FACA definition

FACA (Federacao Autónoma da Capoeira Africana) is an umbrella term that represents various capoeira groupings around the world that hail Africa (rather than Brazil) as the birth place of Capoeira. Indeed, although Capoeira has existed in Brazil for nearly 500 years, it was originally brought there as a developed martial art by enslaved Africans and, therefore, was not a creation of Brazilian born slaves as many would like us to believe. While it is true that Capoeira has undergone many changes since its arrival on Brazilian soil, its underlying principles and philosophy are still distinctly African. Because of the eminence of Brazilian Capoeira (aka Capoeira Regional) and its globalization, however, the original art (Capoeira de Angola) is slowly becoming marginalized such that in a not too distant future the word “Capoeira” may very well lose its Africanicity
Because of the above, the BLAC Foundation has taken on the momentous task of serving as a mentor for those groups interested in preserving Capoeira de Angola as it was practiced for generations and ably taught by such Capoeira masters in Brazil as Alipio, Besouro, Pastinha, Caicara, Gato, Roque, etc.
The first step in this process was the inauguration of a mucamba (a grouping between 25 and 50 members) in Sao Joao dos Angolares where BLAC Foundation provided a work book and paid the salary of an instructor (from the Viagem ao Mundo Group of Sao Tomé) for three months of supervision. The second step was the servicing of another such grouping (Raca Negra) in Mozambique and the third step was the affiliation of a new capoeira group from Los Palos, Timor Leste. One step will follow another until there are representations in all nine Portuguese speaking nations of the world and possibly other locations as well. If, by chance the number of members of a given group surpasses 50, it will be given the official status of a quilombo    a otherwise  it will be consideed to be a macumba.  Faca-us is an independent component of FACA that deals exclusively with capoeira groups in the United States.  

-FACA instructor training and certification- TBA

-FACA workshops- TBA

-FACA instructor training and certification- (upon request)

Question 1: Where is the headquarters of FACA located? Answer 1: The headquarters of FACA is located in the mind, spirit, and hearts of each member of an affiliated Capoeira groups.

Question 2: Who is the president of FACA? Answer 2:  The president of  FACA  is:  A. Pura Verdade

Question 3: How does a group become an affiliate of FACA? Answer 3 : A group can become affiliated with FACA by inviting a FACA instructor to give a workshop presentation, avowing that Africa (not Brazil) is the origin of Capoeira.

Question 4: How many FACA groups are there? Answer 4: Currently there are only three FACA groups, one in Sao Tome, one in Timor Leste and the other in Mozambique. It is hoped that we will have groups in all the Portuguese speaking countries by 2020.

Question 5: How can I  become a FACA instructor? Answer 5: You can become a FACA instructor by: a) avowing the African origin of capoeira AND b)  passing the theoretical and practical FACA workshop test based on the FACA manual AND c) paying the required fee for certification (currently $20). There are presently only three certified FACA instructors: Edward Powe & Lacouir Yancey (in Madison, WI), and Zemet (Pantera Preta) in Timor Leste.

Question 6: What is the relationship between FACA  and the BLAC Foundation? Answer 6: FACA is a creation of the BLAC Foundation; but is autonomous and governed by the laws of affiliated groups. The BLAC Foundation only provides various services to FACA free of charge.

Question 7: What services do the BLAC Foundation provide? Answer 7: The BLAC Foundation a) serves as a fire around which affiliated groups can sit and interrelate; 2) develops written materials (principal of which is the new FACA Manual) for use in instruction; 3) offers initial capoeira workshops to affiliated groups and those  groups desirous of affiliation; 4) certifies FACA instructors;  5) conducts affiliation ceremonies;  6) serves as a forum for joint ventures affecting FACA groups; and 7) otherwise promotes Capoeira de Angola through the production of videos and songs.

Question 8: What is the cost too  affiliated groups for these services? Answer 8: Where possible FACA offers all these services free of charge with expenses for the cost of the services being generated from sources other than the affiliated or affiliating group