ABSTRACT Title of Document: FOLLOWING THE TRAIL OF THE SNAKE: A LIFE HISTORY OF COBRA MANSA “COBRINHA” MESTRE OF CAPOEIRA Isabel Angulo, Doctor of Philosophy, 2008 Directed By: Dr. Jonathan Dueck Division of Musicology and Ethnomusicology, School of Music, University of Maryland Professor John Caughey American Studies Department, University of Maryland This dissertation is a cultural biography of Mestre Cobra Mansa, a mestre of the Afro-Brazilian martial art of capoeira angola. The intention of this work is to track Mestre Cobrinha’s life history and accomplishments from his beginning as an impoverished child in Rio to becoming a mestre of the tradition—its movements, music, history, ritual and philosophy. A highly skilled performer and researcher, he has become a cultural ambassador of the tradition in Brazil and abroad. Following the Trail of the Snake is an interdisciplinary work that integrates the research methods of ethnomusicology (oral history, interview, participant observation, musical and performance analysis and transcription) with a revised life history methodology to uncover the multiple cultures that inform the life of a mestre of capoeira. A reflexive auto-ethnography of the author opens a dialog between the experiences and developmental steps of both research partners’ lives. Written in the intersection of ethnomusicology, studies of capoeira, social studies and music education, the academic dissertation format is performed as a roda of capoeira aiming to be respectful of the original context of performance. The result is a provocative ethnographic narrative that includes visual texts from the performative aspects of the tradition (music and movement), aural transcriptions of Mestre Cobra Mansa’s storytelling and a myriad of writing techniques to accompany the reader in a multi-dimensional journey of multicultural understanding. The study follows Cinézio Feliciano Peçanha in his childhood struggle for survival as a street performer in Rio de Janeiro. Several key moves provided him with the opportunity to rebuild his life and to grow into a recognized mestre of the capoeira angola martial art as Mestre Cobra Mansa (“Tame Snake” in Portuguese). His dedicated work enabled him to contribute to the revival of the capoeira angola tradition during the 1980’s in Bahia. After his move to the United States in the early 1990’s, Mestre Cobrinha founded the International Capoeira Angola Foundation, which today has expanded to 28 groups around the world. Mestre Cobra returned home to Brazil to initiate projects that seek to develop a new sense of community from all that he has learned and been able to accomplish in his life through the performance and study of capoeira angola. FOLLOWING THE TRAIL OF THE SNAKE: A LIFE HISTORY OF COBRA MANSA “COBRINHA” MESTRE OF CAPOEIRA. By Isabel Angulo Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2008 Advisory Committee: Dr. Jonathan Dueck, Co-Chair Professor John L. Caughey, Co-Chair Professor Francine Hultgren Professor Robert C. Provine Professor Christopher J. Vadala © Copyright by Isabel Angulo 2008 Dedication To Mestre Cobra Mansa, o mestre quem me ensinou and my family of light, the true hands of God in my life Acknowledgements In capoeira one cannot start a roda without the invocation to the ancestors. I open the round to thank my all my mestres. Both my co-chairs John Coughey and Jonathan Dueck have done the best job of nurturing my creativity with their wisdom and encouragement. When I was soaring high, I knew somebody was watching and I found guidance and respect for my work. Rob Provine and Chris Vadala kept me in my musical toes, expanding my perspective; one never can have enough of that. Francine Hultgren has been a true mentor during my time of discovery through writing, opening the doors to new dimensions of expression I never thought I had. To all my committee members go my most sincere acknowledgment and credit for their contribution to this dissertation. Two women would have been part of my committee if I had not been such a slow bloomer: Carolina Robertson opened the university small door of the SOL program to let me in, somehow, she knew I would be leaving through the big one. Mary McCarthy, my mentor in music education has been an example of dedication and scholarship and a constant reminder of who I am and what was I doing here. The privilege to work with additional visiting faculty such as Daniel Sheehy and Adrienne Kaeppler was an unexpected treat that widened the field for me and brought support and enhancement of my professional experiences. I hope that our paths will cross again as I embrace the development of my applied ethnomusicologist career. I believe education is the back door for the entrée of the ethnomusicology discipline to greatness in Spain. My colleagues of the Society of Ethnomusicology (SibE) and the Institut de Ciénces de l’Educació (ICE) education groups were my first source of inspiration to work actively in a community of educators with ethnomusicology. I offer ii my special acknowledgment to Ramón Pelinski, being the first ethnomusicologist I ever met, who dismissed my first attempt to write a life history. I agree with him: it needed some additional thought, if it took me more than a decade to accomplish, it is only my fault. My students over more than three decades were my teachers and as I often tell their stories, I have to thank them for being such a formative part of my professional and personal life. My ethnomusicological colleagues in Spain and abroad have been very patient while I was working in my thesis, now we can start the debate and conversations that will make it worth. Gisèle Mills, for sharing her vast knowledge, culture and family, deserves my eternal gratitude. My love of music and live performance was nourished while in the DC area by the late Baba Djimo Kouyate. I thank him for my best memory, ever, in a stage, his luminous smile still sustains me. Amadou Kouyate and family continued his father’s vision and added a fierce bet on experimentation and collaboration that was an enjoyment to share. The University of Maryland African Drumming Ensemble made me proud of be part of a powerful all female dounum players for years; what a treat! The women’s energy that derived of the precious collective improvisations with Sharon, Joyce, Gisèle and Lisa and the Emergence Community Arts Collective Jam sessions gave me a dwell of creative juices and reassured me communication is possible even when one does not speak the same language, just hold your instrument and listen. I am thankful because they were listening to me and made my musical ideas rise to be conversational music pieces. The late Dr. Rose Bello brought my singing voice back from far, far away and Dr. Ysaye iii Maria Barnwell gave me the power of using it to build a community though song. It will stay with me forever. I could not maintain such long effort without the economic support of many financial angels. My deepest gratitude to the PEO sisterhood who honored me by awarding me twice the International Peace Scholarship Fund. The money sustained me, but the letters, emails, postcards, gifts, phone calls and invitations to luncheons lifted me to thrive. The Driskell Center awarded me with a traveling grant to Bahia, which moved forward my research and understanding of capoeira’s culture in context. The Office of Undergraduate Studies also supported my research and traveling needs with enormous generosity and thoughtfulness. My special thanks to my supervisor and friend Dr. Lisa Kiely who gave me freedom to express myself creatively during my years of assistance to the First Year Book Program, sending me home to write, or study, or to do my fieldwork with impressive support and care. There are times when you plant the seed of something very big in a very casual manner. My very dear riojano friends Carlos Ruiz-Alberti and Pilar Ortega came to my life disguised as piano student and wife, becoming over many years of practice two solid references of friendship and uninterested support. Your generosity still makes my heart flutter; thank you for listening with your open hands. Besides the economical support, it takes a village to raise a doctor. I am very fortunate to have a very populated one. My gratitude goes to all my wonderful network of friends, part of my family of light, who were there to respond to my many needs during my years of study in the States. From legal paperwork to visa renewals and bill payments; from trips to the airport to garden, house and instruments maintenance; from fridges and pantries to fill to house to clean and spiders and moths to fend; from cars at the door to iv internet connections, errands to run, pastries to bake and milestones to celebrate. To my extended families: Valls-Guerrero, Blasco-Barrachina, Dachs-Margarit, Tuñí-Gonzalez, Carballo-Fontanet, Marta & Agustin. The string of brave single women that have cared for me and showed me their love, making me hold strong and keep going beyond endurance from across an ocean deserve the highest honor medal. To my sisters in Catalunya: Claudia and Maritza, Mercé, Gladys (el pozo esta fluyendo como nunca), Mont, Rat, Antonia, Mari and Isabel “Fusió”, and in Madrid Oliva and Ifigenio—I know you are not a sister but a brother, but your sensitivity and encouragement since many years ago makes you deserving of an honor place among my sisters. I hope you all are as proud of me as I am of your friendship, continuous support and loving encouragement.