Sou Capoeira e pego na viola
Sou Capoeira e pego na viola
Se essa roda ficar boa não vai terminar agora
Se essa roda ficar boa não vai terminar agora
Não vai terminar agora
Não vai terminar agora
Não vai terminar agora
Não vai terminar agora
Não vai terminar agora
Não vai terminar agora
Toquei berimbau e cantei prá iaiá
Toquei berimbau e cantei prá iaiá
Na roda de Capoeira, quero ver gunga falar
Na roda de Capoeira, quero ver gunga falar
Quero ver gunga falar
Quero ver gunga falar
Quero ver gunga falar
Quero ver gunga falar
Quero ver gunga falar
Quero ver gunga falar
I am Capoeira and I take the viola
I am Capoeira and I take the viola
If this roda stays well, I won’t stop it now
If this roda stays well, I won’t stop it now
I won’t stop it now
I won’t stop it now
I won’t stop it now
I won’t stop it now
I won’t stop it now
I won’t stop it now
I played the berimbau and sang to íaía
I played the berimbau and sang to íaía
In the circle of Capoeira, I want to hear the gunga speak
In the circle of Capoeira, I want to hear the gunga speak
I want to hear the gunga speak
I want to hear the gunga speak
I want to hear the gunga speak
I want to hear the gunga speak
I want to hear the gunga speak
I want to hear the gunga speak
Did you know?
Berimbau
- The berimbau is a single-string musical bow of African origin that functions as the absolute leader and commander of the roda.
- The instrument dictates the exact speed, stylistic tone, and combat intensity of the capoeiristas through specific rhythms known as toques.
- A traditional berimbau is constructed from a wooden staff, a steel wire, a hollowed gourd resonator, a small stone or coin, a bamboo shaker, and a wooden thin stick.
- In a traditional orchestra, three distinct pitches are used: the deep-toned gunga to lead the group, the medium médio to hold the rhythm, and the high-pitched viola to improvise.
- Enslaved Africans historically used the live music of the bow to camouflage their outlawed martial art, making the training look like an innocent dance to colonial authorities.
- Today, the instrument holds a sacred status within the art, and capoeiristas show immense reverence toward it, celebrating its spiritual voice in countless traditional songs.
Gunga
- The gunga is the largest and lowest-pitched berimbau in the orchestra, distinct for having the most massive gourd resonator and a highly flexible wooden staff.
- Because its large, hollowed gourd acts as a powerful amplifier, it produces a deep, heavy, and resonant bass tone that commands the room.
- In the musical hierarchy of the roda, it serves as the absolute leader, conductor, and master instrument that all other musicians must listen to and follow.
- Its primary role is to establish and strictly maintain the core rhythm—or toque—of the game, remaining steady without breaking into spontaneous improvisations.
- The capoeirista playing the gunga holds the highest authority in the roda, possessing the unique power to start the music, invite players to start, or stop the game instantly.
- Today, mastering the gunga represents immense experience, demanding a deep sense of responsibility, rhythmic control, and absolute awareness of the roda's energy.
Viola
- The viola—or violinha—is the highest-pitched berimbau in the orchestra, distinct for having the smallest gourd resonator and the most rigid wooden staff.
- Because its thicker wood requires immense physical strength to flex and string tightly, it produces a very sharp, bright, and piercing acoustic sound.
- In the musical hierarchy of the roda, it serves as the ultimate soloist, breaking away from the steady baseline rhythm maintained by the deeper instruments.
- Its primary role is to improvise, add rhythmic fills, and inject intricate variations that add texture and high energy to the atmosphere.
- It cuts through the heavy collective sound of the percussion easily, creating tiny acoustic spaces for expressive, advanced musical details.
- For capoeiristas, mastering the viola represents a high level of musical maturity, acting like a lead guitar that drives the spirit and flavor of the game.