Zum zum zum Besouro Mangangá
Bateu foi na policia de soldado a general
Zum zum zum Besouro Mangangá
Entrava na roda e não parava de jogar
Zum zum zum Besouro Mangangá
Zum zum zum Besouro Mangangá
Battered the police from soldier to general
Zum zum zum Besouro Mangangá
Entered the roda and didn’t stop to play
Zum zum zum Besouro Mangangá
Did you know?
Besouro Mangangá
- Besouro Mangangá was born Manoel Henrique Pereira in Bahia and grew into a legendary capoeirista whose unparalleled physical feats earned him mythic status.
- His primary nickname Besouro, meaning beetle, praised his uncanny ability to evade police, while Mangangá referenced a venomous beetle to match his lethal sting.
- He was also famously known by the names Besouro Preto and Besouro Cordão de Ouro, using these aliases to hide his true identity from criminal authorities.
- Popular folklore claimed he possessed magical protection, including the power to fly away from danger and a mystical body closed against blades and bullets.
- He became a champion for the poor, frequently fighting abusive landowners and police forces to protect the rights of vulnerable Afro-Brazilian workers.
- His life ended tragically when he was ambushed and stabbed with a special wooden dagger, the only weapon believed capable of breaking his defense.