...se todos juntarem as maos!

Words cannot adequately express the gratitude that we feel for the opportunity to have such a great weekend of capoeira.

Lindsey and Leika playing at the Bellingham Farmers' Market, with our very special guest Treinel Eva on Gunga

a women's bateria at the end of the roda on saturday evening

Mestre Silvinho and ContraMestre Kamau look on as they orient us us on the roda on Sunday Morning

I was reminded - yet again, about the ways in which the small roda of capoeira simulates life, the great roda.
Without the support and the energy of all the members of the community, each one contributing what they can (their voice, their energy in the game, their skill at playing the instruments...), there could be no roda, and no capoeira.
Similarly, without strong community support, this event would not have been possible. Our deepest gratitude to the bellingham storytellers' guild, the community food co-op, the WWU Dance and Anthopology departments, and of course the AS Activities Council for their support with the funding of the trip, especially the travel costs for CM Kamau and Treinel Eva; JiaJia Chang for the beautiful poster; everyone who offered up their home so that our guests could have a place to stay; Ivana for a delicious and unexpected pot of fried rice on Sunday; all of the teachers (and their teachers) who shared their gifts with us: Kamau and Eva, Keith Doran (doni doni drums), Antonio Diaz (Rumba Northwest), Dora Oliveira, Manimou Camara, and Mestre Silvinho.

Thank you also to all of the people who joined us to share the energy, from Vancouver BC, Corvallis (OR), and Seattle!