My first Batizado by Jess
Jess had started her Capoeira path with a different group and only later joined Professor Cobra and Group Nago in Southampton. She now holds 4th student belt and here is what she has to say about her first ever Batizado at the group she started Capoeira.
"My first Batizado was a while ago now, but I remember the place buzzing as more and more mestres, contra-mestres, professors, graduados, and formados were arriving at the event. I know Capoeira is a Brazilian sport, but until this day I had only heard Portuguese in the Capoeira songs, now it was everywhere and it seamed that half of the people spoke the language. My teacher introduced me to the mestre (master) of the group (I started Capoeira with a different group not Nago), he was a small man in his mid 40s with a stern countenance but an almost cheeky smile. The Mestre offered a firm hand shake and said 'Oi'. This surprised me as being born British such an expression is not used to salute an adult, but I simply smiled back, an mildly ironically also said 'oi'. I later learned that 'oi' in Brazilian Portuguese means 'hi'.
After a number of workshops in the morning, it was time to start the grading. I sat in the roda or circle with the other students waiting for my turn, my nerves churning in my stomach knowing only two things: one that it was normal for students to be taken down (to show or teach humility, but it is always done in a respectful and gentle way) and perhaps more importantly - capoeira is a game. Thus the training at the other martial arts that I had done prior to Capoeira, i.e. blow for blow hard sparring, was not in the spirit of capoeira and could be viewed as disrespectful. I was hoping that when the moment comes I will be able to relax and enjoy the game. The grading started, one by one each teacher paired up with a student they were to baptize, i.e. play Capoeira with and give their first belt. It came to my turn, with my heart in the mouth I moved to the foot of the berimbau, the mass of teachers shifted and a visiting professor came to the foot of the berimbau to play me. He was a teachers I had noticed earlier, he was built to move mountains with his forearms as big as my thighs. I though kicking this guy would not be a good idea and then we played... The crowed in the roda were slowly singing 'e hora a e hora' and I entered the roda with a perfect cartwheel (I had never done any prior to training Capoeira). The rest of the game is blurry in my memory, but I know I tried to kick my opponent and on one such a kick my foot was swept from underneath me; the roda roared and teachers cheered 'aieee' (a sound of approval for a nice technique) as I hit the floor. I stood up unhurt, shook hands with the professor - I just have had my first Capoeira game at a Batizado and was awarded my first corda or belt. My Capoeira journey had begun and now years later I have played lots of Capoeira in countless events in many countries including Brazil."
"My first Batizado was a while ago now, but I remember the place buzzing as more and more mestres, contra-mestres, professors, graduados, and formados were arriving at the event. I know Capoeira is a Brazilian sport, but until this day I had only heard Portuguese in the Capoeira songs, now it was everywhere and it seamed that half of the people spoke the language. My teacher introduced me to the mestre (master) of the group (I started Capoeira with a different group not Nago), he was a small man in his mid 40s with a stern countenance but an almost cheeky smile. The Mestre offered a firm hand shake and said 'Oi'. This surprised me as being born British such an expression is not used to salute an adult, but I simply smiled back, an mildly ironically also said 'oi'. I later learned that 'oi' in Brazilian Portuguese means 'hi'.
After a number of workshops in the morning, it was time to start the grading. I sat in the roda or circle with the other students waiting for my turn, my nerves churning in my stomach knowing only two things: one that it was normal for students to be taken down (to show or teach humility, but it is always done in a respectful and gentle way) and perhaps more importantly - capoeira is a game. Thus the training at the other martial arts that I had done prior to Capoeira, i.e. blow for blow hard sparring, was not in the spirit of capoeira and could be viewed as disrespectful. I was hoping that when the moment comes I will be able to relax and enjoy the game. The grading started, one by one each teacher paired up with a student they were to baptize, i.e. play Capoeira with and give their first belt. It came to my turn, with my heart in the mouth I moved to the foot of the berimbau, the mass of teachers shifted and a visiting professor came to the foot of the berimbau to play me. He was a teachers I had noticed earlier, he was built to move mountains with his forearms as big as my thighs. I though kicking this guy would not be a good idea and then we played... The crowed in the roda were slowly singing 'e hora a e hora' and I entered the roda with a perfect cartwheel (I had never done any prior to training Capoeira). The rest of the game is blurry in my memory, but I know I tried to kick my opponent and on one such a kick my foot was swept from underneath me; the roda roared and teachers cheered 'aieee' (a sound of approval for a nice technique) as I hit the floor. I stood up unhurt, shook hands with the professor - I just have had my first Capoeira game at a Batizado and was awarded my first corda or belt. My Capoeira journey had begun and now years later I have played lots of Capoeira in countless events in many countries including Brazil."