Capoeira (ka-pu-wear-ah ) was said to be derived from the dance
known as N'golo created as a ritual dance between African Bantu
tribes for a man who has come of age to take a wife without paying
a dowry to the father of the bride. The warriors would challenge
each other using kicks, sweeps, strikes and headbutts to gain
control and defeat their opponent. As the art was more developed in
Brazil through the vehicle of slavery the name Capoeira came from
the Native Indian tribes using the word defining a clearing in the
forest (brushwood clearing) Since Africans seemed to be the only
ones who played this game, it became synonimus with African
presence of resistance. After the abolishement of slavery on May
13, 1888 (Golden Law), and
after Capoeira's many bouts with the community known as a vagabond
art, it was outlaw on October 11 1890.