I first saw Capoeira, the martial art of Brazil, on a trip to Rio De Janiero. What do martial arts have to do with creativity? Just this: Creativity is problem solving and need is what inspires creativity. The need can come from the inner self or the conditions of the outside world. Or both. It is often difficult to separate the two.
Capoeira, as the story, was explained to me, evolved from the dances and rituals of Africans who were shipped to Brazil in the slave trade. Capoeira became a secret way to practice martial arts and defense skills. It looks like a dance and is performed to music, so, in the begining at least, it was seen as an innocent dance or ritual. But it was more than a way preserving tradition; it was also a means of resisting the conditions of slavery. When its true nature came to light, it was outlawed.
Capoeira is legal today. If you are lucky enough to go to Brazil, you might get to see people participating in the tradition and passing it on.
Capoiera has a rich and sometimes gruesome history. If you want to learn more, go to
and
Ornamento 
