Jiu-jitsu X Capoeira: Between Foreignisms and the Appreciation of a National Culture (1905-1909)

Abstract

Jiu-jitsu arrived in Brazil in the first decade of the 20th century, when Brazilian navy officers introduced the Japanese martial art into the training of sailors. Jiu-jitsu was considered a more efficient and scientific practice and, therefore, should replace marginalised capoeira as a form of self-defense. In this sense, this article aims to understand the opposition that occurred in the first decade of the twentieth century in Brazil between jiu-jitsu and capoeira. The research shows that some considered capoeira as superior for being a genuinely Brazilian element and that, with an excellent methodological process, it could become a valuable practice for the country. On the other hand, some defended jiu-jitsu as a more rational and scientific practice. In conclusion, the article points out that the triumph of a capoeira over a Japanese jiu-jitsu fighter contributed to the consolidation of a nationalist discourse around capoeira.

Keywords:
Jiu-Jitsu; Capoeira; Navy; National Gymnastics; Nationalism