How to Become an Avatar of Bantus

WARNING: Spoiler alerts. If you haven’t watched Avatar, don’t blame me. But regardless it’s still worth catching.

Got a chance to watch Avatar. Again. This time in 3D. And as I was thinking of the article for this week for Bantus, it dawned upon me the parables between the tale of an American GI trying to learn his ways, and a capoeirista learning the ways of Bantus.

What are the similarities?

Well, it’s a stranger jumping straight into the skin – literally – of an alient culture, totally dumbstruck and clueless, yet still determined to learn their ways. Doesn’t that sound like a Malaysian walking into the academy for the first time learning to do the ginga?

For easy distillation, I shall put down my lessons and random observations in point form.

1. “You are not in Kansas anymore. You are on Pandora, ladies and gentleman.” – This is the ultimate introduction to the whole new world that is Pandora. Which brings me back to the first time I touched down in Belo Horizonte for the Bantus World Meet. Yes. You’re not in Kuala Lumpur any more people. Learn. Adapt. Smile. But carry a big dose of Maladragem with you.
2. “She says that all energy is only borrowed; at some point you have to return it.” – It’s the same in the Roda. When you are playing, you are a force on the move. You are the Jogo. The Jogo is you. The Roda, the bataria, the people clapping give you the energy. Use it, harness it, enjoy it. And when it’s your turn, give the same Axé back.
3. “You are like a baby! Clumsy! Loud!” Neytiri “Then teach me!” Jake Scully. – That’s the right attitude to have when you first start capoeira. Nobody expects to be kick-ass overnight. God knows most of us are still expecting and learning to be. The more important aspect is that you are willing to learn, and make mistakes.
4. “Do as we do, and learn it well. Then we will see if your insanity can be cured” – Sometimes the best way to figure out why we do what we do in capoeira, is just to learn it. To understand it. And with time, you let the movements, music, culture seep into your being, and you can truly understand why Capoeira has always been an outlet and statement of personal expression and freedom.
5. “Colonel, there’s a native doing the funky chicken” – You will always get non-capoeirista friends calling capoeira some other funny term or another. A dance. A weird breakdance thingy. A waste of time cause you’ll never be as good as a Brazilian. Well don’t listen to them. They don’t know. They just don’t know!
6. “You have a strong heart; no fear. But stupid, like a child.” – This is an important lesson to learn. No fear. Is important. No fear of your physical limitations. No fear of falling down. No fear of making a fool of yourself. And yes. You’ll look stupid doing the ginga for the first time. Don’t worry, we all have to learn to walk.

Any more lessons to learn from Avatar? I’m sure there are plenty. And that is a lesson in itself. Just because you’re not in class learning capoeira, doesn’t mean the world doesn’t offer you a chance to be a better capoeirista.

‘Eu Sou Bantus Capoeira’

‘I am Bantus Capoeira’

If you are. Then look through the eyes of a capoeirista. A Bantus Capooerisa. Learn from your everyday experiences on how to be a better person. Apply the lessons you learn from Bantus in your everyday life.

Here’s wishing you guys another long non-capoeira holiday week. Or is it? It is up to you, to decide if you are the Avatar of Bantus Capoeira.