Washington Bruno da Silva (1925–1994), known as Mestre Canjiquinha, was a Brazilian

capoeira Angola Capoeira () is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, music and spirituality. Born of the melting pot of enslaved Africans, Indigenous Brazilians and Portuguese influences at the beginning of the 16th centu ...

mestre and a prominent figure in contemporary

capoeira Capoeira () is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, music and spirituality. Born of the melting pot of enslaved Africans, Indigenous Brazilians and Portuguese influences at the beginning of the 16th century ...

. He was one of the few mestres who didn't emphasize differences between Angola and Regional style, viewing them as primarily different rhythms.

Biography

Washington was born in 1925 in

Salvador, Bahia Salvador (English: ''Savior'') is a Brazilian municipality and capital city of the state of Bahia. Situated in the Zona da Mata in the Northeast Region of Brazil, Salvador is recognized throughout the country and internationally for its cuisine ...

, as a son of a washerwoman. He started in Capoeira in 1935, in Baixa do Tubo, in Matatu Pequeno. "In the bathroom of the late Octavian" (a public bathroom). He learned Capoeira with the legendary Mestre Aberrê (Antônio Raimundo). Mestre Canjiquinha was a shoemaker, lunch box delivery man, and a typist. Among other activities, he was also a football player (goalkeeper) for the

Ypiranga Futebol Clube Ypiranga Futebol Clube, commonly referred to as Ypiranga de Erechim or Ypiranga, is a Brazilian professional club based in Erechim, Rio Grande do Sul founded on 18 August 1924. It competes in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C, the third tier ...

, as well as a

bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...

singer on Salvadoran nights.Mestre Canjiquinha, by Luciano Milani
/ref> Even though he was not a student of

Mestre Pastinha Vicente Ferreira Pastinha (commonly called Mestre Pastinha) (April 5, 1889, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil – November 13, 1981) was a ''mestre'' (a master practitioner) of the Brazilian people, Brazilian martial art Capoeira. Formative Years Pastin ...

, Canjiquinha was Contra Mestre in his academy. Upon leaving, he founded, already as a mestre, his own academy. He was a capoeira visionary, he always told his students "''Capoeira has no creed, no color, no flag, it belongs to the people, it will travel the world''". He had a unique characteristic of playing the

berimbau The berimbau () is a single-string percussion instrument, a musical bow, originally from Africa, that is now commonly used in Brazil. The berimbau would eventually be incorporated into the practice of the Afro-Brazilian martial art ''capoeira'' ...

, an instrument he held in his right hand and played with the vaqueta in his left hand, keeping the berimbau at chest height. During his presentations, Mestre Canjiquinha didn't limit himself to showcasing capoeira but also incorporated other Afro-Brazilian dances, including maculelê. He claimed to be the first to integrate maculélé into capoeira demonstrations. Mestre Canjiquinha played a pivotal role in shaping the style of mainstream capoeira that began to emerge in

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...

during the 1960s. This evolving style, which emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, drew from both Regional and Angola styles while maintaining its distinct characteristics. He recorded a CD with old Mestre Waldemar in 1984.Mestre Waldemar
/ref> Like many others, he faced poverty in his later years. Mestre Canjiquinha passed away in 1994. He left behind a legacy continued by talented mestres such as Paulo dos Anjos, Mestre Brasilia, and Mestre Lua Rasta.

Movies

He appeared in several Brazilian films, promoting capoeira to a wider audience.

Biography

Movies

Literature

References

See also