The religious foundations of capoeira Angola: The cosmopolitics of an apparently non-religious practice
Varela SG (2017)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2017
Journal
Book Volume: 8
Pages Range: 79-93
Journal Issue: 1
Abstract
Scholars commonly associate the religiosity of capoeira with the Afro- Brazilian religion of Candomblé, although some consider capoeira to be exclusively a martial art or even a sport. From the vantage point of the leaders of capoeira Angola groups, their individual power comes from a set of magical attributes that go beyond the influence of Afro-Brazilian religions. In this article, I explore an alternative form of spirituality that is based on the existence of spiritual beings such as the ancestors and the dead mestres (leaders). I argue that these entities emerge only in capoeira performances, affecting ritual action in such a way as to constitute an alternative form of religion that co-exists with Candomblé. By focusing on the effects that these spirits have in the configuration of charismatic personal power, it is possible to delineate cosmological attributes that make capoeira a potential religious practice in its own right.
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Mexico (MX)How to cite
APA:
Varela, S.G. (2017). The religious foundations of capoeira Angola: The cosmopolitics of an apparently non-religious practice. Religion and Society, 8(1), 79-93. https://doi.org/10.3167/arrs.2017.080105
MLA:
Varela, Sergio González. "The religious foundations of capoeira Angola: The cosmopolitics of an apparently non-religious practice." Religion and Society 8.1 (2017): 79-93.
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