Ele veio da ilha de Maré
no saveiro do mestre João
Levantou a Capoeira
Encantou com a sua maneira
de cantar com coração
Ele veio da ilha de Maré
no saveiro do mestre João
Levantou a Capoeira
Encantou com a sua maneira
de cantar com coração
Mestre você fez história
Quem lhe conheceu têm você na memória
Saudade se chama Eziquiel
Era um amigo de fé
E é para homem e mulher
Ele veio da ilha de Maré
no saveiro do mestre João
Levantou a Capoeira
Encantou com a sua maneira
de cantar com coração
Foi morar lá na Preguiça
se criou na Conceição
Mas viveu lá no Cabula
até hoje me encabula
Ter apertado a sua mão
Ele veio da ilha de Maré
no saveiro do mestre João
Levantou a Capoeira
Encantou com a sua maneira
de cantar com coração
A lua branca vai iluminar
novos caminhos pra você
Vai em paz guerreiro amigo
Um abraço ao mestre Bimba
Um dia gente se vê
Ele veio da ilha de Maré
no saveiro do mestre João
Levantou a Capoeira
Encantou com a sua maneira
de cantar com coração
He came from the isle of Maré
in the boat of mestre João
He elevated Capoeira
Enchanting with his way
to sing from the heart
He came from the isle of Maré
in the boat of mestre João
He elevated Capoeira
Enchanting with his way
to sing from the heart
Mestre you made history
Who met you have got you in their memory
The longing when calling Eziquiel
A faithfull friend
for men and women
He came from the isle of Maré
in the boat of mestre João
He elevated Capoeira
Enchanting with his way
to sing from the heart
Went to live there in Preguiça
Grew up in Conceição
But he lived there in Cabula
until today it humbles me
to have shaken his hand
He came from the isle of Maré
in the boat of mestre João
He elevated Capoeira
Enchanting with his way
to sing from the heart
The white moon will illuminate
New paths for you
Go in peace my warrior friend
Send greetings to mestre Bimba
One day we will meet
He came from the isle of Maré
in the boat of mestre João
He elevated Capoeira
Enchanting with his way
to sing from the heart
Did you know?
Mestre Bimba
Mestre Bimba (Manuel dos Reis Machado) was the legendary founder of Capoeira Regional, a faster and more combative style of the art.
- Mestre Bimba (1899–1974) revolutionized the discipline by creating Capoeira Regional, modernizing the traditional Afro-Brazilian art.
- He integrated elements of Batuque and gymnastics to make capoeira a highly effective and structured martial art.
- In 1932, he founded the world's first official capoeira academy in Salvador, Bahia, establishing a rigorous training method.
- He successfully convinced President Getúlio Vargas to lift the legal ban on capoeira, declaring it Brazil's national sport.
- He introduced systematic innovations like white uniforms, a formal graduation system using colored scarves, and standardized combat sequences.
- Disillusioned by a lack of government support in Bahia, he moved to Goiânia, where he tragically died in poverty a year later.