A letter from Mestre Val

ASOCIACION ARGENTINA DE CAPOEIRA

17th International Capoeira Encounter 2010

Hosted by: Mestre Marcos Gytauna – GRUPO ORIAXÉ

The event here in Buenos Aires was a great success. For me, the most special part was to share the same event with such great friends who live in different parts of the world but at the same time, are so close to each other’s Hearts (Mestre Marcos Gytauna, Mestre Amen Santo and Mestre Tonho Materia).

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MESTRE MARCOS GYTAUNA

Since childhood, Mestre Marcos Gytauna has been my best friend.

On January 10th, 1987, we arrived together in Argentina. We built our school and worked together until the end of 1989, which was when I left Argentina to return back to Brasil. At that time, I started touring around, all over the world until I decided to migrate to Australia. I arrived in Melbourne on November 10th, 1993.

Mestre Marcos Gytauna and I, together, we have a lot of stories – in and out of the Capoeira world – the funniest, the saddest and the happiest.

MESTRE AMEN SANTO

With Mestre Amen, we trained together at Mestre Alfredo’s School in Salvador, Bahia. We participated in many events and we did a lot of shows together.

I can’t ever forget that on my first day at Mestre Alfredo’s School, I had to play Mestre Amen. He gave me the biggest vingativa that even today, I can still hear my right elbow crack.

Anyway, we’ve always been friends. Especially now, since we’ve been inviting each other to our events since 1999, when he came to Australia for the first time.

When Mestre Amen was 17, he migrated to the USA. Before he made that decision, he was studying in his last year of secondary school. While we were walking one day, I was on my way to my Afro dance class and he was on his way to his folklore group ‘Viva Bahia’ practice, he was telling me that he was going to abandon his studies because they were giving him an opportunity to go to the USA and he was feeling that this was the opportunity of his LIFE.

The same thing happened to me and Mestre Marcos Gytauna. I invited him to come to Argentina 2 days before we left. I said that to him and with out thinking he accepted, even though in 4 days he was supposed to go to serve in the Brazilian Army. The result, already he has been here in Argentina for 23 years!

MESTRE TONHO MATERIA

With Mestre Tonho Materia, the same thing happened but he had to give up Capoeira for a while to dedicate himself to Music composition and his career as a singer. He did so well!

After training one day, I was walking with him in his neighbourhood and he said that he decided to stop Capoeira to take his music more seriously. It took him around 10 years. He never really left Capoeira because Capoeira was there with him in every stage around the world that he travelled with OLODUM and also with his solo career.

MESTRE ORELHA

I always admired that guy since he was the student of my friend, Mestre Bamba. When we trained together at Mestre Alabama’s School, in the early 90’s, I was already a Capoeira Master and he was a humble capoeirista, still a kid with so much potential. Mestre Orelha is a very smart person with so many stories to tell and a love for the Art.

So, it was good to remember all of that together in a BATE-PAPO with Mestre Marcos’ students after the OPENING RODA of the event.

Together, we remembered great capoeiristas that have already passed and many that still exist. We remembered moments in RODAS, FAMILY, FRIENDS and moments in SHOWS. You can tell by looking at the pictures and videos that we took during the whole event – We agreed, we disagreed, we cried together. It was GREAT FUN – I am glad that I came and participated in this event.

Thanks to all my friends, family and students for their support and their understanding of my need to come here to Argentina. Not only for this event but also, for the University Graduation of my Daughter, Jennifer Boa Morte Santos. Imagine, how happy I am right now, sharing that with you all.

Mestre Val Boa Morte

December 7th, 2010

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