 Maculel ê is an Afro Brazilian dance where a number of people gather in a roda with one or more atabaques positioned at the entrance of the circle. Each person brandishes a pair of long sticks, traditionally made from biriba wood from Brazil.
As the Maculelê rhythm plays on the atabaque, the people in the circle begin rhythmically striking the sticks together. The leader sings, and the people in the circle respond by singing the chorus of the songs. When the leader gives the signal to begin playing Maculelê, two people enter the circle, and to the rhythm of the atabaque, they begin striking their own and each other's sticks together. This makes for a dance that looks like "mock stick combat". (Also, traditionally in Maculelê, the players wear dried grass skirts).
In Capoeira schools, Maculelê can be played with the use of a pair of Facões (literally big knife), used primarily to cut way through tall grass areas. However this style of play is only practiced by graduated students and masters. It is characterized by the loud noises and flying sparks when the players strike the knives.
The origins of Maculelê are obscure, and there are many stories, theories and beliefs that claim "this is how Maculelê came to be". Here are two: - During the slavery era in Brazil, the slaves in the sugarcane plantations would gather and play Maculelê as a game to vent their anger and frustration from being slaves. At this time, machetes were used instead of sticks. Sticks were later incorporated for safety reasons. However, some experts still use machetes.
- There were two tribes in Brazil: a peaceful tribe, and a warlike one. The warlike tribe would repeatedly attack the peaceful tribe, who had no way of defending themselves. One day, during an attack, a young boy named "Maculelê" picked up a pair of sticks and fought off the other tribe. The other tribe never attacked again. The boy didn't manage to fight them off completely, but did die trying. His home tribe then made a mock combat dance using sticks and named the dance "Maculelê" in his honor and memory.
Maculelê is sometimes practiced by itself, but is quite often practiced alongside Capoeira, and featured in many Capoeira performances.
Lyrics:Um certo dia na cabana um guerreiro
Um certo dia na cabana um guerreiro
Foi atacado por uma tribo pra valer,
Pegou dois paus, saiu de salto mortal, E gritou pula menino que eu sou Maculelê
Pula la que eu pulo ca
Chorus: Que eu sou Maculelê
Sou Maculelê vim aqui para lutar,
Dentro da minha tribo ninguem vai me segurar
Cuidado seu mosso, o facao e perigoso,
Se voce nao acredita Chorus: Voce vai se machucar |
Afro-Brazilian Dances 
