was accomplished. In the following years a second expedition was sent to the mountains which also failed.
It is important to point out that these expeditions were formed by very experienced and well-armed soldiers. But the Africans developed a system of fighting called “jungle war” or ambush. Capoeira was the key element in the unexpected attacks. With fast and tricky movements the slaves caused considerable damage to the white men. Capoeira became their weapon, their symbol of freedom.
When an expedition was successful, the slaves who were returned to the plantations taught Capoeira to others there. Sunday was their one day of rest and that was when they practiced Capoeira. But there, in the quarters, the practice soon was altered. Music, singing, dance and ritual were added to Capoeira, disguising the fact that the slaves were practicing a deadly martial art.
In twenty-five years the colonies suffered eleven rebellions that culminated with the abolition of slavery on May 13, 1888.
After the abolition, some ex-slaves returned to Africa, but the majority stayed in Brazil. The planters being no longer interested in them as a work force, most headed to the cities to form slums and shanty towns. There was no employment in the cities either, and many organized into criminal gangs. Others, more fortunate because of their knowledge of capoeira, were hired by politicians as bodyguards. All were seen by the government as a “plague.”
The main activities of these “capoeiristas” (anyone who practices the art) was to disrupt the political life of the country. In the 1890’s some very influential people in high levels of society, were practitioners of capoeira. This was a threat to the government, and the president created a special police force to control the situation. When this effort was ineffective, a rigid penal code was initiated. In Chapter B of this code, ten articles were specifically related to the actions, practices, and crimes related to capoeira. A tougher law was later added stating that any person who was a known capoeirista would be expatriated. To enforce these laws, the president hired a man named Sampaio, who was reputed to be the most ruthless police chief in Brazil’s history. He was determined to extinguish capoeira. What is interesting about Sampaio was that he was an excellent capoeirista, and was a terror to the gangs.
Sampaio’s special police force learned capoeira, so they were able to challenge their “enemy” on their own ground. Had it not been for the strong resistance by the capoeiristas, as well as support by influential people, he may have succeeded in his mission.
One incident brought to an end Sampaio’s relentless pursuit of the capoeiristas. He arrested a man named Juca, a member of the gentry, for practicing capoeira and demanded that he be expatriated. This caused a crisis for the government for the members of the president’s cabinet opposed this action because Juca’s father was well-known and favored by many politicians.
The president called a special meeting of his cabinet, and after eighteen days, two important members of the cabinet resigned and Juca was expatriated. After this event, change was expected in the behavior of the capoeiristas. But the change was in their favor. The opposition to the government created a black militia to disrupt the president. This militia was formed exclusively of capoeiristas and they spread fear in the capital. The police were ineffective against them and just as the situation was becoming desperate, Brazil went to war with Paraguay. The black militia was sent to the front and suddenly the outlaws became national heroes. And capoeira entered another phase in its history.
Capoeira in Modern Times
The law that prohibited the practice of capoeira was still effect until 1920, and its practice disguised as a “folk dance.” In their hidden places, capoeiristas did their best to keep the tradition alive, and by presenting it as a folk art, they made the practice of capoeira more acceptable to the society.
In those years it was very common for a capoeirista to have two or three nicknames. The police knew all the capoeiristas by these names and not by their real identity, so it made it much more difficult to arrest them. (This tradition is continued today. When a person is “baptized” into the practice of capoeira, they are given a nickname.)
In 1937, Mestre Bimba, one of the most important masters of capoeira, received an invitation from the president to demonstrate his art in the capital. After a successful performance he went back to his home state and with the government’s permission, opened the first capoeira school in Brazil. It was the first step towards a more open development, and years later the senate passed a bill establishing capoeira as a national sport.
Today capoeira is all over the world. In Brazil, as part of the culture, there is capoeira everywhere – in elementary schools, universities, clubs, and in military academies.
