Emerald Hill Orphanage in Harare is set to be the first beneficiary of this program. Already almost 40 children participated in the first pilot project held at the children’s home on Sunday the 4th of November 2007.

What is Capoeira?

Capoeira is a ritualized, stylized dance with its own music and is practiced primarily in the city of Salvador, Bahia.

During the 16th century Capoeira came to mean an Afro- Brazilian martial art among the African slaves who were brought over to Brazil from Angola and the Congo to work on sugar plantations. The exact origins of Capoeira however remain unknown.

The African slaves developed their own fighting style to protect themselves from their owners by hiding fights among themselves. They did so through disguising their training and making it look like a ritualistic game or dance. Over the years Capoiera has been refined into an athletic sport in which two contestants try to deliver blows using only their legs, feet heels and heads. Hands are not allowed.

Why teach it in Zimbabwe?

Capoeira development and rituals are closely linked to Africans. In Zimbabwe, Capoeira should be taken not only as an art but a form of exercise.

There are many similarities between the Capoiera dance and other traditional Zimbabwean dances.

Some of the instruments used in Capoeira such as the berimbau is similar to Chipendani in the Shona dances. The only difference is that The Zimbabwean Chipendani is played on the lips whereas the berimbau is not.  A Capoeira instrument called atabaque is locally called ngoma.  Many Zimbabwean church goers relate their drum beat or rhythm to that of Capoeira.

About Emerald Hill Children’s home

The Dominican Sisters  runs Emerald Hill Children’s Home  where hundreds of orphaned, abandoned, neglected and abused children have foundshelter and love. It is a registered home for 55 girls and 35 boys. All children at the home are referred by the department of Social Welfare.