São Paulo – In the Lebanese capital, the variety of the Brazilian Capoeira martial art developed by Manoel dos Reis Machado, aka Mestre Bimba, is taught by a Brazilian. She teaches Regional Capoeira, a mixture of Angola Capoeira and Luta Batuque, at Sons of Bimba Capoeira School, which was opened two years ago in Beirut by a 23-year-old Lebanese, Nassib El Khoury. "I started learning in the school in Croatia, where I studied for a year, and when I returned to Lebanon, I wanted to continue capoeira," said Khoury, nicknamed "Grandão" (Big One).
Filhos de Bimba Escola de Capoeira (Sons of Bimba Capoeira School) is headquartered in Salvador, but there are several units worldwide, established by people who, like Khoury, fell in love with the activity. Khoury, for example, was authorised to open the school in Lebanon by Mestre Bimba’s son, Manoel Nascimento Machado, also known as Mestre Nene. Khoury had the assistance of teacher Alan Rocha Paixão, Sardão.That was how he got in contact with teacher Roberta Meireles, Chapinha, and later with Ricardo Santos, Anum, who taught at the school until February.
In Beirut, Khoury rented an area and the school already has around 40 students, aged 16 to 29. Lessons are charged, but revenues are not enough to cover all expenses. The Lebanese and Chapinha use their own money to maintain the classes, taught once a week. Khoury himself studies at the school, as it is necessary to undergo five evaluations and an internship before becoming a teacher. Chapinha, for example, took six years to reach that level.
The Lebanese Khoury, graduated in Business from the American University of Beirut, has Capoeira Regional as his philosophy. The youth explains that it was developed by Mestre Bimba in the 1920s. At the time, capoeira was illegal and considered an activity of "bad eggs". The master, however, took the activity to people of several social classes, including the higher classes, to all skin colours, not just blacks, to people with or without physical aptitude for the fight. Bimba died in 1974, but son Nenel has continued the work of his father and has taken the philosophy ahead through Filhos de Bimba Foundation and Filhos de Bimba Escola de Capoeira.
Mestre Nenel, in fact, was even in Lebanon up to last Sunday (24), where he taught capoeira, berimbau (the bow played for the martial art) and atabaque (a drum), among other instruments, apart from evaluating students of the school. He also visited the Centre for Latin American Studies and Cultures, of the Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik (Cecal-Usek), where there are students who practice capoeira. "The Mestre Bimba tradition, conserved by his son, Mestre Nenel, transmits not just a sports technique, but also a culture and work for development of man as a whole," said Roberto Khatlab, the Cecal-Usek director, who met him.
More capoeira
The Lebanese Khoury has other projects for Capoeira Regional in his country. Sons of Bimba Association was recently created in Lebanon, and through it the youth wants to implement the Capoerê Project, whose objective is to take Capoeira Regional to children in situations of risk. In Brazil, the project has already benefited 8,000 children. Capoeira, according to Khoury, may help little ones to face their daily problems and may also be an alternative profession, in which they may teach.
Through the Capoerê Project, according to Khoury, children also learn how to speak Portuguese. The Lebanese himself learnt the language with his teacher, Chapinha, despite having travelled to Brazil just once, around one year ago. The entrepreneur aims to promote exchange between capoeira students in Brazil and Lebanon, to strengthen the fight for the teaching of both languages. For all of this, however, Khoury is awaiting sponsorship and more funds.
Contact
Sons of Bimba Capoeira School – Beirut
Site: www.fbeclebanon.com
Telephone: (+961) 318-2426
E-mail: fbec.lebanon@gmail.com
*Translated by Mark Ament
