berimbau

It is helping poor producers in the area integrate into the value chains generated by tourism, under the Costa do Sauipe Social Sustainable Programme--also known as Programa Berimbau, after a Brazilian musical instrument--that the resort launched.

Mekka's cross-cultural currents were exhilarating and dizzying: Muhammad intoning an Islamic prayer; Seidman chanting words from the Cabala; Wood dancing like a shaman clearing the air, then playing the berimbau (capoeira's one-stringed instrument) in duet with the tabla; Harris and Isaac inhabiting a black mesh floor-to-ceiling "cage" that occupied center stage for the final movements.

Across the street at Modelo Market a pair of young men exchange quick thrusts and parries to the rhythm of drums and the stringed instrument known as a berimbau. The ritual combat of capoeira, described by Amado as "part battle, part ballet" figures in several of his books.

"We've got this new number where Duncan is playing his bass like a berimbau." That's a vibrating one-stringed Brazilian semi-percussion instrument with its roots in West Africa.

Such works as "Berimbau" and "Canto de Ossanha," both deeply steeped in this complex tradition, became widely recorded and helped draw attention to this hitherto sadly neglected aspect of Brazilian culture.

Mas esse ponto sera abordado mais adiante; por enquanto, penso ser importante apresentar os primeiros contatos estabelecidos com a Escola Berimbau (9) e com os sujeitos que a constituem.