6 Years Young
- Thank you Bantulinos for gracing our 6th anniversary. We are grateful to have so many of you along on this wonderful journey. And we can’t help feeling sentimental every time this happens. We hope you all feel the same way.
Because this is but one small thread in the huge tapestry (perhaps the better metaphor for us would be a ‘cordao’?) that makes the history, culture and community that is Bantus Capoeira.
Here’s a little photoscrap of this thread.
2003 @ the park - From far left, terry. Doing a role, Andrew. On berimbau, Quek. Pandeiro, coelho. In front of the sorry excuse of a bataria, Riz.
2004 - Tartaruga left a year ago to perth to pursue his studies. He joined Bantus Perth and invited us for their batizado. The rest, as they say, is history.
A very skinny and tattoo-less Rafa at our very first academy.
The first academy and pioneer crew. Try and spot some familiar faces.
2004 - one of the first rodas with mestre
Tartaruga’s wedding. Don’t ask.
Rafa and a bunch of beefcake instrutors at a world meet in singapore. This was one of the first trips that culminated into the founding of… Bantus Singapore
Rafa and Marissa tie the cordao
bantus has always been about giving back to the community. Here’s one of our earliest orphanage visits.
On our very first trip to Jakarta. Subsequent visits would lead to the founding of Bantus Indonesia.
- Putting up finishing touches to our new Academy!
The first roda in the current academy
Mural. Artwork by Terry
2006 - the bantus malaysia contingent visits brasil. Pic with Mestre Joao Pequeno.
Mestre Joao Pequeno deserves a photo of his very own
the crew on the way to our epic performance @ brunei to the prince and people. We were on tv. We were on the front page. We were the next best thing since roti canai!
- We’ve done some pretty cool and memorable shows, but check out the stage of epic proportions
- It was so epic we even had our very own fanclub! Well, the queue to get Rafa’s autograph was too long, so they decided to get ours while waiting.
- we used to do the open roda circuits at bangsar. Here’s one from ‘07
- Our 5th noite brasileira. I can still smell the axé in every roda we’ve been in.
- last year’s batizado street roda. Yep. Can so smell it.
At our 6th anniversary roda. You know what? After all these years? It’s still there. The smiles. The energy. The communidedade.
And for that very reason, we’re still standing, 6 years young! From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
That’s our little journey, from one point-of-view. There are many. Please share with us some of your fondest memories of Bantus! We’d love to hear from all of you!
Yup, fond memories indeed. Thanks for dropping your pants for Tartaruga’s sake, and for doing all you have through the years, or he may not have made it this far.
Here’s to many, Many more years of Bantus touching lives in and around Malaysia.
Nice trip down memory lane coelho! This is why capoeira is hard to let go - it’s a lifestyle and a great one. The friends, the community, the laughter, the tears. Capoeira - the blood that runs in our veins.
Congratulations GBC Malaysia, Formado Rafael, Instructor Cueca, everyone!
Thank you for your hospitality on our visits to KL, and thanks for your energy on your visits to Tokyo. Looking forward to many more years of exchange in the future.
Well done Tartaruga, Coelho, Terry, and all core members who’ve been there from the start. Your successes are our inspirations.
Bantus Capoeira Axé
sorry this is belated but yes, bcoz of u bantus kl, there’s bantus s’pore. we’ve always mentioned it year after year. thanks for all the memories! congrats and muito axé. hope u like our french dude, cingapure!