Mestre Pastinha
Vicente Ferreira Pastinha (born April 5, 1889 in Salvador da Bahia , Brazil , † November 13, 1981 ibid) was a Brazilian martial artist.
Mestre (Master) Pastinha is known as the founder of Capoeira de Angola , the "African" style of the martial art Capoeira . Pastinha made a major contribution to the development of this style at a time when Capoeira was still forbidden by law.
One of his students, Mestre João Grande, is still living today and is now passing on his knowledge in New York . Mestre João Pequeno, also a student of Mestre Pastinha, died on December 9, 2011 in Bahia .
The formative years
Mestre Pastinha started learning capoeira at the age of 8 from an African named Benedito. There is a little story about this: An older and stronger boy from Pastinha's neighborhood had beaten him up many times. One day Benedito saw this and asked Pastinha to come to his house, where he would teach him a few things. He impressed on him not to provoke his opponent, but rather to hide his fighting skills as much as possible. The next time he met the boy, Pastinha is said to have defeated him so quickly that the older boy became his admirer.
Mestre Pastinha had a happy and comfortable childhood. In the morning he attended painting courses at the Liceu de Artes e Ofício art school ; during the afternoons he played with paper kites and learned capoeira. He continued his training with Benedito for three years.
At his father's request, he later attended a seaman's academy. He was therefore unable to continue his training, but taught his friends Capoeira at school. He left school at the age of 21 to become a full-time painter. In his spare time, he continued to practice capoeira in secret, as it was still illegal in Brazil at the time.
The Capoeira Angola
Mestre Pastinha took in 1941, at the invitation of Aberrê - his former students - following, on a Sunday Roda (capoeira competition) at Ladeira do Gengibirra part in the district of Liberdade. The best masters were always to be found here.
Aberrê had long been famous in these rodas, and after Pastinha had spent an afternoon there, one of Bahia's best masters, Mestre Amorzinho, asked him if he would like to teach Capoeira Angola. As a result, Pastinha founded the first Capoeira Angola school in 1942, the Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola in the Pelourinho district. His students wore black pants and yellow T-shirts, the same colors used by the Ypiranga Futebol Clube, Pastinha's favorite football club.
He took part with the Brazilian delegation at the “First International Festival de Artes Negras” in Dakar ( Senegal ). Mestre João Grande, Mestre Gato Preto, Mestre Gildo Alfinete, Mestre Roberto Satanás and Camafeu de Oxossi also attended this festival.
The last few years
Pastinha worked as a shoe shiner , tailor, gold prospector , doorman ( leão de chácara ) of a casino and construction worker at Porto de Salvador to secure his financial livelihood. So he could be what he wanted most: an Angoleiro .
Pastinha, old, sick and almost completely blind, was asked by the administration to leave his house for renovation work. But it was never made available again - instead, it was used as a restaurant and shop. Pastinha died a broken man in bitterness over his treatment. In the end, Pastinha was quartered in a homeless shelter (Abrigo D. Pedro II, Salvador da Bahia). He ended his life lonely. On April 12, 1981 he appeared for the last time in the Roda .
Mestre Pastinha died on November 13, 1981 at the age of 92 . Only one of his best students is left, Mestre João Grande, who is passing on his legacy in New York . The last pupil still alive, Mestre João Pequeno, died on December 9, 2011 in Bahia . Dr. C. Daniel Dawson later wrote in his book Capoeira Angola and Mestre João Grande : “ Pastinha was a brilliant capoeirista whose game can be characterized by his agility, speed and intelligence (...). Pastinha wanted his students to understand the application, philosophy and tradition of pure Capoeira Angola. As he said, “I practice the true Capoeira Angola and in my school students learn to be sincere and fair. That is the law of Angola. I learned it from my grandfather. It is the law of loyalty. The Capoeira Angola that I learned - I haven't changed it in my school ... When my students approach something, they approach it in such a way that they want to know everything about it. You know it; this is struggle, this is ruse. We have to keep calm. It's not an offensive fight. Capoeira is waiting (...) The good Capoeirista must be able to sing, be able to play Capoeira and be able to play the instruments of Capoeira. " "
Web links
- Pastinha
- Mestre
- Homepage of the Associação de Capoeira Angola Dobrada
- Capoeira Angola
- via Mestre Pastinha and Joao Grande "Angoleiros"
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Pastinha, Mestre |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Pastinha, Vicente Ferreira |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Brazilian martial artist and founder of Capoeira de Angola |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 5, 1889 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Salvador da Bahia , Brazil |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 13, 1981 |
| Place of death | Salvador da Bahia |