Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Women and Capoeira: an example

Dear Angoleir@s,

After having had this topic in the back of our mind these last weeks, today we had a good example of how it is not clear where the boundaries are.
Today Britta sang in the Roda, within the Paraná corrido:
A mulher pra ser bonita, Paraná,
Não precisa se pintar, Paraná.
Because in her opinion and many others, a women doesn't need make up to be pretty.

On the other hand, Aleix didn't feel comfortable with those lines even if they were sung by a woman, as it might have some indirect misogynistic connotations due to the following corrido which diabolizes make up:
A mulher pra ser bonita, Paraná,
Não precisa se pintar, Paraná.
A pintura é do demônio, Paraná.
Beleza é Deus quem dá, Paraná.

A woman to be pretty, Paraná,
Doesn't need to wear make up, Paraná.
Make up is from the devil, Paraná.
Beauty is God that gives, Paraná (It is God that gives beauty)

So what do you think? Where is the boundary?
Why don't you write down some lines for the corrido about the same idea (Women do not need make up) but different words? This would be a genuine expression of gender equality! Let's try the new lines this Wednesday and break the links with old-school misogynistic corridos!

Please feel free to add your comments at the end of this post entry!

Ate quarta feira!

2 comments:

  1. ...but if you break the links with old school mysoginistic corridos you stop being a traditional or angola capoeirsta and begin a contemporanea course..?

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  2. hehe nice point in there... that is one of the points we discussed last Sunday (see previous posts).

    I would say it is "improved" Angola, as old-school "respectful" Angola has always been very inclusive. Quoting Pastinha: "Todos podem aprender", and he encouraged women to get involved.
    I would point to some "bad practices" of popular culture/folklore and even some Masters who has brought disrespect towards Women in Angola. (I am happy to discuss on those arguments :) )

    So I think that getting rid of those disrecpectful behaviours actually brings Angola closer to its true roots :)

    Aleix

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