The slaves used Capoeira as a tool to win their freedom from the oppressors, leaving the colonial settlements and organizing their own communities (“Quilombos”) in the jungle / rainforest. They would practice Capoeira and hide it as a dance ritual, and they tried to avoid showing its fight-like aspects to the colonialists from Portugal. Researchers have concluded that they employed different instruments that nowadays are an integral part of Capoeira music. While some paintings and diary entries show drums used in colonial settlements the only musical arch (Berimbau) was found in Capoeira in Salvador de Bahia. Other ports such as Rio de Janeiro had a similar performance called ‘Pernada Carioca with drums’ but they used Berimbau.
The work of slaves was predominantly in sugarcane ports and fields. It is considered that slaves used to practice Capoeira with coworkers during their few free moments from hard labor. The slaves wore white clothes while they worked, which inspired the present Capoeira uniforms.
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