Capoeira As a Afro-Cultural Pursuit, Not Just Exercise:

I’ve become involved in capoeira’s ways of life in recent times, though always been a fan, having it as an interest since my teenage youth, whether from movies or real martial arts matches. But, once dabbling deeper and then engulfing in the illustrious history of capoeira, as a form of slave resistance, contemporarily taking many art-forms and spiritual pathways, (similar to growth-dynamics of Rastafarianism) my appreciation of it was enriched along with the desire to be representative of it.

As it would possibly be with many American black youth, the introduction into the actual actions of capoeira was through, indirectly in this case, B-Boying (break-dancing). Thus I was surprised at myself given the physical relation that I hadn’t adapted into this martial arts dance-style sooner, in this sense directly, especially with rotational kick movements I already had some ability with such as: Au Aberto, Meia Lua De Queda Rins, and Macaco. Still hard work though, and much to be learned to even achieve greater of the power moves. 

While future articles will elaborate more, it should be clear why Capoeira martial Arts can be taken on as a full afro-cultural imperative, not only a Brazilian one: whether acculturating, even returning to it in a Pan-African context, or solely as a fun athletic pursuit. A focus that causes, if not just wanting to anyway like myself – specifically, if born into English predominantly – push any language barrier to learn and articulate Portuguese.

Don't Create Your Own Problems, Be Self-Aware For Social Solutions:

Usually, this situation can come from lack of knowledge on something specific. In any form of social relations, I don’t think anyone should be negatively criticized for simply making a mistake or two, but it’s definitely behooves that person to self-examine to make sure they are not creating their own issues and blaming others for it – thus creating your own problems.

One of the best sources of this to identify is how sometimes, these self-created problems interactively stem from superimposing the negativity of people from the past on to new people of your present day, especially when you’re obviously looking for the opposite – the positivity. This is a dynamic that we all of a certain age can be guilty of when certain behavior patterns are recognized in others around us, especially if it’s related to something relatively difficult or traumatic in times past (whether in childhood, the workplace, and the like). So techniques must be employed, not only to address people  doing something that could become an issue to nip in the bud, but also initially to not cast judgments so quickly where they don’t belong, as far as a person assumed to be one who’d create a problematic situation.

This type of thing is more understood once you take steps to upgrade yourself in necessary ways that will minimize what you do erroneous, unskillful – or whatever it is that’s causing social interactive conflicts. At that point, because so much is eliminated from your actions that are incorrect, you’ll see good results, including others’ positive reactions from them.

Another form of this can be seen with imposed social groups in modern-day society; the archetypal or stereotypical ones you can find in high school and college cultures, for some instances. There are more tribal-historical resource-based reasons for people to conflict or ‘beef’ with each other, but many today can be more-so fabricated by social media or television influences than they actually viably exist.

Ultimately, this is about enhancing your self-awareness for social-Awareness, but not about attempting to ever be, ‘holier-than-thou’ or any other such similar nonsense because of this enhancement. Identifying with solution-oriented thoughts as a contingency or modality will counteract self-created problems so that more considerable issues that arise in life can be focused on, and also solved accordingly. 

Khadja Nin - Sambolera (Music Album Recommend)

It has been a while since I listened to one of my favorite genres, African or Caribbean world music, good return with Khadja Nin's album. Also pushes me to want to get fluent in other languages as more time allows me to do so.

Favorites:

Sambolera Mayi Son

Wale Watu

Mwana Wa Mama

Sous Le Charme

Bwana C.

Can Avid Readers Be Considered A Subculture (Due To Large Amounts Of Illiteracy?)

When regularly within academia, book clubs or just a casual circle of friends attuned to informed conversation, it’s not strange to have a lot of reading going on and reasonable for any person to get used to this as normality. Yet, with so much talk about or general observing of illiteracy in society– whether it’s pure, functional or considered a-literate – to the degree of joke memes and even for some as if it’s a cultural imperative (particularly in the Western world), it’s easy to be taken aback, having forgotten the ample non-reading groups of people that are actually out there. Of course people can do whatever they choose, but as a side-focus to the core of this, the by-product of that choice can be misery from lack of knowledge.

Of course, illiteracy can be so relative to specific cultures and genres of thought that it’s never wholly measurable, but the general idea is connectable across the board. Being that, even being open-minded about it, because of the essentiality of reading, it’s hard these days to see anyone not tapping into the written word with it being the basis, in present-day reality, of how to take information in to use in life. In tribal and ancient pasts, when the structured of written-to-oral language didn’t broadly govern life activities as now, just the experiential could do the trick: being in an wild environment, learning how to shape your behavior off it, being taught and building the skillsets needed for thriving, no textbooks needed. Experience in the industrious modern day in many cases could only be one-half of the puzzle pieces.

So this leads to the question of, in any number of readerships, could they be considered subculture, or should that even be something acknowledged? As if it’s the “on the side” type of thing? Shouldn’t broad ignorance in the context of needed knowledge of the day become the “subculture”? Not considered the majority? And note this is referring to those who are adults that would actually be considered indirectly anti-intellect or even directly pushing away from learning as a-illiterate, not referring to children who are reasonably novices. Also, this is not in the context of something technical to a field, that’s reasonable for a person not to know if not involved in that occupation.

This more concerns proposing a mentality that literacy as an automatic, the true cultural imperative of our information age. Primary knowledge that would not only allow one more enjoyment of life, ease, but less conflict from other people, from “why” questions from children about various things, to productive ability as a entrepreneur or ability in the workplace – if anything, definitely regarding someone around you who’s ignorance on a subject is being proposed as truth not opinion, but your own reading exposes the errors, so now you’re no longer susceptible to what you’re hearing. This further pushes yourself into research of where that “bad” info’ formed from in the first place (bad is relative of course).

It’s one thing to speak to niche and unique interests, say even of music and artistic cultures to be considered a subculture, but personally it’s tough to even speak that statement regarding reading in this present day and time. Specifically, for what you need to know in life whether you’re a casual or avid reader – as in financial literacy, certain technology studies, physical fitness, etc. Though not to get it twisted, being a creative writer I’m fully aware of the fictional realm as it has its place, more so for some than others, but the real-deal info, when it’s lacking, it’s just not a good look.

Thus, in closing, while this is not knock to people getting along in life just fine without hitting the books, I would say for all of us who “get down” with the written word to not ever strive to be isolated or identified as a subculture – especially in some trendy sense – but continue to impart practical knowledge so certain genres of thought, language and endeavors therein are not seen as some alien activities by your fellow man or woman, who hasn’t yet recognized the necessity of reading.