Editing Capoeira (section)

==Spirituality==

Spirituality in capoeira is shaped under the influence of various African beliefs. Some important concepts of [[candomblé]], such as ''dendé'' and ''axé'', which refer to different conceptions of energy, have become common among capoeiristas.{{sfn|Varela|2017|pp=102}}

=== Bantu culture ===
[[File:Divination Ceremony and Dance, Brazil.JPG|thumb|''Divination Ceremony and Dance, Brazil'', by [[Zacharias Wagenaer|Zacharias Wagener]], [[1630]].]]

Dr Maya Talmon-Chvaicer suggests that capoeira should be explained in [[Bantu languages|Bantu]] terms. For the African slaves, capoeira was a social expression that incorporated all the basic African elements: circle, dance, music, rituals and symbols. It also contains all the ingredients of a game from the [[Kongo religion|Kongolese]] perspective: a means to train and prepare for life, providing the experience needed to strengthen the body and the soul.{{sfn|Talmon-Chvaicer|2008|pp=175-176}}

Within the [[Bantu peoples|Bantu]] culture, ''[[Roda (formation)|the circle]]'' carries profound symbolism.<ref name="Talmon-Chvaicer"/> Dancing in a circle holds significance, representing protection and strength, symbolizing the bond with the spirit world, life, and the divine.<ref name="Talmon-Chvaicer">Talmon-Chvaicer, M. (2004). Verbal and Non-Verbal Memory in Capoeira. Sport in Society, 7(1), 49–68. doi:10.1080/1461098042000220182 </ref>

A major means of communication with the ancestors is music. Musical instruments play a pivotal role in bridging the realms of the living, the deceased, and the gods. This explains why African dances customarily commence by paying homage to the primary instrument, often through kneeling or bowing before it. This practice of appeasement and seeking divine assistance from the gods is mirrored in the capoeira tradition of kneeling before the ''[[berimbau]]'' during the ''[[ladainha]]''.<ref name="Talmon-Chvaicer"/>

African martial arts naturally take the form of [[dance]]. In Bantu culture, dance is an integral part of daily life, encompassing song, music, movements, and rituals. This holistic view applies to [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|Congo]]/[[Angola]], where dance is intricately linked to song, music, and [[ritual]].<ref name="Talmon-Chvaicer"/>

=== Inverted worldview ===
{{main|Kalunga line}}

In [[Kongo religion|Bantu religion]], [[Kalunga (Kongo religion)|kalûnga]] represents the idea that, in the realm of the living everything is reversed from the realm of the ancestors. Where men walk on their feet, the spirits [[Hand walking|walk on their hands]]; where men reach their peak physical abilities, the ancestors reach their peak spirituality. Inhabitants of the ancestral realm are inverted compared to us, as viewed from our mirrored perspective.<ref name="Kambon"/> With this particular worldview, practitioners of African martial arts deliberately invert themselves upside down to emulate the ancestors, and to draw strength and power from the ancestral realm.<ref name="Kambon">[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326942344_AfrikanBlack_Combat_Forms_Hidden_in_Plain_Sight_EngoloCapoeira_Knocking-and-Kicking_and_Asafo_Flag_Dancing Obadele Bakari Kambon, Afrikan=Black Combat Forms Hidden in Plain Sight: Engolo/Capoeira, Knocking-and-Kicking and Asafo Flag Dancing]</ref>{{sfn|Desch-Obi|2008|p=3}}

One of the capoeira ritual is performing the "au" at the beginning of the game. This act symbolizes a profound transition in [[Kongolese religion]], where touching the ground with hands while feet are up in the air signifies the player crosses over to other worlds.{{sfn|Talmon-Chvaicer|2008|p=144}}

Capoeira has been additionally shaped by the cosmic worldview of [[candomblé]], an Afro-Brazilian religion that has engaged with various manifestations of natural energies.{{sfn|Capoeira|2002|p=19}} The capoeira player in past usually had his ''[[Orisha|orixá]]'' or ''santo'' ([[patron saint]]) as [[Ogun|Ogum]] (the Warrior) or [[Oshosi|Oxóssi]] (the Hunter).{{sfn|Capoeira|2002|p=61}}

=== ''Mandinga'' (magic) ===

{{blockquote|Capoeira is slave ''mandinga'', desirous of freedom.
Its principles have no method,
its aim is inconceivable even to the wisest of the mestres.{{sfn|Capoeira|2002|p=108}}|[[Mestre Pastinha]]}}

Capoeira holds a core of ''mandinga'', which can be translated as a [[Magic (supernatural)|magic]], sorcery, [[witchcraft]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mandinga#Noun | title=Mandinga | date=4 September 2023 }}</ref> Mandinga suggests an understanding of fundamental natural forces and their utilization through magic rituals to some extent.{{sfn|Capoeira|2007|p=33}} In the past, capoeiristas used protective [[amulet]]s and performed specific rituals to ensure their safety.{{sfn|Desch-Obi|2008|p=163}} Same players "do their mandinga" before the game by drawing magical symbols on the ground with their fingers.{{sfn|Capoeira|2002|p=78}}

Some magic elements in capoeira are clear and familiar, while others have become obscure over time. Folklorist [[Edison Carneiro]] noted that the ''[[ladainha]]'', sung before entering the capoeira circle, invokes the gods, adding a touch of mysticism to the ritual.{{sfn|Talmon-Chvaicer|2008|pp=127-128}} Actions like touching the ground symbolize drawing signs in the dust, and gestures such as kissing hands, crossing oneself, and prayer are reminders of long-forgotten traditions, the Bantus' prayer for divine blessings, aid, and bravery in battle.{{sfn|Talmon-Chvaicer|2008|pp=127-128}}

Mandinga is also a certain esthetic, where the game is expressive and sometimes theatrical, especially in the Angola style. An advanced capoeira player is sometimes referred to as a ''mandingueiro'', someone who embodies ''mandinga''.{{sfn|Varela|2017|pp=106}}

The roots of the term ''mandingueiro'' would be a person who had the magic ability to avoid harm due to protection from the [[Orisha|Orixás]].<ref>"O Fio Da Navalha", ESPN Brasil documentary, 2007</ref> Alternately the word ''mandinga'' originates from the name of [[Mandinka people]].