Mestre Neneu

Mestre Neneu: a short interview with a reporter from Globo Network

Translation:
Commentary
The Associacao de Capoeira Regional, provides classes on a permanent basis to low-income-families children. Mestre Néneu teaches these kids with the seriousness of someone who has a mission. He is Mestre Bimba’s son.
Néneu:The person who is learning to become a teacher or a “mestre” one day, needs from the very beginning to know how to make his/her instrument, how to play it and pass what they have learnt to others.
The berimbau has an apropriate sound for each specific rhythm (toque). It is very important to know how to make your own instrument because we can make it the way we like it.
Reporter asking one of the children:
-- Is it for selling or just for practice?
-- Just for playing
Commentary:
Lázaro Rocha Jesus, or Bacteria, is a former street kid whose life has changed since he started taking classes with Néneu. He has spent enough time learning from Mestre Néneu now to be qualified to teach capoeira in Capoeira Schools.
Bacteria:-- It’s always been an issue with my mother, but today it’s different, she sees now that there is nothing wrong with it. Today I work with capoeira, I make a little money, enough to survive and help my mother, so she doesn’t criticize me anymore.
Reporter:Capoeira blends fight, dance and music. Capoeira Regional also uses kicks and techniques borrowed from other martial arts.
Néneu:-- Pretend this guy has a knife, a situation like that calls for an infinity of movements, my father used to teach us about situations like this. But today there are people who end up fighting in “rodas” and misrepresenting capoeira and others blame it on my father (Mestre Bimba).