The history of Cordão de Ouro group

“Quando eu morrer, me enterre na Lapinha…
Calça culote, paletó, almofadinha…
Adeus Bahia, zum,zum, zum, Cordão de Ouro…”
Baden Powell

“When I die, I’m buried in Lapinha …
Breeches, suite, cushion …
Goodbye Bahia, zum, zum, zum, Cordão de Ouro … ”
Baden Powell

mestresuassuna60 — The first students of Mestre Suassuna in Itabuna – Bahia. From left to right: Chico Minuto, Garrincha, Clido Agachados, Mestre Suassuna and Polícia known as Luizinho – Mestre Luís Medicina, who most stood out at the time, is the founder of the Grupo Raça.

The Association of Capoeira Cordão de Ouro was founded by Mestre Suassuna and Mestre Brasilia on September 1, 1967. When two decided to open a Capoeira gym, they decided to use the name Cordão de Ouro while listening to the chorus of a popular song at that time on a radio. It was also the name of legendary capoeirista, Besouro Cordão de Ouro, who was from the time before the division of Capoeira Angola and Regional. Mestre Suassuna would teach Capoeira Regional and Mestre Brasilia would teach Capoeira Angola at the same space. Unfortunately, after a short period, Mestre Brasília decided to found his own group, São Bento Grande.

Suassuna e Brasília — Mestre Suassuna demonstrating “chapa” kick to Mestre Brasilia

The life was not easy for Mestre Suassuna who had recently arrived to São Paulo from Itabuna, Bahia. The military dictatorship and the social prejudice did not allow Capoeira to develop in the south. Despite the odds, he continued the work and presented himself consistently, showing the techniques of the game and the fight, opened the first academy in São Paulo. With hard work, it did not take long to have his first students, such as Lobão, Esdras Filho, Tarzan, Belisco, Almir das Areias, Caio, and many others.

His academy housed capoeiristas from the north and northeast who arrived to São Paulo with the intention of spreading the art of capoeira. It became the birthplace of new masters in São Paulo. In addition to the ones already mentioned: Mestre Flávio Tucano, Biriba, Dal, Marcelo Caveirinha, Urubú Malandro, Espirro Mirim, Xavier, Lucifer, Torinho, Pial, Canguru, Sarará, Zé Antônio, Ponciano, Bolinha, Geraldinho, Cícero, Zé Carlos and Penteado, and many more.

Always restless, Master Suassuna never settled down, continuously working to improve the game of Miudinho. A new team of capoeiristas, know as Miudinho Generation, would further improve this style: Boca Rica, Habibs, Mintirinha, Kibe, Denis, Saroba, Coruja, Chicote, Chiclete, Kino, Pintado, Lú Pimenta, Barata, Esquilo, Romualdo and others.

Today, with numerous branches in Brazil and abroad, Grupo Coordão de Ouro plays a prominent role among all the capoeira groups, not only for what Mestre Suassuna represents for sports and culture, but also for the effort undertaken by him And its adherents. In order to keep capoeira at a highly technical level, interacting speed, agility, elasticity, creativity, music and malice, without forgetting its roots.

This effort has been preserved by the dedication of the capoeiristas who follow the philosophy of the group.

Original Text by Mestre Boca Rida