On the ship we have a Brazilin interpretive team, cultural ambassadors, “Oi Brasil” Hello Brazil. The 10-member team has lecturers, dancers, musicians, and arts and crafts experts. I enjoyed lectures, dance demonstrations (although I am not a participant) and drumming lessons. Bosco de Oliveria, a musician and ethnomusicologist who has worked with artist like Sade and Kate Bush gave us an excellent lecture on Salvador Bahia, Brazil’s most African city. The heart of the lecture was discussion of rhythms and dances that came from different parts of Africa, Angola, the Bight of Benin and Guinea that make up the fabric of Brazilian culture and the heartbeat of Brazilian music. His lectures better prepared me for what we experienced in Salvador Bahia.

As we pulled into the dock we were greeted by drummers and woman, in long skirts, who did dances with tiny footsteps that almost looked like gliding across the pavement.

But the main feature was two different sessions of Capoeira. Depending on who you talk with it is a dance, a game or a martial art. It uses traditional instruments. The berimbau is a bow-like instrument with one string and a gord resonator. It is the main instrument used. Often several are played, each tuned to a different note. The Pandeiro is a tambourine. The Agogo is best described as two cowbells tuned to different notes. You hear it a lot in Samba. There is a shak, a gourd with beads strung on the outside that makes a noise that sounds, well, like shak-shak, and drums.

The dance probably started as a martial art banned by colonial powers so it was disguised as a dance. Pretty soon the powers figured it out and tried to ban the dances and some of the instruments. The effort to wipe the dance out failed. Although the attempt to ban was revived by the military junta as late as the 1980s. But it now is listed by UNESCO as a protected part of humankind’s non-tangible cultural heritage. Watching performers today, it looks more like a game than a battle.

When we got off the ship we walked through the lower town toward the market. Between the market and one of the old port buildings is the “Monumento Arena da Capoeira.” A monument that has statues of musicians around the outside, forming a capoeira circle with a statue of two dancers in the middle on a platform. Also on the platform were real dancers and real musicians. The place was crowded with people clapping and cheering. The platform was a little high for my old legs to navigate but people on the platform stepped aside so I could watch and offered to lift me to the platform. Everyone was having a great time.

When we got to the market there was a Capoeira Circle under the shed next to a café. We sat in the café and watched as a couple of expert dancers brought others up to dance with them. Those who joined the arena obviously had done this before but were enjoying it as a game with the expert who gave them tips as they danced. Later the musicians took turns in the arena with the dancers. Folks in the market were singing along with the musicians. One of the musicians would periodically pass the tambourine around the café.

We never got to the upper town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But, on a Saturday morning we got to experience Capoeira, an element of UNESCO’s protected cultural heritage. As we headed back we heard the drumming and singing coming from yet a different direction up the hill.

Thanks to the lectures and performances on board Volendam we were better able to understand what we were seeing. Often this cruise is like going back to school in the best possible way.

Here are short (12 to 18 seconds) videos taken, unfortunately, with a lot of backlight.