Manuel dos Reis Machado (1900 - 1974), known as "Mestre Bimba" was born on November 23rd, 1900, at the "bairro do Engenho Velho" in Salvador-BA, Brazil. He was the son of Luiz Cândido Machado and Maria Martinha do Bonfim. The nickname "Bimba" came up due to a bet between his mother and the midwife during his birth; his mother bet that he was going to be a girl and the midwife bet he would be a boy . After he was delivered, the midwife said ...it's a boy, look at his "bimba" (male sexual organ).
Mestre Bimba started capoeira at the age of 12 at Estrada das Boiadas, today bairro da Liberdade, in Salvador. He was taught by "Bentinho", an African that used to be the "capitão da Companhia Baiana de Navegação" (a navigation captain).
Mestre Bimba became very proficient in batuque which he learned from his father. He later mastered Capoeira Angola, combining these two art forms and the incorporation of various grappling, kicking and striking techniques from Jiu Jitsu to produce an exclusive Bahian capoeira called Capoeira Regional. The central component to teaching Capoeira Regional is the "Sequencia," a learning process that was non-existent in capoeira until it's introduction by Mestre Bimba.
In 1936, Mestre Bimba challenged any opponent in any kind of fight to compete in a regional capoeira match. He had three challenges and all were soundly beaten. His longest opponent was able to last one minute and ten seconds. Mestre Bimba was then crowned the champion of capoeira and remained undefeated until his death.
Mestre Bimba was and is so important to capoeira because he changed the destiny of it.
After a performance at the palace of Bahia's Governor, Juracy Magalh?es, Mestre Bimba was finally successful in convincing the authorities of the cultural value of Capoeira, thus ending the official ban in the 1930's. Mestre Bimba founded the first Capoeira school in 1932, the "Academia-escola de Capoeira Regional", at the Engenho de Brotas in Salvador-Bahia. Previously, capoeira was only practiced and played on the streets.
In 1973, Mestre Bimba move to the city of Goiania, Goias, in order to teach Capoeira Regional. In February, 1974, he died. Four years later, at the request of his former students, his body was brought back to Salvador, where they lie in a tomb built especially for him in a public square.
Mestre Bimba
1900 - 1974
