This is not a metaphor
Our time in Olinda gave us a chance to visit Mestra Di’s academy and continue the conversations of the previous project. It was great to be there in person, play capoeira with her group and the children, and contribute to the music. The academy is a small room down an alleyway in Olinda. There are…
Research as Resistance: in conversation with five artists
A necessary challenge for all researchers is not only to find ways of researching that are not exploitative or extractive, but that support the people who collaborate in the research. In Olinda, Pernambuco, we engaged in a spoken and musical conversation with five artists: Leo Lima, Mestre Ulisses, Mestre Juarez, Negão do Coco and Mestre…
Music as the fifth dimension: June Festivals in Northeastern Brazil
The Festas Juninas in the Northeast of Brazil are the June Festivals celebrating the days dedicated to Saint John (São João) and Saint Peter (São Pedro). Moving between Recife and Olinda in the state of Pernambuco gave insight into the centrality of music to cultural life. Music is what brings people together, it is how…
99% of the 99%: the politics in collective artistic processes in the majority world
The aesthetic turn opened significant academic space; it focused, though, on erudite artists in the Global North – Europe and North America. In doing so it shone light on the politics of maybe 1% of the 1%, if we consider artists as 1% of the population. In expanding analysis, though, it did not rise to the challenge of engaging with 99% of the 99%.
Coming to voice through capoeira
Paper presented by Ana Paz for the panel “Aesthetics of the majority world” at the 2024 DSA Conference held at SOAS University of London.
Aesthetics of the Majority World
On 26 June 2024, we explored the aesthetics of the majority world as part of the DSA Conference, held at SOAS University of London. An aesthetic lens brings into focus sets of perspectives, narratives and conceptual frameworks that are illegible to socio-economic methodologies. The panel presented research that amplifies performing artists and local medias in…
Luz di Angolinha – workshop 2
Capoeira with Mestra Di In the last post from this project, here are some photos of Mestra Di’s capoeira work with children in Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil. This is how it all happens
Luz di Angolinha – workshop 1
Instrument-making with Luan Following from the last blogs, here are some photos of the workshops led by Mestra Di and Luan. The children are making capoeira instruments – pandeiros – using recycled materials
Luz di Angolinha – pedagogy in action
How is it possible to address the impacts of everyday racism and sexism on children? Mestra Di heads a children’s capoeira group, Luz di Angolinha in Olinda, Pernambuco. Pernambuco is in the Northeast of Brazil, one of the areas most affected by inequality, discrimination and violence, which disproportionately impact women and people of Afro-Brazilian or…
Interview between Paulinha (Capoeira Bemvindo Angola, London, UK) and Mestra Di (Luz di Angola, Olinda, Brazil)
“Eu creio que todo mestre e toda mestra é educador, e tem que envolver as crianças, porque a parte delas é a transformação.”
“I believe that every mestre or mestra is an educator, and has to involve children, because that’s where the change takes place.”