What does Bantus Mean?
The name Bantus refers to a broad African ethnic group, the Bantu people, who shared a similar language root and occupied two thirds of West Africa (Angola, Guinea, Congo, Mozambique etc). The term Bantu refers to over 400 different ethnic groups from the West African region. –NTU means “human” and BA- indicates a plural, put together it means “people”.
Grupo Bantus Capoeira Japão
Founded by Caçapa (Marcello Pietrantonio) and Cafuné (Kinuko Pietrantonio) in 2004, Bantus Capoeira Japão is already well-known for its fantastic workshops, nightclub shows and international festival presentations in Tokyo. Our classes promote international friendship and understanding, healthy living, and social/environmental conciseness. The group is currently run by a small team of volunteers, and we are also involved in projects in Japan and Brazil helping the poor and homeless.
Every year we travel overseas for a capoeira cultural exchange with our fellow members at their academies. In 2005 we travelled to Malaysia, and in 2006 seven members of the group made the long trip to our headquarters in Belo Horizonte, Brazil for the 15th Anniversary of Bantus Capoeira. It was an unforgettable journey where we had the fortune to meet many famous masters including Mestre Pintor, Mestre Escamoso, Mestre Sena, Mestre Jaime do Mar Grande, Mestre Ciro, Mestre Tamandua, Mestre João, and the great Mestre João Pequeno, and instructors and students of capoeira from around the world. The week-long festival consisted of capoeira games, workshops, lectures, and presentations of all aspects of Afro-Brazilian culture and dance!
In 2007 10 GBCJ members travelled to Australia to celebrate 10 years of GBC in Perth. The event was an unforgettable experience mixing with Bantulinos from Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Holland, Germany, and Brazil. Our members were able to meet Mestre Pintor, Mestre Escamoso, and other head instructors from around the world. They took part in workshops, a capoeira competition, and made new lifelong friendships.
In November 2008 the 4th World Meet Bantus Capoeira was held in Malaysia. A small group from Japan travelled to Kuala Lumpur, to take part in the festival and batizado with members from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia and Brazil. The following week they moved south of the border and spent some time in Singapore at the 3rd Capoeira Festival of Bantus Capoeira Singapore.
The 5th World Meet Bantus was be held in Belo Horizonte in August 2009.
Grupo Bantus Capoeira
The Grupo Bantus Capoeira was founded by Mestre Pintor in 1991 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Mestre Pintor has almost 40 years experience in capoeira, and was taught by the world famous Mestre João Pequeno. Bantus Capoeira now has branches across Brazil and in Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Israel, and Thailand. At Bantus Capoeira we play the Angola, Regional (Contemporânea), and Benguela styles of capoeira. We also practice Samba, Maculelê, Puxada de Rede, Dança Afro and Forró, all forms of Brazilian dance.
We are proud to proclaim we have the best value for money, most international and friendliest capoeira group in Tokyo. Our students hail from all four corners of the globe, and we always welcome new comers. Grupo Bantus Capoeira now has over 10 official branches across Oceania, Asia, and South America, and is growing everyday.
Who is Mestre Pintor?
Paulo Cesar Leite dos Santos, or Mestre Pintor as he is known within Capoeira circles, is the master of Grupo Bantus Capoeira in Brazil. He started playing around with Capoeira on the streets as a teenager. Later on he trained in Belo Horizonte and then Bahia with various masters, chasing after knowledge of Capoeira, before coming to rest in the academy of Mestre João Pequeno of Pastinha in Salvador, Bahia. He graduated as a master in 1989 with the group of Macaco at the Escola de Educação Fisica in Belo Horizonte, and after a few more years training with Mestre João Pequeno also graduated as a master of Capoeira Angola.
Who is the teacher in Japan?
Marcello Pietrantonio, baptized with the funky apelido (capoeira nickname) “Caçapa” (pronounced KA-SA-PA). Caçapa started Capoeira in 2000 under the guidance of Instrutor Canguru, and trained under Professor Gringo while he was head instructor of Bantus Capoeira Australia. He received his yellow cord (Instrutor) from Mestre Pintor in 2008 at Grupo Bantus Capoeira Japão’s 2nd Batizado. In 2003, he spent 4 months in Brazil with Mestre Pintor and the group in Belo Horizonte. In Brazil, he was lucky enough to travel and play Capoeira in Rio, São Paulo, Vitoria, Belo Horizonte, and Salvador. From Brazil, Caçapa travelled and trained in Argentina, Chile, New York, Canada, Germany, Austria, and Japan.
Vice-Chairperson, Co-founder, and Assistant Instructor Kinuko Pietrantonio started her capoeira training with Bantus Capoeira in Perth in 2002. She was baptized that year and given the apelido Cafuné for her kind heart and caring nature. She received her green/yellow cord from Mestre Pintor in 2008 at Grupo Bantus Capoeira Japão’s 2nd Batizado. Cafuné is always at classes to assist and help with English-Japanese translations if necessary.
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