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The Batizado

… The batizado is a huge event which usually takes place once a year. Alunos (students), professores (teachers), and mestres (masters) from the own group as well as from other groups meet to make a big roda. It is a festival for the student at which the beginner receives his first cordão (cord) and is baptized. Advanced students receive the next cord, depending on their skills. Batizado means that every beginner plays against a mestre and is cast to the ground with a ritual throw, obtaining definite membership. Furthermore, every novice is given a nickname which he bears the rest of his capoeira being. In former times, when capoeira was still illegal, the true identity was concealed by the nickname so that in the capoeira one was only known by the nickname.

The batizado is connected with a large workshop in which the batizado is the grand finale. Apart from the batizado it is also a very special event because the mestres and professores usually come from far away (Brazil or other countries) to attend to the event.