An Interview with Mestre Jelon
It is a cold and blustery winter afternoon. Sitting at a conference table in Dance Brazil?s new offices in New York City?s bustling Garment district is Mestre Jelon Vieira . One quickly realizes that the man seated across from you is much more than a simple master in the Brazilian art of Capoeira. He is in fact equal parts philosopher, capoeirista, elder statesman and ultimately, a true gentleman. He has much to say about the current state of Capoeira, ?Capoeira is swollen right now...?.
What initially was to be a half-hour interview stretched into a nearly three hour conversation about Capoeira. The idea of a focused interview turned into wide ranging, off the cuff discussion of the current state of Capoeira here in the US. With Mestre Jelon celebrating the 25th year of Capoeira in the USA in November of this year, he is also organizing the IV International Capoeira Encounter in the last week of August 2000. He is a long way away from the time he arrived in NY in 1975 the teacher of a little known art on this continent.
Mestre Jelon, in his formative years trained under three mestres : mestres Bobo, Bimba and Eziquiel, and has a deep and rich understanding of the Capoeira game and lifestyle. He first arrived in the US in 1975, and started teaching in NY. He is recognized as the first mestre to bring Capoeira formally to the US. Bira Almeida, Mestre Acordeon, followed in1979, setting up shop on the West Coast.
?I opened my first school in June ?75...was there for three years. Bira (Mestre Acordeon)came in ?79 and started teaching in California. Capoeira is still very new here. There?s a long way to go. Capoeira has so many benefits for people. A great after-school programs. It gets young boys introduced to dance, but it depends who teaches, and who?s behind it.?
Mestre Jelon is quick to mention that the United States first introduction to Capoeira came back in the 1930?s and 40?s, with a cartoon reel called Ze Carioca! The cartoon featured Capoeira. A decade later, Ebony magazine did an article on it, and called it the Brazilian Karate. Capoeira turned up in the 1960?s on one episode of David Carridine's Kung Fu TV series, then it apparently disappeared from the public consciousness until Jelon's appearance in NY in 1975.
From an earlier conversation I had with Meste Jelon, he remembers stories told to him from his grandmother about how the men were forced to learn Capoeira in the kitchen of there homes because they couldn't practice on the streets. It is the knowledge of such devotion that spurs him today.
The notion of ?Tradition? is a very real and powerful thing for Mestre Jelon. That passion for the importance of tradition, in art, stems from his training under three different mestres. His current vision of the art comes from this unique perspective. ?We should be concerned with doing Capoeira the right way, to pass along the right information.?
He speaks of his first introduction to Capoeira, ?My first encounter with a Capoeira master was when I was nine years old. Mestre Amerito was his name , he was known for being a great berimbau player. He taught a very informal class and most of his students were his own children. I was very happy to see his whole family doing Capoeira, especially because my mother didn?t even want to hear the word ?Capoeira?. I wasn?t able to train with Mestre Amerito because he lived so close to my house, and it would have been easy for my mother to find out that I was studying Capoeira. I began to train with somebody else but soon found his heart was not in Capoeira and he just wanted my money. One day (in 1963), going to a soccer game, I ran into Mestre Bobo who I studied with for seven years.?
Jelon continued, ?Mestre Bobo taught me a lot about Capoeira Angola and its traditions. It was very important to him that his students learn the correct formation of all the instruments involved in Capoeira roda. It was every students responsibility to sing and play the instruments. I feel very fortunate to have met Mestre Bobo and to have had the privilege to be his student. He taught me how to be a ?gentle warrior?.
With a firm grounding in the traditions of Capoeira Angola, Jelon encountered the Regional-style of Capoeira, ?One day I met a student of Mestre Bimba who?s Capoeira really impressed me. It didn?t matter how tough the situation was, he always played with a smile. Also, his style was totally different than the Capoeira I had been exposed to. After talking to him, he gave me the address for Mestre Bimba?s school. The next day, I went to meet Mestre Bimba and to join his academy. Training with Mestre Bimba I had the privilege to play Capoeira under the sound of his berimbau. When I went to Mestre Bimba he was much older and I had to learn the sequencias (Mestre Bimba?s method), from his graduate students Alegria and Shampoo. Mestre Bimba left Bahia to live in Goiania, and the school stayed under Mestre Vermelho and Mestre Eziquiel ownership.?
Jelon continued on under the eye of Mestre Eziquiel, ?He was the one who taught all the classes. I learned Capoeira regional with him, and through his Capoeira he taught me ?respect for life?. It was a complete change from Capoeira Angola to Regional. Also, I had another privilege to study with Mestre Acordeon (Bira Almeida) in my late teens. Mestre Acordeon taught me my first summersault and how to be tough in the roda without loosing my cool. I feel very lucky to have learned from these men and to pass on the knowledge and traditional values they taught me . I pass they?re legacy to my students in every class I teach. Everyday I learn more about Capoeira, there is always a beginning for Capoeira but there is never an end.?
This respect for the tradition of the art comes through in all aspects of Jelon?s teaching today. For example, the tradition for the make up of the Capoeira orchestra is quite different between Angola and Bimba?s original Regional styles. Jelon elaborates, ?Sometimes when I am teaching in Bahia I always explain to my students the tradition of Mestre Bimba?s Capoeira Regional versus the tradition of Angola. And somedays I say take all the instruments and let?s do Mestre Bimba?s tradition - play one berimbau and two panderios. and they don?t like it, they always like to hear three berimbaus, the full orchestra. It has more rhythm, it?s much more rich, you dance, you feel more. But I say you have to know because one day you will be a teacher, a mestre and you?ll have to know it all. It?s real important.?
Of course, such a hard line when it comes to tradition engenders much passion, ?Sometimes I get mad at my students in Bahia. They get lazy sometimes - someone didn?t bring a berimbau. And they use two berimbaus, and I really get frustrated by that.?
But Jelon?s teaching has a strong methodology behind it, and he is hardly casual when it comes to passing on the art form, ?Each cord I have a requirement. How many rhythms you should know, how many songs, who has written that song, who has done this. I just don?t teach Capoeira, Capoeira is much much more, more than the just the meia lua, armada, quiexada, ginga....?
Jelon pauses for a moment, then continues, ?One of the biggest problems is that capoeiristas don?t like to read. That?s why few of the Capoeira masters are researchers...I am trying to change this with my students. Not with the Capoeira world, because the Capoeira world is too big, what you can do is do your part. I encourage my students to read, research, know who are the old mestres, who are the masters today, (to) keep developing new techniques. The Capoeira is a start but never an end, it is always open to grow. I believe very much that knowledge is power, if you really research than you have something to back you up, whatever you say.?
To back up his words, Jelon has led a life of exploration and research in his art. He has traveled the world giving seminars and demonstrations of Capoeira. From Okinawa to Africa. In Africa he encountered the roots of the art, ?the berimbau is known in Africa as many different names - But the way we play in brazil is very unique. I have been in contact with many cultures in Africa that have the berimbau. we get amazed by how they play (vice versus). they are amazed about how many rhythms we have. they play with there nails, we use a rock. I couldn?t play the way they do, and vice versa.?
Jelon currently teaches under the umbrella of the Capoeira Brasil organization. He was one of the early affiliated Mestres with Grupo Senzala back in the 1980?s, a group who were dedicated to reuniting in one Capoeira the traditions of Angola and regional.? I was invited to be one of the Grupo Senzala Mestres in 1980 by Mestre Camisa. I stayed in Grupo Senzala until 1988. After I left Grupo Senzala I decided to form my own group and continued with my group until 1996 . Then in 1996 I was asked by Mestre Boneco (one of the founders of Capoeira Brasil) to join Grupo Capoeira Brasil. I saw a good sense of organization and a willingness to grow in Grupo Capoeira Brasil. Since I already had good relations with the other Mestres in the group , Paulao do Ceara and Paulinho Sabia, I decided to get involved. Nowadays, I have a base of Grupo Capoeira Brasil in Salvador, Bahia and New York City. I also have students teaching in San Antonio, TX; Houston, TX; Denver, CO; St. Louis, MO; Atlanta, GA; and Anchorage, AK?.
While discussing the geographic range over which his students, the subject changes to the amazing growth that Capoeira has had worldwide over the last few decades. ?You know the difference between swollen and growth? Capoeira is swollen right now. When something is swollen it is infected, or something is bad about it, and that has happened to Capoeira. When it grows because it grows the right way, (it?s because) someone is feeding it, someone has been taking care. No matter what we do we will always have that kind of stuff in Capoeira. It has happened to karate. It has happened to kung fu. We should be concerned with doing Capoeira the right way, to pass along the right information.?
?Capoeira is swollen, infected. In Europe Capoeira is really big, but talking to a mestre (over there) he says it is hard - people don?t want to respect the tradition. I said to him that you have to impose it. I?m like this. When I see Capoeira, I don?t see money...(of course) teachers have rent to pay and make a living. I?m different - When I was younger, I never put up with nothing, (I) could be rude, I?ve said to students I?d pay them 5 or 10 dollars not to come here (to my class). It was the pride I had as a teacher. A pride it takes to be in this art. I didn?t want to sell my dignity, I didn?t want to deal with certain things. I am there to teach you a traditional way of life, a different culture. I am very open minded to a lot of things, but (students make) so many suggestions about Capoeira- ?why this?, ?why that? , ?...this doesn?t make sense?. I didn?t want to deal with. When I teach Capoeira I tell my students it?s priceless - when I teach Capoeira I am giving a piece of myself to you, like really giving something form me, from my heart, from my mind, from my teachers.?
Jelon continues, ?One day America will no longer be ignorant about Capoeira, and that is the biggest problem - the lack of knowledge of Capoeira. (That?s) my biggest problem with the internet - a lot of people are saying stuff with no base to what they say. That really comes from people trying to create answers?.
Jelon relates a somewhat comical story to illustrate this. He tells of a time he found himself in a NY City disco along with the actor Wesley Snipes, a student of Jelon?s at the time. They stood on the side of the dance floor as a number of young men, presumably Capoeira students, strutted Capoeira inspired moves on the dance floor to a decidedly non-Capoeira beat. Snipes turned to Mestre Jelon and said, ?Here you are, the father of Capoeira in this country and all these young guys don?t know who you are?. Jelon smiles and continues, ?It used to bother me, but not anymore. I am here to stay, and they are not. What they do there (has) no tradition, there?s no basis, no nothing. When you?re a real capoeirista ...?
He pause in his thought, then continues, with his hand gestures adding emphasis to his word, ?...to do Capoeira is very easy - many people out there (are) doing it. But a real capoeiristas are very few. The real capoeirista would never get himself into such a situation - go to a club to dance and compare.?
?I believe I have come from three great masters, I have come from the land of Capoeira, I am here to open the path, so many newcomers, I am here to help them, and those who are interested. My concern is not about control.?
?I had everything to control Capoeira when I came to this country. I had a student who wanted me to copyright the name ?Capoeira?. It?s like saying I?m going to put a stop to terrorism?it?s impossible.?
Nonetheless, Capoeira has grown tremendously in the United States, especially in the ?90?s. In certain Capoeira circles the alarm is being raised about the way Capoeira is portrayed in the media and in commercial arena. But this commercialization of Capoeira isn?t only outside of Brazil, ?Even in brazil you find lots of con artist, who call themselves mestres. they create stories?, he says with a frown.
Jelon leans back in his seat, ?VARIG (the Brazilian national airline) is the biggest Capoeira master maker. They leave brazil a student, and wake up here a master. Most of them are not even ready to teach Capoeira, let alone to accept how to live in the US. Most of them are not ready, mentally, physically, spiritually how to live in this country. They do a horrible representation of the art form, of our country. But you can?t control that.?
?There are a lot of people who aren?t qualified to teach, and are teaching. But if they are in an area where there is no Capoeira, it is better than nothing. Americans are still ignorant about Capoeira, even after all these years. Unfortunately there are many people out there who are misleading (them)...?
To make his point, ?I have been watching some workshops in some schools across the US. there?s a lot of the teachers, those who call themselves masters don?t (even) know how to warm up the students. That is very dangerous...?
He pauses to collect his thoughts, and leans back across the conference table, his gaze strong and serious. ?Capoeira came from a country (that is) very disorganized, very corrupt. Not everyone is (but) I think Capoeira does suffer the consequences of that. You can see the difference between Capoeira and karate in the discipline. People say, ?No mestre, Asian minds are like that, and Brazilians are more spirited, more natural?...(this) has nothing to do with it. Manners and discipline are universal.?
However, Jelon doesn?t see a problem inherent in the art itself by any means, ?There is no problem with (the art of) Capoeira. The problem is with the people. Nobody wants to get together and talk. The younger ones don?t want to talk to the older. Your teaching should be recognized by someone (a recognized mestre) in Brazil, or here (in the States - how many years of Capoeira, what is your experience, your education. By education I mean your education in Capoeira, your knowledge of Capoeira. Many of the greatest Capoeira masters had no (formal) education. But things now are globalized. I think it is now time to start working/thinking about education.?
The conversation turns to a discussion of Capoeira as martial discipline. Jelon has been around the world, and certain things in his travels have made a lasting impression on him, especially when it comes to encountering persons with discipline and principles.
?I was in Denver at a martial arts encounter. I was the only martial artist outside of Tae Kwon Do teaching a workshop. I was impressed because you know there are always phony artists no matter what art, not just in Capoeira...in dance, whatever. There are so many people who are black belts, who aren?t black belts. They promote themselves to 10th degree. I?ve been to Japan, Korea, China - I was very impressed with the martial arts. Not to generalize, but in this country (the US) I have lost some respect for many martial artists. Because they commercialize it. They don?t have the basics, they are just selling black belts?.
He recounts the story of young woman he knew who trained in karate but didn?t want to go to Okinawa, the birth place of modern karate, because she felt they train to hard, and traditional teachers didn?t like the way she practices the art.
He brings this up to suggest how much art forms can change away from there native lands, how they become diluted, not only by different cultures but by different attitudes of the practitioners. This is a danger for Capoeira, and Jelon highlights the fact that all the phases the Asian arts have gone through in the US also awaits Capoeira.
We begin to talk about Capoeira as perceived by the media and the martial arts communities. We touch on the fact that Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is very well known in the States through the efforts of the Gracie?s and others, yet Capoeira, the true native Brazilian art form lags behind in recognition. ?Why Capoeira will never get the money that jiu-jitsu gets? For the capoeiristas who love to fight, I don?t know why they always want to fight in the roda? Why always pick on people who know less than them? If they are really fighters, they should do like the Gracies did. (If they did) Capoeira would be as big as the (Brazilian) Jiu-Jitsu. All they have to do is enter the right events, (and) kick butt. Go on TV and start kicking butt. Because that?s the way this country (the US) functions. If it?s not on the TV screens or in the movie theater then people don?t believe, they don?t value it.?
We talk about how Capoeira is played by those who have a penchant for fighting, and for those that don?t, ?Just the way a capoeirsta squats at the berimbau you can tell he is a fighter. There are many capoeirista who aren?t real fighters, they don?t like to fight. They like to do Capoeira, they enjoy it, they love it. I know capoeiristas who don? t touch anyone, but then again, no one can touch them. There?s a lot of capoeristas who can?t touch anyone, but someone can touch them anywhere, in anyway, because they don?t understand. They don?t understand the strategy.?
?Capoeira is more about understanding than the physical...if you don?t understand up here?, he says as he taps a finger against his forehead.
?Mestre Bimba always used to say Capoeira is the art of the intelligent. I always tell my students it?s not the muscle power, it?s the mind power. Capoeira is the mind?What is Capoeira? An art form that manifests through a human being?.
Jelon is interrupted in the middle of his thought. He has to take a phone call from Mestre Acordeon. When he returns to the table, he changes the subject back to how America perceives Capoeira. ?There?s a book. (The author) wrote a Capoeira book. He never took a Capoeira class, never went to brazil, he just claimed himself a capoeirista. It?s a book for kids, and that?s the dangerous thing.? Jelon is speaking of a book called ?Capoeira: African Brazilian Karate? by Yusef A. Salaam
?He?s saying Brazilians changed the names of the kicks in Capoeira. He starts giving all these names in Yoruba (a native African dialect). I don?t speak Yoruba, but I have been exposed to the language in Bahia, (there) many speak the dialect. I have a Yoruba dictionary there is no connection to the names he uses.?
Jelon gets more intense as he emphasizes his word, ?And others aren?t even Yoruba words, they?re made up! He says a lot of things - he blames the Brazilians for messing up Capoeira.? He pauses again to let those words sink in. ?And that?s dangerous. They?re are lots of capoeiristas who would like to run into him in the roda. But that?s not going to teach him anything. Violence isn?t always the answer. So what if you beat him up. Right now he has done damage to Capoeira. This book has been distributed to public schools in Denver. I?m in the process of writing a letter (to Denver school officials).?
Jelon?s passion on this point only serves to emphasize how all-encompassing his vision of capoeria really is. Capoeira, for Jelon is more than even the physical training, more than the instruments, more than the research into the arts past. Capoeira reflects a set of deep principles and philosophy that extends to all aspects of life. It impacts subjects that most of us wouldn?t consider, but for Jelon they are integral to understanding the real meaning Capoeira has.
?Every august I have an encounter in Bahia. I bring so many different lecturers to the encounter, and I get criticized. This year I had someone speak about human rights. People say what does that have to do with Capoeira? Capoeira came out of the fight for human rights. People ask me what does steroids have to do with Capoeira? It?s a big problem right now.?
The hour is getting late, and Jelon must hurry to go teach a class. As he walks out of the room he says, ?I am writing a book, but it?s all about my vision of Capoeira. I hope it will available sometime early next year.?We certainly look forward to reading this book, and adding it to the growing lexicon of books about Capoeira available outside of Brazil.
Editor's Note: This was the first ever interview conducted for Planet Capoeira magazine. I cannot help but give my sincerest thanks to Mestre Jelon for sitting down and talking to me for this interview, as I was neither a student of his or of Capoeira Brasil. The encouragement he gave me before and after this initial interview has been instrumental in the development of the Planet Capoeira project. Another interview with Mestre Jelon appears in Planet Capoeira magazine's second issue.
Written by Brian Donnelly. Brian is the editor of Planet Capoeira and the overall Planet Capoeira dude. Also known in capoeira circles as Pardal. Brian started training capoeira in 1996 with Mestre Bom Jesus in New York City and holds a blue-orange cord much in need of further seasoning. Brian would like to say he has beeen incredibly consistent in his approach to training capoeira, but then he'd be lying. He also has a personal, non-capoeira related blog known as The Miniblog.
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